Posted by Adrienne on December 31, 2009 under Books | 
The 18th book in my book count was a quick and interesting read, which allowed me to finish it, just under the wire!
China’s First Emperor and His Terracotta Warriors by Frances Wood
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
I’ve recently become interested in learning more about China, particularly its 3,000+ year history. When I saw China’s First Emperor and His Terracotta Warriors in the course of my collection development activities for my job, I thought that it would be a good addition to our library’s collection and also a fascinating book to read. So I ordered it, and checked it out as soon as it came in. I was not disappointed!
Qin Shi Huangdi was the very first emperor of what would come to be known in the Western world as China, a name that probably came from him (“Qin” is pronounced “Chin”). He unified the warring provinces of China, and kept them together by means of a centralized beauracracy and a standardized and codified law system, rather than the previous feudal system. Qin Shi Huangdi also standardized all weights and measures used in China, and it was during his reign that the Chinese system of written characters became used throughout the land. Today’s Chinese characters are written a bit differently, but are direct descendents of those used during Huangdi’s reign.
Despite these interesting achievements, Qin Shi Huangdi is perhaps best known for causing the creation of two world wonders: the Great Wall of China and the Terracotta Army. Huangdi’s part in the Great Wall may be doubted, however, as there is no direct evidence in the parts that exist today were built during his time. This may be because they have been covered over by more recent construction, or that the stones have been re-used, which has been known to occur in China. Other walls around the country have been found that date to Huangdi’s reign.
There is no question, however, about the origin of the Terracotta Army, a much more recent archaeological find. Three different sets of life-sized men, all unique, completely outfitted for battle and made entirely of ceramics (except for their weapons, which were crafted the same way actual weapons used by the Chinese army were made) surround Huangdi’s magnificent tomb. Scholars speculate that there would have been a fourth set of soldiers, except Huangdi died before that set could be completed. The description of the Terracotta Army in the book is fascinating, although I wished for some pictures!
For an excellent and readable introduction to this fascinating (and mysterious – we really don’t know much about him) ruler, China’s First Emperor is an excellent choice. I am glad I read it, and glad I bought it for our library!
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I’ll be posting a retrospective of the ‘09 Book Count soon, as well as my plans for 2010. Check back soon!
Posted by Adrienne on December 30, 2009 under Photos |
Rialto Beach: rocky, gray and fascinating. See for yourself:
A beach is an ending. The land ends, and the sea ends, both in the same place. At the same time, a beach is a beginning. The sea begins, and the land begins. These coming few days are the same: an ending and a beginning, as December and 2009 come to a close and January and 2010 get started.
I don’t have anything particularly profound to say. Just that simple comparison, and a nice picture.*
*We’ll be back soon with more fun and lighthearted content. Happy New Year!
Posted by Adrienne on December 27, 2009 under Books |
In 2004, I visited England on a study abroad trip. I came back with postcards, a Cambridge University sweatshirt, lots of memories, and a CD from the Imperial War Museum called “Reach for the Sky: Music Evocative of the War in the Air.” The CD contained 20 some tracks including popular songs about the fighter pilots in the RAF during the Battle of Britain, marches played by RAF regimental bands, and a few clips of Sir Winston Churchill’s famous remarks after the conclusion of the Battle of Britian. It’s an interesting CD, and one that I listend to exclusively while reading The Flyer: British Culture and the Royal Air Force 1939-1945
I’m not the only one who is interested in WWII-era RAF pilots. Francis’ study of the men of the Royal Air Force is concerned with how regular Britons saw the pilots during the war and after it. He also explores what life was actually like for the pilots in terms of their sense of comradeship with their fellows, their romantic and domestic interactions with women, how they coped with fear and stress, and how they dealt with the end of the war and the return to a normal life. Along the way, Francis cites the many books, plays and movies made about RAF pilots during and after the war, and analyses whether these representations are accurate and reflect the true experiences of the flyers (for the most part, they do).
All in all, Francis’ book is an interesting one. It is also a very scholarly analysis, which made it a little difficult to get through, but I am glad that I finished it!
Posted by Josh on December 23, 2009 under Photos |
With the recent cold spell (and I mean cold by Seattle standards, so not really all that cold), there was some speculation about whether Snoqualmie Falls would be frozen over. So, we decided to check it out.
Neither of us had been before. It’s just about a 45-minute drive from Seattle, east on I-90. I wasn’t thinking very clearly and loosely reasoned that it wouldn’t be snowing up there because it wasn’t snowing in Seattle.
I was mistaken.
Not that there was a whole ton of snow, but as we got closer there was some snow on the side of the road and it was snowing very lightly. Pretty much, I just neglected to bring my gloves and my scarf. But I did bring the camera, and I’m glad I did. It was rather stunning to see the waterfall flowing down against a backdrop of icicles and a light dusting of snow. This picture in particular, with the red and green, gives some very good context to the very white center of the image.
It was neat to see, and I’d like to go back sometime when taking pictures won’t freeze my fingers!
Posted by Adrienne on December 22, 2009 under Baseball, Mariners |
If you want useful analysis of all of the recent trades made by Mariners GM Jack Zduriencik, there are plenty of excellent places to go. This is not one of them. You should try the Seattle Times, for example, or USS Mariner.
This is, however, a great place for me to say that, as a Mariner fan, I am enjoying this offseason quite a lot. The Mariners are making useful moves. They are acquiring good players. Guys like Chone Figgins, Cliff Lee and Milton Bradley are going to contribute in the 2010 season, maybe enormously. It’s a nice change from previous offseasons, when large amounts of money were thrown at free agents in deals that weren’t very good for the team.
Even with the recent news of a Brandon Morrow trade that has some scratching their heads because the value is not immediately apparent, I am still excited. Jack Z. has shown me that he has a blueprint of what he wants the team to look like, and a goal of winning. Could a fan ask for anything more?
Keep making these great deals, Mr. Zduriencik! I’m looking forward to the Mariners team that will take the field at SAFECO in April 2010! Go Mariners!
