Saturday, January 2, 2010

Waiting for Godot - Big Ideas

A reader of the blog contacted me and alerted me to the latest issue of TVO's Big Ideas, she thought might appeal to me and would deserve to be reviewed on Anne is a Man. Before I discuss that lecture, which indeed I enjoyed very much and recommend with pleasure, some words of thanks to my reader and words of encouragement to others.

In spite of the fact I have reviewed Big Ideas already a couple of times, issues that deserve special attention can easily escape me and I am very grateful to readers who let me know their own preferences. I would love to see more of those recommendations arrive. Leave a comment on the blog, or drop me a mail at Anne Frid de Vries (in one word) AT yahoo DOT co DOT uk, or contact me on Facebook, Twitter or StumbleUpon. Let me know in a few lines what podcast or podcast episode you'd want to be mentioned on the blog and I will find a way to do so - maybe a new rubric - readers recommend? We will see. In any case, feel encouraged to take active part in the podcast reviewing. And now to the podcast at hand.

University of Toronto Professor of English, Nick Mount, presented a lengthy exploration of Samuel Beckett's famous work, Waiting for Godot. He weaves into his lecture some history of the reception of the play, some biography of Beckett, some readings from the play and a very compelling explanation of its meaning. I remember reading the play some twenty years ago and going through several stages of revulsion, indignation and acclaim as he describes and felt left with a couple of questions, many of which, at long last got an answer. A podcast not to be missed.

More Big Ideas:
Religion as culture - Camille Paglia,
Christopher Hitchens on the Ten Commandments,
The empire,
Lawrence Freedman - Big Ideas,
New Learning - Don Tapscott on Big Ideas.