Landmark Ancient History Series So Far

The Landmark Ancient History series of books that I have read in the last several years (Thucydides, Xenophon, and Julius Caesar) have been amongst the most enjoyable historical source material I have ever read to date. The generous amount of maps, helpful footnotes, and knowledgeable essays are all aimed at people who like history. It matters not if you are a scholar or just interested, there is something in these books for everyone. Don't be put off by their thickness because once you start into them they flow very well due to the excellent translations.

The first two dealt with the Peloponnesian War between Athens and Sparta, was of particular interest of mine. Late last year I finished Julius Caesar which was his writings on the Gaelic Wars in modern France and Germany as well as the Civil War with Pompey and his successors. The work also included the final part of the Gallic War, Alexandrian War, Spanish War, and African War which were written by others based on first and second hand accounts during the time these conflicts occurred. 

I have already purchased the Landmark Herodotus and Arrian (Alexander's campaigns). These I plan to read one each year. In the works by the company are Polibius and Xenophon's Anabasis. The last one I have read but looking forward to a better version.

Purdy's Matcha Chocolates

One of the treats I had over the holidays was the Purdy's matcha chocolates. They come in a six pack, although you can buy them individually if you visit their stores, and combine sustainable cocoa outside and earthy matcha mixed with white chocolate inside. Delicious and satisfies the chocolate urge after having just one.

End of 2020 and looking ahead to 2021

 So 2020 is behind us but many things remain. For myself, a change in job position (view from my office is below) and two small local trips, when case counts were low enough to permit travel, have been the exciting things this year. Here are some other tidbits of the past year.

For music, only two concerts by the Early Music Society of the Islands were enjoyed live and in person at the start of the year; Baltimore Consort: If Music be the Food of Love and Concerto Koln: Vivaldi's Four Seasons. Two local short concerts by the Victoria Baroque were enjoyed online and donations made to their organization. One episode of Band in Seattle was watched and several music concerts on TV were seen: Down from the Mountain, Duran Duran: A Diamond in the Mind, Eric Clapton's Crossroads Guitar Festival 2019, Joni:75. Some CDs were picked up but none were notable. I also picked up a Yamaha guitalele, a six stringed ukelele, late in December. I've clocked very little time learning (100 minutes) but intend to practice a bunch in 2021, as I find it quite relaxing.

With non-fiction, I have read nine books and 20 periodicals (National Geographic and Archeology). The best books were Europe Between the Oceans 9000 BC - AD 1000 by Barry Cunfliffe, Landmark Julius Caesar, Persian Fire by Tom Holland, Professor and the Madman by Simon Winchester, and The Third Chimpanzee by Jared Diamond. Other books read were DK Big Book of Astronomy, Haynes Operators Manual: International Space Station, The Supergirls by Mike Madrid, What If? by Randall Munroe.

In the category of fiction, I have read 18 books and 15 graphic novels (collected comic book series). The standout novels were: The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins, Perfume: The Story of a Murderer by Patrick Suskind, Use of Weapons by Ian M Banks. A guilty pleasure is the Richard Stark Parker novels, of which I read six this year: The Mourner, The Score, The Jugger, The Handle, The Rare Coin Score, Green Eagle Score. The standout comic series were Incorruptible 1-6, Irredeemable 1-6, and Order of the Stick: Utterly Dwarfed.

Twenty eight documentaries were watched this year. Standouts were: American Experience: Chasing the Moon 1&2, Ken Burns: Country Music (8 episodes), Sammy Davis Jr: I Gotta Be Me, Made You Look: A True Story about Fake Art, The Thin Blue Line, Won't You Be My Neighbor?.

There were no movies seen in a theater this year, for obvious reasons.

With movies at home, however, thirty-four were seen. Standouts were: A Christmas in Connecticut, A Quiet Place, All the President's Men (third time seeing it), Blackkklansmen, Glass, Knives Out, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, Zodiac. Many others were comfortable rewatches of fun films.

Television non-fiction watched amounted to 472 hours worth. Standouts were, with number of episodes in brackets: Africa's Great Civilizations (8), Lucy Worsley's American History's Greatest Fibs (3), Art of France (3), Art of Germany (3), Art of Scandinavia (2), Asia in the Great War (4), Britain's Forgotten Slave Owners (2), Civilization: Is the West History (6), Eli Roth's History of Horror (12), High Art of the Low Counties (3), In the Shadow of WW2 (3), Joannah Lumley's Silk Road Adventure (4), Light and Dark (2), Lucy Worsley's Christmas Carols, Lucy Worsley's Royal Myths, Lucy Worsley's Royal Palace Secrets, Lucy Worsley's Twelve Days of Christmas, Made in the USA (3), Magic Numbers: Hannah Fry's Mysterious World of Maths (3), Mary Beard's Ultimate Rome: Empire without Limit (4), Monty Don's Japanese Gardens (2), Nature (8), Nova (27), Order and Disorder (2), Renaissance Unchained (4), Rise of the Nazis (3), Secrets of Orkney Island (3), Secrets of the National Trust (17), The Nile: 5000 years of History (4), WW2: Total War (6). A special shoutout to the Great British and Canadian Baking shows, Repair Shop, and Great British Sewing Bee. This is because they highlighted for my wife and I that you can have informative and collaborative reality shows that teach you things at the same time.

For TV non-fiction, 396 hours were watched. Standouts include: Agents of Shield: Final Season (13), 

Avatar: The Last Airbender (66; 30 min), Babylon 5 seasons 3-5 (65), Doom Patrol (9), I Spy (S1-22; S-28), Legend of Korra (52; 30 min), Leverage (S2-15 S3-16), Mandalorian (S1-8, S2-3), Rick and Morty (13; 30 min), Stargirl (13), The Boys (2), The Killing (20), The Rookie (10), Trickster (4), War of the Worlds (8), Who's Line is it anyways (24; 30 min).

Looking ahead to 2021, I expect to be watching more programs, practicing on the guitalele, and only traveling within the province if approved by the Provincial health authorities. No big trips for us.