November 2020 Recommended Reading/Viewing

[Coír Draoi Ceítien]

November is upon us. Now we approach the Thanksgiving season and another presidential election. These are troubling times indeed. I would imaging that there's a lot of anxiety going around, so here's some lighter fare to get you through the coming weeks.

Reading: King Solomon's Mines (1885) by H. Rider Haggard

Often considered to be the first "lost world" novel, Haggard's breakthrough was one of the most popular novels of its time, rivaling Treasure Island and influencing later writers such as Edgar Rice Burroughs and Arthur Conan Doyle as well as films and comic books in the 20th century; it continues to be highly regarded to this day, despite some racial tastes of the age. The story follows aged big game hunter Allan Quatermain, who is approached by a wealthy aristocrat and his friend to search for his missing brother, who disappeared into the depths of Africa in search of a lost treasure trove of diamonds reported to belong to King Solomon himself; what they will find is a lost African kingdom ruled by a ruthless tyrant and his wizened hag advisor, who fear the return of the lost rightful prince of the land. A precursor to the Indiana Jones stories, it's an exciting, glamorous ride into exotic places with constant danger, a piece of history not to be forgotten.

Trade: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0812966295?tag=randohouseinc7986-20
Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0012E3J4C?tag=randohouseinc7986-20



Viewing: Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (Steven Spielberg, 1984)

The second Indiana Jones feature - set chronologically before the first - finds the adventurer escaping from a Chinese gangster in Shanghai with a lounge singer and a child sidekick in tow to the midst of India, where he stumbles upon a village where the children have been abducted. His attempt to rescue the children takes him to a lavish palace that serves as a front for the Kali-worshipping Thuggee cult, which uses the captives as slave labor to search for the sacred Sankara Stones which they believe will give them absolute power. A much darker film than its predecessor (one which inadvertently let to the creation of the PG-13 rating by the MPAA), this entry is nevertheless a rousing and wonderful addition to the canon, taking advantage of the recent THX special effects technology to deliver a polished, fascinating experience. Despite initial mixed reception, it has overcome it in recent years and remains a must-see.

DVD: https://www.amazon.com/Indiana-Jones-Temple-Doom-Special/dp/B0014Z4ON4/ref=sr_1_2?crid=25EK020N5S9IB&dchild=1&keywords=indiana+jones+and+the+temple+of+doom&qid=1604264809&sprefix=indiana+jones+and+t%2Caps%2C511&sr=8-2
Blu-Ray: https://www.amazon.com/Indiana-Jones-Temple-Doom-Blu-ray/dp/B00FZIIYSW/ref=sr_1_2?crid=25EK020N5S9IB&keywords=indiana+jones+and+the+temple+of+doom&qid=1604264809&sprefix=indiana+jones+and+t%2Caps%2C511&sr=8-2
Amazon Video: https://www.amazon.com/Indiana-Jones-Temple-Doom-Harrison/dp/B00GIXNAKU/ref=sr_1_1?crid=25EK020N5S9IB&dchild=1&keywords=indiana+jones+and+the+temple+of+doom&qid=1604264809&sprefix=indiana+jones+and+t%2Caps%2C511&sr=8-1



So that's all for November. I hope that better days lie in store for all of us.