The Universal Composer
Most of the reviews I've read of Edmund Morris' Beethoven biography didn't encourage me to read it, but Tim Page's beautifully written appreciation has catapulted it to the top of my list.
Wes Phillips
Sort By: Post Date TitlePublish Date
Nerves
Soup or sparks? How we figured out how they work.
Five Things
These are more addictive than potato chips.
Hay In Art
I've spent my time throwing bales of hay onto wagons and into barns. To think that I now complain of a hard day's work at the keyboard!
Salt'n'Pepper
A close up view. Not what I expected.
A Concise Introduction to Physics
Just relax and enjoy it—as Feynman said.
Why Do Birds Sing Together?
Turns out the theories about this have changed over time. This fascinating article reminds me of the great Simon Frith essay, "Why Do Songs Have Words?" Frith posited that pop song lyrics teach the young men of our decidedly unpoetic era the language of courtship.
Do iPod Users Really Think Different?
A Nielsen/Netratings survey suggests they might. Favorite alcoholic beveridge? Hard cider. Favorite car? VW. Favorite TV network? Cartoon Network, followed by BBC America and HBO.
100 Best First Lines
One of my favorites was left out. From Anthony Burgess' Earthly Powers: "It was the afternoon of my eighty-first birthday, and I was in bed with my catamite when Ali announced that the archbishop had come to see me."
Saying No to Wal-Mart
When Jim Wier told Wal-Mart he wanted them to stop selling his lawnmowers, was he being a good businessman or was he "the dumbest CEO ever to live"?