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~ Journal 8 ~
The Rest Is Noise has been called a work of social history rather than just music history, which is true, but what's most remarkable is how it sticks close to individual human lives, not losing them to the broad strokes. And there are recurring themes in those strokes, all the way to the end, res...
Nine months of the story in "Year of the Amphibian" take place in Los Angeles, and while L.A. has changed considerably since the early 1980's, some of the specific things I reference in the book still exist.
Wattles Park (Chapter 4 - Mid-October)
Wattles Park is a real place but the vibe is qui...
Visual art would seem more central in "Year of the Amphibian", but a lot of music comes up the story. Here I've listed every musical reference by chapter, with YouTube videos or Spotify playlists (plus Wikipedia for more information).
Warning: spoilers.
Chapter 2 - Early September
Conrad st...
"Year of the Amphibian" features much that is art-related, and also the character Mr. Onter likes to show Conrad old maps.
Warning: spoilers.
German Expressionism
Conrad does a project on German Expressionist painters. In chapter six he finds books about German Expressionism in the library,...
When I was a kid I loved the show "Land Of The Lost" and would get up early in the morning to watch reruns. In my book "Year of the Amphibian" I mention the show twice, in each case referring to a specific episode. I chose the two episodes because they are good ones that I remember, and also because...
