Something is Illuminated

Right now I’m reading a book called Perfume, by Patrick Süskind, which I borrowed from Sharon’s bookshelf. The next book I’d like to read is also in her collection: A History of the World in 10½ Chapters, by Julian Barnes. There is an insert in Barnes’ book: a color reproduction of Gericault’s painting, The Raft of the Medusa. This painting was used as the basis for the cover to The Pogues’ second album Rum, Sodomy, and the Lash. The Pogues’ former lead singer Shane MacGowan was used (unknowingly to him, probably) as the physical (and attitudinal?) model for the Irish vampire Cassidy in the Preacher series of graphic novels that I love so much. Cassidy and his friend Jesse Custer influenced the life of another Preacher character, Arseface, a teenage boy who attempted to commit suicide by gun to the head like his hero, Kurt Cobain. Cobain and Nirvana produced a song called "Scentless Apprentice" which appears on their album, In Utero. This song was inspired by the main character in Suskind’s book, Perfume.

Follow me? See how things go round and round? I love coincidences and interconnected relationships like those so beautifully presented on the science documentary series Connections. I used to watch the show with EdGee in Austin.

Another small example would be from last night: After our meeting with Amital, Sharon and I walked around the corner and past an art gallery that contained a small sculpture by the same artist who made a work that is placed next to the education building at Yad Vashem, where I work.