Update: December 30, 2021.
A look back and a look forward.
Since this week is an extra post for December I decided to list a few upcoming reviews and my plans for the year 2022.
When I started writing for Substack I didn’t have a plan. I was merely reviewing whatever I happened to be watching or reading at the time. Since then, my vision has evolved. Going forward my mission statement will be, “To expand knowledge and increase appreciation for art.” Not a huge change, I know, but I think it better describes what I am doing here.
In Regard to Expanding Knowledge
I enjoy reading nonfiction. And boy! there are some good ones coming out. Michael Shellenberger has a new book, San Fran-siko. Jonathan Haidt is working on a book due out in 2022 sometime.
However, I don’t believe I can manage reading both for pleasure and for IGreviews. Therefore, I will continue reviewing these books just as I had in 2021. Some upcoming nonfiction reviews are:
Woke Racism: How a New Religion Has Betrayed Black America by John McWorter
Apocalypse Never: Why Environmental Alarmism Hurts us All by Michael Shellenberger
Soundtracks: The Surprising Solution to Overthinking by Jon Acuff
I am also putting together a reading list. Some of the books on that list have already been reviewed. Others have not. For the latter, I will have to find time to reread them before attempting a review.
In Regard to Increasing Appreciation for Art
The fiction I enjoy is approximately 100 years old. The movies I enjoy are not much newer. We will come to understand what made these books and films endearing. Why do we hold them in high regard? What makes them different? In 2022 I will also review more new books and films. This is a bit tricky because my primary source for materials is the local library. Be that as it may, IGreviews will be a look back and a look forward - where have we come and where are we going.
I am using “art” in its broadest sense: anything can be art. Up until now I have not ventured far from films and books. In 2022, I will review other artistic expressions, starting with music.
Here are a few reviews lined up:
Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro (novel)
The Midnight Library by Matt Haig (novel)
The Three-body Problem by Cixin Liu (novel)
S&M pts.1&2 (music albums)
The Planets Suite (music album)
Starset (band)
I will conduct another virtual film study class in the summer. The theme is not decided upon. Some possible themes are visual storytelling with Alfred Hitchcock; the evolution of the war movie; or film noir.
In Regard to Original Fiction
I posted one piece of original fiction this past year. I will post more in 2022. In particular, I hope to self-publish a novel on Substack and Amazon Kindle. Also, keep a look out for “The Left Hand of Fomalhaut” coming soon.
Are you talking about "The Planets" orchestra piece by Holst? Because that was one of my all-time favorites when I was a teenage classical-music snob. I look forward to reading your thoughts on it!