Saturday

Nov. 14, 1998

Saturday Night

by A. P. Herbert

SATURDAY 11/14

Today's Reading: "Saturday Night," by A.P. Herbert.

It was on this day in 1851 that Herman Melville's novel MOBY DICK was published, the story that begins with: "Call me Ishmael. Some years ago — never mind how long precisely — having little or no money in my purse, and nothing particular to interest me on shore, I thought I would sail about a little and see the watery part of the world. It is a way I have of driving off the spleen, and regulating the circulation. Whenever I find myself growing grim about the mouth; whenever it is a damp, drizzly November in my soul; whenever I find myself involuntarily pausing before coffin warehouses, and bringing up the rear of every funeral I meet; and especially whenever my hypos get such an upper hand of me, that it requires a strong moral principle to prevent me from deliberately stepping into the street, and methodically knocking people's hats off — then, I account it high time to get to sea as soon as I can. This is my substitute for pistol and ball." Melville's Moby Dick initially got good reviews, but it didn't sell well at all, and Melville became increasingly reclusive for the rest of his life.

It's Swedish writer ASTRID LINDGREN's 91st birthday, born in the town of Vimmerby, Sweden, 1907. She's written over 80 books that have each sold a million or so copies and been translated into 76 languages, but she is best known for one book in particular, Pippi Longstocking, that came out in 1945.

It's CLAUDE MONET's birthday, born in Paris, 1840, the founder of the Impressionist movement in French art.

The BBC went on the air on this day in 1922. The first sounds were a news bulletin at 6 o'clock in the evening, repeated at 9 that night with a weather report. The next day, the BBC reported election results. Two days later they featured an hour's worth of vocal and instrumental music.

It's the anniversary of the FIRST LIVE OPERA BROADCAST, done in 1924 by the Chicago Opera Company and broadcast over station KYW. The opera was Saint-Saen's Samson and Delilah.

Be well, do good work, and keep in touch.®

 

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