Throughout their 600 year history the Bauls of Bengal; India have kept no official scriptures. Their esoteric spiritual teachings on the use of breath; sex and devotion are encoded in the words of their songs/poems. The Baul believes that God in s not found in a heaven or afterlife; but in the present moment; alive in the body of the man or women who seeks the Truth. Their music; lyrics and accompanying dance reflect the passion; the love and the iconoclastic freedom of this remarkable sect of musicians and lovers of the Divine; affectionately know as "Gods troubadours." The Mirror fo the Sky id a translation of 205 songs; including an extensive introduction to the history and faith of the Bauls; and the composition of their music.
#769176 in eBooks 2012-02-13 2012-02-13File Name: B00YO95ECM
Review
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful. Precocity in the English mannerBy ilprofessoreFrom Oscar Wilde to Evelyn Waugh to Chris Hitchens; every new generation in Britain seems to produce yet another variant of The Bright Young Thing. In that cold and often rainy climate; dazzling young men and women seem to bloom at an uncommon early age; all with an uncommon talent to charm; impress; and eventually outrage their elders. Incorrigible showoffs; one and all; they all seem to spring from the same public schools and universities. No better specimen of this garden variety than Ken Tynan who; at age eleven; saw fit to write the critic of a Birmingham newspaper; praising the talents of a minor movie actor named Bogart. Nine years later; immediately after the Second World War; Tynan had reached Oxford. By then; the young man had honed his act to the same brilliant polish as his predecessors: be it the eccentric clothing; the excessive drinking; the sexual conquests; the endless talk; the capacity to do all things day and night. He had read everything ever written; and still found time to act; direct; and write magazine articles and essays. The best letter writing in this collection--British precocity at its shining best--comes from those glorious school days before celebrity. Tynan; champion of the new and a lover of the popular arts--film in particular--was so in love with himself and life that he fearlessly celebrated an obscure actor; Frederick Volks Othello; as one of the great theater performances of his lifetime. Why? Because it was so totally unlike anything that the establishment divas; Olivier; Richardson and Gielgud; were doing at the time. In the same manner; he knew the days of "the ginny baritone" Noel Coward; were over. Osborne; Wesker; and the rest; he wrote; had every right to come to take the great mans place. Sadly; as is so often the case with comets; Tynans light did not burn forever and he became as much an establishment figure as those he once criticized. His later name-dropping letters are disappointing. He was best and brightest when he was young.2 of 3 people found the following review helpful. Not What I ExpectedBy Suzinne BarrettWas disappointed in this exhaustive collection of letters. Im a huge admirer of Kenneth Tynan - read his diaries around three times - but this just did not do it for me. I had high hopes for this book; and I like the stylish black and white presentation. But much of this is dry and businesslike. Anyone who knows anything about KT knows he had an outrageous sense of humor. And his range as a critic was distinctly wide - from the deep down lowbrow to the highest of highbrow. However; that predilection for lifes ironies is not often found here.Yes; there are some interesting letters; but much of it isnt engaging. One touching letter that comes to mind is one Mr. Tynan sent to The Hemlock Society. It was written toward the end of his life; and he was exploring the option of assisted suicide. Tynan was a very heavy smoker who actually was genetically wired for emphysema. Even while struggling for breath and against all his wife Kathleens admonitions; he continued to smoke. Smoking was a symptom of the serious self doubt that followed him throughout his life. In the end; and without leaving the definitive artistic statement; Kenneth Tynan sadly expired at age 50 in July 1980.Its so unfortunate that Kenneth Tynan is practically forgotten today; and all his work has been out of print for years. I consider myself lucky I was able to acquire most of his books before they disappear into oblivion.10 of 10 people found the following review helpful. Great WritingBy E. HawkinsI think the above review needs a corrective. Tynan was the sharpest; funniest; and best-informed theatre critic of his generation. He was also a wonderful stylist; and a precocious one: many writers never write as well as Tynan did while still in his teens. These letters can be enjoyed simply for their manipulation of language; but theres more to them than that. Tynan always liked to think of himself as an outsider; as someone pushing the envelope; yet he also was entranced by the establishment at play; and he enjoyed lowbrow entertainment almost as much as Shakespeare and Sophocles. These letters demonstrate this bifurcation of character; making for a sort of un-selfconscious autobiography. Well worth buying for anyone who likes reading letters; and a must for Tynan fans. when can we have some more of his work reisssued?
