I deal in antiques and collectibles, especially books and vinyl records. I can be found on eBay as seller finylvinylblue. Here's the link to:
Samuel Johnson
Boswell: So, Sir, you laugh at schemes of political
improvement?
Johnson:Why, Sir, most schemes of political improvement are
laughable things.
I love great voices in operatic and solo settings; usually do not have the time or patience for entire operas. Cecilia Bartoli and Renee Fleming are particular favorites. Among composers I favor Bach and Mozart for orchestral and chamber works and Puccini and Verdi for grand opera.I listen to a lot of jazz, mostly from the 1940's to 1960's; T. Monk, Stan Getz and June Christy and others.
My taste in Country/Bluegrass includes these folks - Bill Monroe, Emmy Lou Harris, John Prine, Tift Merritt, Allison Krause, K.D. Laing, and many more.
"24"; that's about all except for Fox News a couple of evenings a week. I grew up in the end years of the Golden Age of Radio. Now radio is making a comeback in new forms; as witness the huge success of talk radio and and the advent of satellite channels (neither of which I happen subscribe to).
Anthony Powell's "A Dance to the Music of Time" series of novels; I am especially fond of these novels in the complete audio books read by David Case. Thomas Hardy is another favorite. "Tess...", "Return of the Native", "Far From the Madding Crowd", all wonderful when encountered as audio narrations by a competent reader. Phillip K. Dick is another favorite.
It's true that most of my recent experiences with great literature have come to me through audio books. My "day job" involves considerable time on the road; what better way is there to blot out the Sturm und Drang of highway traffic than through great literature read in hi-fi? I admit I am a chlld of the Age of Radio, when one's imagination had to supply the visual imagery necessary to complement the spoken words.