R. J. Rutstein

Books & Booktalk

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Books and Whiskey

Here I match Thomas Keneally's novels The Office of Innocence and The Chant of Jimmie Blacksmith with an Australian Whisky (of course). Two excellent novels, set in Australia, by an Australian, to match a two grain whiskey made in Australia. Sit back and enjoy!
Starward Two-Fold Double Grain Australian Whisky and two of Thomas Keneally's novels.
Here I pair Benraich, a very interesting Speyside whisky with a bit of a thriller to keep you on your toes and awake at night
Benraich The Twelve (Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky) and A Grave in Gaza by Matt Beynon Rees
This pairing was suggested to me by author Simon Winchester, a smoky peaty whisky, and a psychological mystery.
Ardbeg An Oa and The Deadly Percheron by John Franklin Bardin
Join me for a discussion of The Dimple Pinch and Great Expectations! The Dimple Pinch is one of the finest blended Scotch Whiskies and I have paired it with the exciting novel Great Expectations, the story of Pip, by Charles Dickens. Always remember, drink responsibly; read irresponsibly!
The Dimple Pinch Scotch Whisky and Great Expectations by Charles Dickens
Here I discuss an outstanding American Whiskey and pair it with the novel The Quiet American by Graham Greene, about the early days of Vietnam, before we started pouring troops into the region. https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/quiet-american-graham-greene/1101924799?ean=9780143039020
Basil Hayden Bourbon Whiskey and The Quiet American by Graham Greene
Here I pair Hibiki Harmony, an outstanding Japanese Whiskey with Haruki Murakami's novel The Wind-Up Bird Chronicles.
Hibiki Harmony and The Wind-Up Bird Chronicles by Haruki Murakami
Here I briefly discuss the novels of Thomas Flanagan, especially The End of the Hunt. I pair the novel with The Dublin Liberties Irish Whiskey. This video was produced by Mangomultimedia www.mongomultimedia.com Here is a link to the book: https://www.amazon.com/End-Hunt-Irish-Trilogy-Book/dp/0446360465/ref=sr_1_1?crid=US3LZB96X8LI&keywords=thomas+flanagan+the+end+of+the+hunt&qid=1682273626&sprefix=thomas+flanagan+the+end+of+the+hunt%2Caps%2C103&sr=8-1 Here is a link to The Dublin distilleries: https://thedld.com/ Lastly, here is a link to Spirited, the establishment where I purchased the bottle, located in Lenox Massachusetts: https://www.spirited-wines.com/ Please leave me comments to let me know what you like and dislike, and be sure to hit like and subscribe, and be sure to join us for future videos.
Dublin Liberties and The End of the Hunt by Thomas Flanagan
My inaugural video in which I match a whiskey to sip while reading a particular book. Here I have matched Lagavulin 11 year old Offerman Edition, a smoky whisky, with the novel Frankenstein. Sip a fine whiskey while reading. I discuss the qualities of the whiskey, the relevance of the novel to modern life comparing the monster in Frankenstein to Artificial Intelligence, and I discover who Nick Offerman is. There are plenty of errors as this is my first video, like cutting off the top of my head, mispronouncing Lagavulin twice, but not being able to correct it in a snippet that wold fit, and using the words point of view instead of perspective. Alas I shall be learning as I go.
Lagavulin and Frankenstein
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Reading Past Midnight

The Poetry Project #4. The Raven by Edgar Allan Poe, Ghost Music by Robert Graves, Haunted Houses b y Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, scene from Macbeth, and To Helen by Poe, all read aloud by your host, Ron Rutstein. Enjoy! There will be a book giveaway when I get to 30 subscribers (almost there), just but something in the comments to enter.
The Raven and other poems for Halloween
Join me for a conversation with editor and translator Michael Taub as we discuss his collection of Holocaust plays from Israel. We discuss "Ghetto" by Joshua Sobol, Hannah Senesh by Aharon Megged and Kastner, by Motti Lerner. I tacked on our conversation from before we actually started for some fun.
Israeli Holocaust Drama, Michael Taub editor. RPM's Genocide Reading Project #3
A longish review of Levinson's newest collection of poetry. Disclaimer: I was given an e-book copy for review. https://www.unsolicitedpress.com/store/p426/UNCOMFORTABLEECOLOGIES.html https://www.amazon.com/Uncomfortable-Ecologies-Elizabeth-Joy-Levinson/dp/1956692606/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1ER32HHB324DS&keywords=uncomfortable+ecologies&qid=1691004963&sprefix=uncomfortable+ecologies%2Caps%2C82&sr=8-1
Uncomfortable Ecologies, by Elizabeth Joy Levinson Poetry Review, Poetry Project #4
The Genocide Reading Project continues with two works by Slavenka Drakuilć S. A Novel of the Balkans, and They Would Never Hurt a Fly: War Criminals on Trial in The Hague https://www.amazon.com/S-Novel-Balkans-Slavenka-Drakulic/dp/0140298444/ref=sr_1_5?crid=2UBURPD2VCSYF&keywords=slavenka+drakuli%C4%87&qid=1689873926&sprefix=slavenka%2Caps%2C128&sr=8-5 https://www.amazon.com/They-Would-Never-Hurt-Fly/dp/0143035428/ref=sr_1_3?crid=2UBURPD2VCSYF&keywords=slavenka+drakuli%C4%87&qid=1689874056&sprefix=slavenka%2Caps%2C128&sr=8-3 The first is a novel focusing on the treatment of women prisoners during the wars following the break up of Yugoslavia, while the provides reporting on the trials of some of the perpetrators. I am reviewing both books in this video, and discussing some broader questions they raise. Make any kind of comment below to enter our giveaway.
RPM Genocide Reading Project #2 S. A Novel of the Balkans, & They Wouldn't Hurt a Fly, by Drakulić
Here I read seven sonnets from The Penguin Book of the Sonnet. Sir Walter Ralegh, Michael Drayton, John Davies, William Shakespeare, John Donne, Robert Herrick (this one is dedicated to my wife), and John Milton. Also, we have yet to reach 100 subscribers to complete our giveaway!
RPM's Poetry Project #3, Seven Sonnets (Giveaway)
Join me as I begin the quest to find the greatest novel ever written, and a book giveaway.
The Greatest Novel Ever Written: The Quest (Also The Norton Top Ten List, and a book giveaway).
Where to start with Haruki Murakami. A discussion of his novel Norwegian Wood. A giveaway of Nathaniel Hawthorne's complete short stories, just enter anything in the comments and I will give it away to a randomly chosen person who makes a comment on any any video upon reaching 100 subscribers.
Norwegian Wood by Haruki Murakami BOOK REVIEW (Spoilers and Book Giveaway).
This is a review of the novel The Hive set in Madrid of the 1930s. Written by Camilo Jose Cela. This is a fast paced few days in Madrid, following hundreds of characters through their lives, living under dictatorship. https://www.nyrb.com/collections/camilo-jos%C3%A9-cela
The Hive by Camilo José Cela, BOOK REVIEW
Seven more poems read aloud Poems from William Carlos Williams, https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/collected-poems-of-william-carlos-williams-1909-1939-william-carlos-williams/1100873871?ean=9780811211871 Edna St. Vincent Millay, https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/selected-poems-of-edna-st-vincent-millay-edna-st-vincent-millay/1122747218?ean=9780300264661 Eugenio Montale, https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/collected-poems-1920-1954-eugenio-montale/1103607220?ean=9780374533281 Wallace Stevens, https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/selected-poems-of-wallace-stevens-wallace-stevens/1141394571?ean=9780375711732 Robert Frost, The Birches, https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-poetry-of-robert-frost-the-collected-poems-complete-and-unabridged-robert-frost/1107483231?ean=9780805069860
RPM's Poetry Project #2
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