Ralph Steadman, �I � Leonardo�
I suppose I should apologize again for being so far behind with these entries, but I�m not going to. I�m a dick. I�ve also been busy. I have the girlfriend now, and we�ve been doing �couple things� � going to the movies, going to San Francisco to see the guys from Mystery Science Theater 3000 perform, fucking like rabbits � you know the drill. I also had things like getting the last details of my book finished, drinking, reading, and studying for my test for Columbia University.
I finally finished with the last thing on that list. Everything else I intend to continue doing. But I also haven�t had much time in front of the computer to do anything except dump out the thousands of spam e-mails that I receive. Let me give you people a hint. If you�re going to e-mail me, do not use the words Viagra, incest, farm girls, credit, big cock, tight pussy or DVD�s anywhere in the title, lest it be deleted without a second thought. Also, make sure you use a personalized message in the subject line � something that will make me notice it without using terms like Viagra, incest, farm girls, credit, big cock, tight pussy or DVD�s.
The test for Columbia was a nightmare. I did better than the last time I took it, but I failed the last time I took it, so I don�t think that�s any comfort. Nearly everything and everyone I memorized failed to show up on the test (that�s not entirely true � three things I had on my cheat list did show up).
I managed to remember most of the people, places or things, but I still had ten total blanks. Just the other day as I was driving down Highway 17, one of the names I failed to answer crept into my brain and I shouted out �The Prime Minister of Canada!� making me swerve two lanes to the left.
There are just too many things on that list. I know they don�t expect us to know all the answers, but they do expect us to know about 80 percent of them (I answered about 70 percent).
So I don�t think I�m getting in. That�s okay, I couldn�t afford it anyway, especially since nobody seems to be ordering my goddamn book. This also means the boat is probably a long way away from reality as well.
But I digress. The thing is, I have a hard time remembering things after the fact, partly due test anxiety, mostly due to information overload (you try reading an average of 15 books a month and two papers everyday, along with two weeklies and see how much you remember). I especially have a hard time with non-fiction, mostly because most non-fiction is so boring.
Which is precisely why this book is so good. Steadman takes the biography of Leonardo da Vinci, and edits thoroughly, letting the reader find out the important and pivotal parts of his life, while ignoring the self-promoting crap. Add in some amazing Steadman art, and you have a non-fiction book on a historical figure that sticks in your mind.
As expected, my test for Columbia University didn�t have any questions about da Vinci. Too bad Steadman didn�t do a biography on the Prime Minister of Canada.
