[tv] Stuff that's exciting me

[inulro]

As I predicted, the hard drive in the new TV box is filling up rapidly. Oh well, if it comes to it we'll have to go through it and delete things we think we'll never have time to watch.

Two things got me really excited today, though. The first was Bettany Hughes' documentary on The Minoans, which was on More 4 a couple weeks ago and I think is a repeat of something she did earlier. Anyway, it had me simultaneously wanting to head for the library (eciklb, can you recommend any good beginner's guides to the Minoans and the Myceneans?) and the travel agent (the colour of the Agean Sea was astounding).

The other was a random episode of BBC2's Museum of Life, which is in itself a pretty random account of the various activities of the Natural History Museum (also note to self - still haven't been, and need to rectify that soon). It follows all sorts of nature-collecting expeditions from the end of the world to Britain's backyards, and looks at some of the neat stuff in the collections. All kinds of fascinating, and introduced me to an Antarctic expedition I previously haven't really read about, the one known as The Worst Journey on Earth (more research to come soon, I'm sure), the one that brought the first Emperor Penguin eggs back to the Western world.

Comments

[sheepthief.livejournal.com]

Did you watch the BBC history program "Around the World by Zeppelin"? Figured you might enjoy that.

[inulro.livejournal.com]

I didn't - it was on before I got my magic V+ box and set it to record everything that might interest me. Never mind, it'll be on again and I'll catch it then.

[eciklb.livejournal.com]

The text I usually use for teaching undergrads is Preziosi and Hitchcock's _Aegean Art and Architecture_, in large part because it is one of the most readable surveys and isn't too hefty. However, seeing as how you're a fairly sophisticated reader, you might be up for _The Cambridge Companion to the Aegean Bronze Age_, which is recent and really juicy (I'm reading it now myself, and it gets serious points for teaching me things I didn't know and vanity points for citing my work).

[inulro.livejournal.com]

The latter is a lot less expensive than I thought it would be, so I'll buy a copy. If it proves to be too much for me, the former is available through my public library.

[eciklb.livejournal.com]

Have fun with them! I'm happy to answer any questions....

[zotz]

The Worst Journey In The World was part of Scott's trip.

I have a copy of the book. I haven't read it yet.