A conversation with author Simon Schama

with Simon Schama
in Current Affairs, Books
on Wednesday, May 27, 2009 * * * * *

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A conversation with author Simon Schama about his book "The American Future: A History"

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Keywords:
Red Sox
Obama
Soviet Union
United States
Bush
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Europe
palin
foreign policy
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economy
Boston
Fenway

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  • Comments 12
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    1. JTKempIII  06/03/2009 05:27 PM Report

      Simon Schama is one of the most intelligent evaluators of America we're lucky enough to have in these times.

      I'd like for Charlie and his readers/viewers to review my new work "Living Lyrics" at http://textcoupons.info/site3/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=184:living-lyrics-index

      Here's a comment from an educator:

      "JT Kemp's work is the breath of fresh air poetry fans have been anticipating.

      His use of rhythm and prose as he creates lyrical glimpses into our own souls

      is just what our students need to spark an interest in language arts.

      Kemp shows us all over again how creative we can be with our language.

      When you listen to JT Kemp III, you realize you're listening to the whole world."

      -- E. Elizabeth Brown

      Thanks again, Charlie for giving us the best minds!

    2. citizenschallenge  06/01/2009 01:16 AM Report

      I'm pretty sure Schama has a neuralgic condition.

      and that hypo or hyper have nothing to do with the head movement.

      Fortunately, his brains and interesting perspective overcome that little distraction in a hurry.

    3. tartufe  05/31/2009 04:59 PM Report

      Well, I'll be damned. Thanks. Learned something and wasn't even ready.

      Confused me nonetheless as they described hyomania as "below" mania. Intuitively I wanted it to be "above." Go figure. Googled hyper vs hypo and further flipped on this: "'m gaining weight, exhausted all the time, and my hair is falling out, but I'm also having high blood pressure, my heart is racing all the time, and I get diarrhea. Can I actually be hypo and hyper at the same time?

      The answer is yes. While you should always see your doctor regarding any concerns with blood pressure, heart rate, or other symptoms, here are some important factors to consider."

      It's an ongoing conspiracy. Thanks - interesting.

    4. RWillis  05/31/2009 03:17 PM Report

      @tartufe

      From your comment, "Schama seemed hyper rather than hypo. Manic yes." it seems you may not be familiar with the term 'hypomanic.'

      Check out http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypomania if you're interested in learning a bit more of what I was describing about Mr. Schama's appearance on the show.

      A good excerpt from the entry: "Classic symptoms of hypomania include mild euphoria, a flood of ideas, endless energy, and a desire and drive for success."

    5. reneBenthien  05/31/2009 08:51 AM Report

      Great interview. This guy is a fascinating speaker. Once you get over his crazy-person head movements he is highly entertaining. Big fan of his 'History of Britain' series.

      Despite the jingoist comments below, I think it's understandable that people take such a liking to US history and politics. It's filled with brilliant stories, rich with tragedies, triumphs and heroes. No one is better than Simon Schama at bringing that to light. Great asset to any publication.

    6. MadameDefarge  05/29/2009 12:38 AM Report

      A delightful interview. My only complaint is that it was over too soon.

    7. REMant  05/29/2009 12:20 AM Report

      Moyers interviewed him about this on Jan. 16 shortly before the programs aired on BBC America. They were supposed to air on select PBS stations, too, but if they did, they didn't make much of an impression, at least on me, because I can't remember them. Guy thinks he is the successor to Kenneth Clark or Alistair Cookie, apparently. I think he is an ass. This is what I wrote then, when apparently he said something more substantive to say than he did here, or at least something I could understand: "I am really tired of hearing ppl with English accents over here telling us what Americans should do about this or that. I admire British historians by-and-large, but to the best of my knowledge no one in the profession considers him either a serious British or American historian. I do not know what Ivy League schools see in such ppl, but I'm sure that it isn't scholarship. It is a shame the Founding Fathers didn't add a provision to prevent the foreign-born from becoming pundits. Afro- and Jewish-Americans do have one thing in common: no matter what consideration is extended to them, it will never be enough." I have to say that the Schama's, Niall Ferguson's, et al are enterprising blokes, but I'd be happier of they would be enterprising elsewhere. Googling reviews I see I am not alone. And I very much wish PBS, the Pulitzer committee, and the like, would grow up and stop encouraging the commercialization of academia. Might mention also that he was a very vocal Obama supporter during the campaign.

    8. charlizecourriers  05/28/2009 07:33 PM Report

      About those people who work for a living-they, along with the Roseland people, are trapped in a bipolar political fantasy world. Thus they, along with the immigrant 'don' will necessarily seek to bring death to the forces they perceive as representing the death of the West. History won't work out that way since history is not bipolar. A more helpful way to look at these questions(but rejected by C.P.Rose) would be to look at what people worship. Mr. Rose hasn't a clue. Schama,the self described Jew, has also decided "not to be." But to be fully human is the question. That means you have to be mindful of why you worship politicians! And then mindful of why that is a huge mistake.

    9. doodahdaze  05/28/2009 05:05 PM Report

      This guy is too hyper and emotionally "romantic" and enamored with his own opinions to be given any serious consideration; he should be ignored... Did I hear them say he was a professor?...

      He's a jerk.

    10. tartufe  05/28/2009 04:32 PM Report

      Tonight’s (continued) Obama love-fest will ultimately flatten.

      Obama’s good but not as politically immortal as Charlie and Simon seem to want him to be. Af-Pak and finance will be his Achilles heel(s).

      So Schama’s feeding the orthodoxy maw with his obligatory put down of Pakistani’s endemic problems will only contribute to his fall from grace, as there’s no way that our Af-Pak misadventure will be a net gain - let alone victorious.

      Obama claims he wants opposing views. The media, Charlie and his stream of fawning guests are contributing to the unintended consequences of unending flattery, sans any honest critique of his policies re Af-Pak and finance. Opposing views from other than frightened Republicans are needed.

      Schama seemed hyper rather than hypo. Manic yes.

    11. fjgajewski  05/28/2009 02:40 PM Report

      Prof. Schama seemed rather more sanguine about George B. Bush's tenure than he need have been. (Does he know, I wonder, what Mr. Bush said to President Chirac in the runup to the invasion of Iraq?)

    12. RWillis  05/28/2009 08:32 AM Report

      A hypomanic mind at work.