Status Update

John Jr. is on page 171 of 384

I’ve been learning bits and pieces about Diaghilev and his fabled Ballets Russes since I worked on a one-man play about him years ago, but I’ve never read a full account. Though I’m not sure this is it, the book has lots of color and flavor, and it flows like a piece of music.

— Feb 09, 2024 07:33AM

Diaghilev's Empire: How the Ballets Russes Enthralled the World

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John’s Previous Updates

John Jr. is on page 316 of 384

It’s ironic to be reading this book about the enormous influence of Diaghilev and Russian ballet at a time when the entire Western world has been sensitized to the role of Russia and the status of Russian cultural products. That oversimplifies everything, but a status update isn’t the place for a discussion.

— Feb 18, 2024 09:06AM

John Jr. is on page 181 of 384

Interesting historical fact: Monaco was the poorest state in Europe until its rulers “decided in the 1850s to invent the city of Monte Carlo” and bank on tourism and gambling, like Las Vegas.

— Feb 10, 2024 07:57AM