MSGID: 2:221/6.0 603965ec   
   REPLY: 2:221/6.0 6038a396   
   PID: SmapiNNTPd/Linux/IPv6 1.3 20201225   
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   TID: hpt/lnx 1.9.0-cur 2021-02-17   
   Alexander Koryagin to Anton Shepelev:   
      
   AK> Although  the  fact  that  Englishmen talk words quicker   
   AK> than Russians is obvious when we watch American movies.   
      
   Well, I certainly do not get that impression  from  such  TV   
   shows as "What's my line?" and "You bet your life". But I do   
   have trouble  understading  English  speech -- for  want  of   
   practice, no doubt.   
      
   AK> For  instance, when I read textbooks I have no pleasure,   
   AK> but I know they are useful.   
      
   I try to pick enjoyable textbooks that  are  a  pleasure  to   
   read,  such  as  the  grammars  by  Nesfield,  Baskerville &   
   Sewell, and Goold Brown. Or open that famous book on  calcu-   
   lus -- Chrystal's  "Algebra" -- to  see why it is a standard   
   recommendation for all programmers: Crystal  shows,  and  by   
   example encourages, crystal-clear reasoning.   
      
   AK> A great subject is not necessary.   
      
   I never said it was. If fact, I agree with Akira Kurosawa in   
   that it is not the plot, but the execution of the plot. Ray-   
   mond  Chandler put it simpler: a good plot is one that makes   
   for good scenes.   
      
   AK> For instance, I read now "The Gun Seller" by  Hugh  Lau-   
   AK> rie.  A  usual not very bright subject, but the language   
   AK> is super, great, marvellous and original.   
      
   Not now, but I will.   
      
   [after looking it up in Wikipedia]   
   Whooops: I see it is very recent, and not a short story  but   
   a  novel.  Usually  I do not read books by living authors to   
   avoid any hype and let the cultural aftermath  settle  down.   
   It  is easier for me to start from a short story, as it does   
   not require a serious commitment of time. Speaking  of  Hugh   
   Laurie,  I  am  more  likely to try P.G. Wodehouse's stories   
   about the immortal Jeeves & Wooster.   
      
   AK> Somebody in heaven and under  earth  like  serials  very   
   AK> much.  All life on Earth is a big serial. Besides, there   
   AK> are some  serials  in  Russia  which  are  very  pretty,   
   AK> stylish and certainly are worth to be seen once. For in-   
   AK> stance, the serial about a cool, stylish Russian fashion   
   AK> firm  and  quite  ugly, but very clever girl who went to   
   AK> work there. Speed it up by 1.5 times and you will have a   
   AK> good hearing training, without boredom.   
      
   I  am  sorry, but any modern Russian TV series means boredom   
   to me: no acting, no sound, no cinematography, no  varation.   
   They  give  me  neither spiritual nor aesthetical gratifica-   
   tion. I feel deeply ashamed for the state of the film indus-   
   try  in  my  country. One need only watch the excellent "The   
   Lark" (1965) and its  horrible  modern  remake  commercially   
   named  "T-34"  (2019)  to realise the depth of degeneration.   
   Only low-budget or no-budget indie movies  sometimes  manage   
   to come out any good, but they very rare.   
      
   ---    
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