The Xi'ans? I think you've confused the modern name for Chang'an (the primary Tang capital) for a dynasty. I'm not sure which dynasty you meant though—perhaps Han?

Echoing @avclub-16db446cafb1ffb1466e71eaf97a4f49:disqus :

Echoing @avclub-16db446cafb1ffb1466e71eaf97a4f49:disqus :

My take is that Sturges was showing how one could have a message movie inside a seemingly escapist film. For instance, how differently the rich and poor are treated (best shown in the film by how easily Sullivan gets out of jail once it is realized who he is, which of course would not have happened if he wasn't rich…

My take is that Sturges was showing how one could have a message movie inside a seemingly escapist film. For instance, how differently the rich and poor are treated (best shown in the film by how easily Sullivan gets out of jail once it is realized who he is, which of course would not have happened if he wasn't rich…

Her essay A Few Words About Breasts is quite good. She was probably a much better essayist than filmmaker (as well as an interesting person).

Her essay A Few Words About Breasts is quite good. She was probably a much better essayist than filmmaker (as well as an interesting person).

You can add I Don't Care Anymore as another great and dark Phil Collins song.

You can add I Don't Care Anymore as another great and dark Phil Collins song.

Locke: What'd you do with Lavoisier?

Locke: What'd you do with Lavoisier?

Rudolph II: My astronomer's got no nose!
Random Bohemian: How does he smell?
Rudolph II: Awful.

Rudolph II: My astronomer's got no nose!
Random Bohemian: How does he smell?
Rudolph II: Awful.

Only if Leibniz was some sort of delicious chocolate biscuit!

Only if Leibniz was some sort of delicious chocolate biscuit!

Isn't the idea that the world could ever be divided into discrete civilizations pretty silly? The Renaissance was kick-started by Muslim refugees, the Tang dynasty was famously cosmopolitan, and so on. Every culture is a mongrel.

Isn't the idea that the world could ever be divided into discrete civilizations pretty silly? The Renaissance was kick-started by Muslim refugees, the Tang dynasty was famously cosmopolitan, and so on. Every culture is a mongrel.

a) I can't believe that book is so old since I remember when it came out. 
b) Any specifics about it awfulness? The only review I read at the time made it seemed interesting (praying that that review wasn't from the National Review when I was still trying to take Republicans seriously).

a) I can't believe that book is so old since I remember when it came out. 
b) Any specifics about it awfulness? The only review I read at the time made it seemed interesting (praying that that review wasn't from the National Review when I was still trying to take Republicans seriously).

Clearly you are not doing it right.