Right, it’s already in the can:
Richard has recorded the whole lot of it, it seems. And it’s for Penguin Books. Very nice.
I have absolutely no prior experience or knowledge of Marcus Aurelius – despite studying Latin in school for six very long years. I can’t say that I would usually read philosophical texts voluntarily. I am more of a fiction reader. But experience tells me that more often than not, I find that RA’s surprising choices of projects actually widens my horizons. It’s not going to hurt imagining RA coming out with all those presumably clever things that Marc Aurel once said…
Not entirely sure whether that whole get-up fits a second century Roman emperor, but well, the nearest we are getting to it.
As for the chosen extract – interesting choice, Richard, interesting. Self-criticism – or merely another sermon to those who don’t know as well as you do? Definitely clever to include yourself in the whole “we must work on ourselves and be better people” shpiel. I’mnotgettinginvolvedI’mnotgettinginvolvedI’mnotgettinginvolvedI’mnotgettinginvolvedI’mnotgettinginvolved.
So, how do you feel about this audio project? Are you going to buy this – and listen to it? I’d love to know!
The Phanes twin were desperately working on their dance routine
Guylty Pleasure 
I love that extract and imagine that it is a rather pointed side-eye at the current morons-in-power. I’m not too wild about the material but um…as we have all said numerous times, the man could read the phone book and I’d gladly listen to it.
But…but…what about the news that he’s making a movie in Korea?! Do we have any more info beyond his tweets? I’ve been out of the social media world for a bit so apologies if this is very old news to everyone else.
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Young has tweeted alot about it
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Does she actually *know* anything or is it just conjecture?
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i don’t know, i assumed she going along with it because he liked her tweet
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That was just about the stars of the film, though, and nothing about the actual theme of the film and RA’s role in it. I guess we’ll just have to wait and see.
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Not sure about the extract. I’d like to know the context. Who knows what MA was *really* referring to…
The Korea movie – yeah, not mad about it because it sounds as if he is going to be a cardboard-cut out baddie in it. But it’s a new genre, so that is good!
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Yes, I’ll buy it of course! I’m not familiar with the text but his choices of audio books certainly does broaden one’s horizons. Love the Roman get up (including the helmet…). I’m considering at the moment [trying to] understand what RA meant by ‘how I can better myself in understanding their meaning’. What does he mean?
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Tbh, I think he doesn’t mean himself at all but is only saying it so that others read it and better themselves.
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He should have apologized to Luisa ! He was disrespectful to her IMO, I was shocked 😮
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his tweets read as quite angry towards the Lib Dems
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Yep Rachel that’s how I took it too
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I think this is just the latest example of preachy Richard who has made pronouncements like this for years. It is not one of my favorite qualities of his.
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Yes, the same here. He’s not my dad, so I am not inclined to listen to moral advice from him, anyway.
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Talking about sermons, you know when you asked in your A-Z about deal-breakers? Well, he sailed dangerously close yesterday. Sorry for any Lib-Demmers but it disappointed me that he has joined them and his prissiness about the ‘profanity’ annoyed me (even though I agree the t-shirt was a distraction). I feel like wearing one with Bollocks on to Uncle Vanya.
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Well, that was exactly the same words that I used, dreamer. Close to dealbreaker. The LibDems really are not my cup of tea at all. But when I think about it, it’s not surprising at all that he would join them. He has always been scared of voicing/having an opinion, and that fits with a wishi-washi middle-of-the-road policy like the LibDems. It’s only their stance the EU that really gives them profile at the moment…
And touché on the Bollocks t-shirt in the theatre. Kate and I were saying something similar. Do you think he’d have us evicted *hahaha*
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Ha did you! I wouldn’t mind if he personally man-handled us out ( but not quite like that Tory MP and the climate-change protester
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LOL – I doubt he’ll make his hands dirty with the plebs 😂
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He would never! Decorum, decorum, decorum. 😇
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You go girl Jane go girl!! 😂👍👏👏👏
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I don’t see this in my immediate future, but never say never, right?
Kinda made me wanna watch Cleopatra though.
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Haven’t seen Cleopatra either. (And not really keen on sitting through hours of stuff just to see 5 minutes of him. Even with furry legs.)
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😂😂 “furry legs”
It might be worth it just to see him in a skirt. 😁 And with all his original equipment.
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Good bit younger…
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I don’t mind the aging. It suits him—and my taste—and let’s face it, that’s all that matters. 🤭
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Oh agree. I didn’t mean it as a criticism of him. Just a statement that the film is a good few years old…
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Yes. Hence the original parts… 😜
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I’m an American. Don’t do British politics. But Marcus Aurelius-interesting ideas. I also suffered through Latin for two years in high school and other than learning more than I wanted (at the time) about root words I think it helped me overall in life. Kind of like a typewriting class for languages. As to his voice-yes, I can sleep through that voice easily. Very comforting. I prefer my performers like my waiters. Capable and not opinionated. Hard to see a character when all you see when you look at someone are their political opinions. Kind of destroys their appeal. I’ve recently been sorting out dvds and no matter how ‘great’ a performer is, if all I see is rudeness and disrespect that dvds going to the thrift store. But tbh the bloom is coming off his rose to some extent. The only thing I got on twitter for was RA. Met many ppl with different viewpoints than mine. That’s ok. But getting blocked for having different views, we’ll that’s disappointing. But not surprising it seems. My biggest reason IF I’m able to go to London to see Vanya is: will RA greet the fans in the dead cold of January afterward?
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I assume you did not mean this to be a reply to my comment but to the blog entry in general?
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I will definitely be buying it… and sorry Guylty but I’m absolutely delighted he’s joined the Lib Dems, they’re the only ones who might just stop the Brexit car crash…
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I am anti-Brexit – but don’t think that the LibDems will be able to stop it. Too little too late.
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Yes Helen I’m right there with you!! #bullockstobrexit #dontjudgeme
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Well, it’s an audio project… so no…
#notgettinginvolvedeither
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LOL – I love that you are so steadfast in your disinterest when it comes to audio. You know, there are definitely some projects that are *not* a pity to miss. (I suspect the upcoming sermon may be one such 😁)
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😉 Well, I did do that War of the Worlds thing which I did enjoy. I suspect I might do Wolverine too at some point, and Castlevania when the vampire-bug strikes me, but those are audioplays which I like a tad better.
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I can tell you as a former audio-sceptic: You kind of get used to it eventually 😂
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I just zone out, can’t keep my mind on what I’m hearing. And when my mind is on it, I tend to get annoyed at how something is read, or speed, and when different voices are done I get even more annoyed. Nope, sparing myself that. 🙂
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That’s a good approach, I think.
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Esther if I can chime in here the Heyer audio cds are marvelous especially Valencia. Those are the primary ones I’ve listened to twice now. Very lush and romantic!!
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I actually tried Venetia once years ago… gave up when he did women’s voices…
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oh sorry Esther Venetia.. yeah audio is not everyone’s cup of tea. His voice does make it hard to concentrate…
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the female voices in Venetia were pretty good, Convenient Marriage on the other hand! lmfao
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Yes Rachel right! I loved Venetia as an audio better than the read and I loved The Convenient Marriage as a rad better than his audio!!
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So who is Young? What was the verdict on ANNF anyone? Is that worth bending an ear too?
#bullockstobrexit all the way and #don’tjudgeme!!!!
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A Korean fan.
ANNF is really good. Finished it today. Lots of suspense. A twist that I hadn’t quite seen coming in the way it played out.
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Thank you on both counts. I may look into that one then.
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Yep, I can recommend.
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I will get this recording for sure! Always try to keep an Audible credit on hand so rarely have to actually “buy” a book. Coincidentally, I opened a book I’ve had for several years now and a quote on the second page was from Marcus Aurelius. That made me smile having read that Richard planned to record it!
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I’m beginning to feel really dumb here. How come you all know this Marcus Aurelius book? Where did you learn about it? I mean, I had Latin in school, and it was never even once mentioned. Is this part of general knowledge? Looks as if I have to listen to it 😁
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we never did any ancient texts at school or Latin. I’m oblivious to all this! lol
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Hehe, fair enough!
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Me too Rachel! ANNF is next up for me, then I’ll have a think about about Marcus Aurelius.
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And Mezz I include you always !! 😘❤️
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I have to admit, this fandom has got me back into reading as well as listening to audiobooks in general. So it’s a really positive outcome!
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Me too Guylty I haven’t a clue so now with Us you are in excellent company no?😂😉👏👏👏🌹
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When I read..it brighten my horizons,I laughed, listening to wanderlust brighten my horizons I will never read a romance novel again!!! Yes, I might buy Meditation s,waiting for the reviews.
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It is definitely always enlightening, no matter what the material actually is 😆
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Dotti I mean from the excerpt I heard his infamous shower scene wowsy!! 😘❤️❤️😂
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I must have missed that..sorry, michele, I’m not going to listen again.
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Dotti that was the piece de resistance for me when he is um servicing himself in the shower 🚿 many dreams of mine have centered around that clip
Is that too honest? 😂😉
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Absolutely will buy and listen. Of course, I would listen to Richard read the phone book if he was so inclined, but I happen to like a lot of Marcus Aurelius.
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I am really flabberghasted how many people are already familiar with MA. I had heard of the emperor but not of this book. May I ask in what context you have all encountered this book before? Church?
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History buff.Romans,Greeks and Egypt..
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MA was off my radar too – Google tells me he wrote in Greek so that explains it perhaps.
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That *does* explain. I never studied ancient Greek.
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Guylty, please see fit to delate that stupid PS of mine. Somehow it got all tangled up.
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Have trashed it – what did you mean to say? 😂
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Thank you. You’re a star! It was nothing important . ☺️ I was only admiring the Roman gifs but a rogue @ jumped into the text.
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😁Understandable. I lose track of a lot of things when I stare at gifs… 😉
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Can one of you Brits or UK-ers tell me how “nasty” is the word “bollocks?” Is it as bad as “fuck” is in the US, which is still considered rather crude, though you’d never know it from how widely you hear it, especially in music and entertainment. These cross-cultural issues are hard to explain, I know, but please try, because I don’t get it. The English swear words that I’m told are the worst, often sound kind of…quaint to me. Or maybe someone can post a link to a decent article that they’ve vetted as being reasonably accurate? Oh, and can you include “bloody” in your explanation? I have the same problem with that one, e.g. “Bloody hell, Carol,” coming from the introverted, usually so polite sheep farmer (John Standring).
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so i grew up being told anything worse than damn was bad, but my Father used the F word frequently though.
Bloody is fairly tame these days and quite frankly so is bollocks-i mean The Sex Pistols used the word on a album back in 1977!
Bollocks, bloody and bugger are very common swear words. F word and C word -more in use but frowned upon. I mean, certainly as a professional it’s not considered proper to swear.
Maybe he’s unhappy because he probably he’s of the opinion that Politicians should be leaders and lead by example. But the Lid Dems have been using Bollocks to Brexit for a little while now
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Ah, great, I was waiting for a native speaker from the Brit Isles to write something. Thank you Rachel! 😘
My two cents as a non-native speaker living in Ireland: Bollocks is definitely not on the same level as the C-word. Even the F-word is used quite frequently here. Bollocks is used as a synonym for shit, but you can also say “I am bollocksed” to mean you are exhausted. “Bloody” seems to be more common in England than in Ireland. The fact that I use it frequently owes more to the fact that it sounds like a German word “blöd” (stupid) which isn’t really a swear word…
As Rachel said – Bollocks to Brexit has been the *official* (!) LibDem slogan with which they went into the last EU election campaign. I repeat – it’s their *official* slogan. I’m surprised that a “paid-up member” of the LibDems was unaware of that…
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Yeah last paragraph is what I wanted to say but couldn’t figure out the best way!
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