Trained in law, history, and English. Research Associate with the Center of Civil Law Studies, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge. Authored four books, all published by academic presses. My most recent title: "Slave Agriculture and Finance: The Bank of the United States in Mississippi, 1831 to 1851. Pickering & Chatto, London, London 2006. Please google Richard Holcombe Kilbourne, Jr. In recent decades I have specialized in German decorative arts from the Jugendstil. Also Austria. Primarily metal pieces. I have written some fiction and quite a lot of poetry. I also have an interest in mid-century modern Scandinavian decorative arts and furniture. I have traveled extensively in Europe.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

Because I am bored and would welcome company. Most of my life, I've been content with my own company. Now I find that I am less and less self-absorbed and truly miss human contact, especially contact with people who know more than I do about literature, art, and economic history. I am receiving instructions for Tai Chi .

Honestly, I am lonely.

Interests

• writing
• reading
• martial arts
• art history
• research
• writing poetry
• writing letters

Music, Movies, and Books

18th, 19th and 20th centuries symphonies, piano concerts, performing art compositions such as operas . Many genres of 20th century music; i.e., classical, jazz, some folk music.

Films: Jean Renoir's "Rules of the Game" & "Grand Illusion. Michael Cimino's "Heaven's Gate," French cinema and German cinema, especially films by Fassbinder. Swedish films by Ingmar Bergman, Russian films in general. The work of early American film makers such as Erich von Stroheim. Mid-century films by Billy Wilder and Rossellini, and many films from the 1970s such as films by Fellini, Bertolucci, and Roman Polanski.

Books: Whatever I happen to be reading. Both fiction and non-ficition. For obvious reasons, I don't especially enjoy reading history, especially my own ones.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Nothing comes to mind.

What I Can Share with Hosts

Companionship, discussions,

Countries I’ve Visited

Canada, Costa Rica, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Martinique, Netherlands, Switzerland

Countries I’ve Lived In

United States