Sunday, December 31, 2023

Happy new year - 2024



A very happy new year to the BooksInq community. 
We've recently passed 75,000 posts! Here's to next year and beyond. 



Cessation of hostilities …

 … Presidential Proclamation 2714 signed by POTUS.

Please be careful …

…  remember, it’s amateurs’ night, which is why I’m not out: Out partying on New Year's Eve? Here's a safety checklist - UPI.com.

The tale of Dim Kenney …

… (14) Is Wilson Goode off the hook? - by Ralph Cipriano.

Ralph and I are former Inquirer colleagues. He’s a great reporter and a great writer. What he says about The Inquirer today is true.

Time for a smile …

… Paul Davis On Crime: A Little Humor: Feeling Wanted.

Sounds good …

Make Christmas Medieval Again. (Hat tip, Dave Lull.)

… The yuletide is supposed to start with Christmas, not end with it. The 12 days of Christmas run from Dec. 25 through Jan. 5, with that last evening called Twelfth Night—the evening before Epiphany. It’s a time for skits, with a Lord of Misrule appointed to lead the festivities: an evening of “cakes and ale,” as Shakespeare has the drunken Sir Toby proclaim in his own “Twelfth Night” play. 



How about that …

… Poetry sales boom as Instagram and Facebook take work to new audiences | Poetry | The Guardian. (Hat tip, Dave Lull,)

Major defeat …

 …Heavy losses in early battle against motley crew.

Light show in New Jersey …

 … Riding the special train to the first public demonstration.

Something to think on …

To fall into a habit is to begin to cease to be
— Miguel de Unamuno, who died on this date in 1936

Hmm …

 (14) The Concept of 'Standoff' in Philosophy.


If philosopher A urges (1) and philosopher B urges (2), and neither can convince the other,  then I say that A and B are in a standoff

Word for today …

… Terpsichorean | Word Genius.

Poem for today …

 … John Ashbery — Chair Rental.

Let us pray …

 … with St. Therese of Lisieux — Daily Scripture & Reflections.

Saturday, December 30, 2023

Just so you know …

(14) On the sexual atrocities Hamas committed on Oct. 7.

Bad news for U.S. auto makers …

 … Sit-down strike causes major problems for General Motors.

One of those days …

… Zealotry of Guerin: Poetry and Fiction by Christopher Guerin: Gun, Sonnet #620.

Something to think on …

A woman's guess is much more accurate than a man's certainty.
— Rudyard Kipling, born on this date in 1865

Word for today …

… Miscellany | Word Genius.

Poem for today …

 … Kathy Faga Her Advice to the Still Life Painter.

Once upon a time there was a southern border …

 … Establishing boundaries between the U.S. and Mexico.

Let us pray …

 … with St. Therese of Lisieux — Daily Scripture & Reflections.

Friday, December 29, 2023

Adventurer’s incredible tale …

 … Pocahontas allegedly saves John Smith from execution.

Unique among our feathered friends …

 … The holchko — “the sleeping one” — actually hibernates.

Something to think on …

How some of the writers I come across get through their books without dying of boredom is beyond me.
— William Gaddis, born on this date in 1922

FYI …

 … Edward Hopper’s ‘Nighthawks’ Captures the Isolation of American Modernity. Here Are Three Things You Might Not Know About It. (Hat tip, Dave Lull.)

Poem for today …

 … Edwin Denby Standing on the Streetcorner.

Word for today …

… Gallivant - Word Daily.

Q&A …

… Paul Davis On Crime: The Life We Chose: My Washington Times On Crime Column On Mobsters William 'Big Billy' D'Elia And Russell Bufalino.

Let us pray…

 … with St. Therese of Lisieux — Daily Scripture & Reflections.

Thursday, December 28, 2023

Mark thy calendar …

 … Poet Helen Pinkerton on the “gentle preference” of Bartleby  (hHat tip, Dave Lull.)

Savage maybe …

 … but not so noble :Let’s finally recognize the slavery, conquest, and genocide of Native Americans by Native Americans.

Consider the cruelty of the Aztecs. For decades, the Aztecs brutally attacked neighboring tribes and built a vast empire in what is now central Mexico. They raped women, enslaved children, and participated in human sacrifice and capital punishment. Additionally, studies have shown that the Aztecs punished homosexuality with death and routinely exploited and murdered women.

Well, that was 7 years too late for me …

 … Well, that was 7 years too late for me.


Some fine distinctions …

… (14) Academic Credentials - by William F. Vallicella.

I fear so …

… George Korda: Agendas, not education, are priority in public schools

Something to think on …

More consequences for thought and action follow the affirmation or denial of God than from answering any other basic question.
— Mortimer J. Adler, born on this date in 1992

Take a look …

… This Hobbit-Like Village in Japan Gets the Most Snowfall of Anywhere on Earth | Moss and Fog. (Hat tip, Rus Bowden.)

Powerful …

… Pascale Petit: I asked if I could leave the earth | Vox Populi. (Hat tip, Rus Bowden’

Now they tell us …

… Justin Katz (@JustinKatzRI): "I don't know. Seems like they leveraged the crisis effectively to undermine election laws and remove their hated president." | nitter. (Hat tip, Dave Lull.)

Hmm…

 … How to make enemies by changing something.

A word for today …

… Inculcate - Word Daily.

Let us pray …

 … along with St. Therese of Lisieux —  Daily Scripture & Reflections.

Wednesday, December 27, 2023

Fellow traveler …

 … Brave Companions — Episode 2.

RIP …

… Comedian Tom Smothers, one-half of the Smothers Brothers, dies at 86.

You know now …

… 5 Things You May Not Know About Genghis Khan.

Remembering, sort of …

… (14) Claiming Tom Wolfe's Mantle - by Jonathan Leaf. (Hat tip, Dave Lull.)

Humble egimming …

… Another Day in the Sun - BallNine.

Something to think on …

Mr Michener, as timeless as a stack of 'National Geographics,' is the ultimate Summer Writer. Just as one goes back to the cottage in Maine, so one goes back to one's Michener.
— Wilfred Sheed, born on this date in 1930

In case you wondered …

 (14) Does Russell's Teapot Hold Water?

When the rubber hits the road …

 … No car driver will be permitted to own more than five tires.

Another word …

… Bergamot | Word Genius.

Word for today …

… Bibliophile - Word Daily.

Let us pray …

 … with St. Therese of Lisieux — Daily Scripture & Reflections.

Tuesday, December 26, 2023

Sherlock Holmes and “the woman” …

… Sherlock Holmes et al: Here is the story of his obsession with Irene Adler.

The start of late night TV …

(25) First Tonight Show 9/27/54 - YouTube. (Hat tip, Rus Bowden.)

Steve Allen would have turned 100 today.

Have a look …

… Yankee's Favorite Photos of 2023 - New England. (Hat tip, Rus Bowden.)

Marking the beginning …

 … Wanting to hold your hand while seeing her standing there.

Starting at the beginning …

 … Brave Companions — Episode 1.

Pondering Agatha Christie …

… Poison Pen - Taki's Magazine. (Hat tip, Dave Lull.)

… one of the things life teaches us is how to rationalize well. Just as Miss Marple said that there is a lot of wickedness in an English village, so there is a lot of spiritual sustenance in Agatha Christie. I do not mean by this the sustenance to be found in her convoluted plots, but rather in her shrewd observations of life, which might even be called philosophical

Word for today …

… Viator - Word Daily.

Chandler and Marlowe …

… An Old-Fashioned Future - The American Conservative. (Hat tip, Dave Lull.)

Something to think on …

Music is the can-opener of the soul.
— Henry Miller, born on this date in 1891

Remembering …

 … Opinion | Hank Williams at 100: A Country Crooner With Heartfelt Depth. (Hat tip, Dave Lull.)

Let us pray …

 … with St. Therese of Lisieux — Daily Scripture & Reflections.

Monday, December 25, 2023

Nice guy …

 … New Jersey: Islamic Cleric Prays That Non-Muslims’ Children Become ‘Booty’ for Muslims

White Christmas …

 … One of the most commercially successful songs of all time.

A fine rebuttal …

 (14) Galen Strawson on God - by William F. Vallicella

The God I have faith in created me as a free induvudual, not as a automaton.

Endgame …

… On the Fear of Death - by William F. Vallicella.

But the surge before death. My friend Harold Boatrite told his nurse, who had complimented him on how well he seemed and spoke, that he felt better than he had in months. A few minutes later he was dead.

In this corner …

 A Battle of Titans: Plato versus Aristotle.

Word for today …

… Campanology | Word Genius.

Merry Christmas …

 … Here are some poems for you to enjoy on Christmas.

Let us pray …

 … with St. Therese of Lisieus — Daily Scripture & Reflections.

Sunday, December 24, 2023

Correction …

 … In the beginning …

Remembering Christmas Eve in 1969 …

 …  In the beginning …

Today …

 … Christmas Eve, Las Posadas, and “The Oxen”.

Books and the season …

… Christmas and the Boy Reader. (Hat tip, Dave Lull.)

Getting at the truth …

… In the Details There Is No Devil | The Russell Kirk Center. (Hat tip, Dave Lull.)

How can we know what Jesus really taught? That is, how can we know that Christianity today is the same Christianity that Christ taught 2,000 years ago? Are the gospels accurate? These are questions taken up in an important new book by theologian Gary Michuta in The Gospel Truth: How We Can Know What Christ Taught.

Appreciation …

… Willa Cather’s Nobility. (Hat tip, Dave Lull.)

Few things would Willa Cather, were she alive today, loathe more than being taught in the contemporary university in a course on gay women writers, where today she no doubt often is. Taylor is excellent on Willa Cather’s lesbianism. He recognizes it without dwelling on it, never using it as a lever to pry open the putatively secret meanings in her fiction

Word for today …

 Hyperborean | Word Genius.

Let us pray …

 … with St. Therese of Lisieux — Daily Scripture & Reflections

Saturday, December 23, 2023

Baffled …

 … The film that started our on-screen obsession.

Rude awakening …

 … When I realized the study of literature was dying. (Hat tip, Dave Lull.)

Just so you know …

 …  7 Myths About the “Wild West”.

Very interesting …

 (14) On the Fear of Death - by William F. Vallicella.

Have a look …

… THE WEEK IN PICTURES: DON’T SAY GAY EDITION.

Wonderful …

… Zealotry of Guerin: Poetry and Fiction by Christopher Guerin: Blue Note, Sonnet #619.

Word for today …

… Peripatetic - Word Daily.

Going home …

 … Commander-in-chief addresses the assembled Congress.

Let us pray …

 ~ with St. Therese of Lisieux — Daily Scripture & Reflections.

Friday, December 22, 2023

A great review …

… John Gray Surveys the Ruins | City Journal. (Hat tip, Dave Lull.)

In case you wondered …

 … Why we still have to talk about antisemitism and the Holocaust. (Hat tip, Dave Lull)


Worth knowing …

 …  He read the poems but didn’t know what to make of them.

War planning …

 … Incumbent upon both to create and project a unified front.

Getting the tune right …

 …  ‘Bach Against Modernity’ Review: Sacred Cantatas and Concertos. (Hat tip, Dave Lull.)

The 11 essays of “Bach Against Modernity” are mainly concerned, Mr. Marissen writes, with guarding against “a kind of cultural narcissism in which we end up miscasting Bach in our own ideological image and proclaiming the authenticity of that image, and hence its prestige value, in support of our own agendas.”

Just so you know …

 (14) Real and Merely Apparent Incoherence on the Left.

Word for today …

… Lagniappe | Word Genius.

Let us pray …

 … with St. Therese of Lisieux —  Daily Scripture & Reflections.

Thursday, December 21, 2023

A poem

 The Alert


Mind and heart uplifted

In the dim light and silence

After Mass, out of somewhere 

He hears whispered: Listen.


Outside he can see

Fall is nearly over.

The bare, curving limbs,

Pale blond sunlight, and sky

As blue as longed-for eyes

Somehow remind him: Listen

In case you wondered …

 The 2023 Top Titles in US Public Libraries - Stephen's Lighthouse. (Hat tip, Dave Lull.8

Mayflower moment …

 … Not really the beginning but a reasonable starting point.

Appreciation …

 …  Remembering John Gardner. (Hat tip, Dave Lull.)

… every year since 1996, on an invariably chilly evening in late October, a far-flung score of folks have gathered in Gardner’s (and my) hometown of Batavia, New York, to read from his works, discuss his legacy and collectively fall short of his typical alcohol intake.

Life in letters …

 … Creator of “the world’s most famous man who never was.

Whistling while working …

 … His first full length feature production premieres in 1937.

Q&A …

… Waugh In Our Time - Book and Film Globe. (Hat tip, Dave Lull.) 

1913 clue …

 … Nine letter word for tee-shaped puzzle in newspaper.

For the season …

… Pictures of Christmas Past - The Atlantic. (Hat tip, Rus Bowden.)

A poem …

… Webs and Weeds by Colleen J. McElroy | Poetry Foundation. (Hat tip, Rus Bowden.)

Colleen McElroy recently passed away.

Let us pray …

 … St. Therese of Lisieux — Daily Scripture & Reflections.

Word for today …

… Taciturn - Word Daily.

Wednesday, December 20, 2023

Another must-read …

 (14) Civilizational Jenga - by Glenn Harlan Reynolds.
Half the country – maybe more – will conclude that the whole system is rigged, that the establishment doesn’t follow the rules, and that it will gang up on anyone it sees is a threat.  They will conclude, in short, that the government, and indeed the entire system, is illegitimate.

And they will be right.  And the politicians of even a generation ago recognized that as enormously dangerous
 

 

A poem …

She Has Moved


They took her to a nursing home today,

After being in hospital these past few weeks.

His life is not the same with her not here. 

The empty closet breaks his heart. Just now

Emptiness is what defines his life.


Words of wisdom …

…  Safe Speech.

When I was The Inquirer”s book editor I had many attractive young women who reviewed for me. We went out to lunch together. But I was raised — and trained by my mother and my teachers (nuns and priests) to be a gentleman, which I believe I still am. I never did, nor ever would have, thought of making a pass. I also love my wife,

Good news for Philly …

… Progressive DA's authority stripped, diverted to new position due to failed ‘liberal, woke’ policies.

A must-read …

… Lessons From the Great Covid Cover-Up - Imprimis.

To arms …

 … One of numerous such incidents in New Jersey.

Our town …

… Paul Davis On Crime: Knife Rights And The Rash Of Stabbings In Philadelphia.

How it all began …

 … Obsessive fans know all about this famous magazine.

One of my favorites …

 … A wonderful movie about a wonderful life.

In case you wondered …

 … What Does “Stylist” Even Mean? On Steven Millhauser’s “Disruptions”. (Hat tip, Dave Lull.)

In the beginning …

 … 1st Poet Laureate for the United States.

Let us pray …

 …  with Therese of Lisieux — Daily Scripture & Reflections.

Word for today …

… Helicoid | Word Genius.

Tuesday, December 19, 2023

Another Paine …

 … Important pamphlet in The Pennsylvania Journal.

Lisa Halliday

 


I've gone through another phase of intense appreciation for Philip Roth, and that's led me to Asymmetry, the novel by Lisa Halliday which, if not exactly about Roth, sure seems to be about an author very similar in age and outlook to him. (See more about the relationship between Halliday and Roth here.)

Published in 2018, Asymmetry is a book about power: about how it's acquired, wielded, and countered. For me, the novel was primarily about the imbalances which result from power: whether those are a result of gender dynamics, racism, or politics. The novel's three parts speak to this: in the first, a young female author enters into a relationship with an older novelist resembling Roth. The nature of power here is built not only on gender, but on sexuality and fame. The second part, which focuses on an immigration episode at London's Heathrow Airport, and which is seemingly disconnected from the first part of the book, casts an upsetting gaze on what it is to be powerless, on what it is to have no agency, no recourse. These two parts of the novel are distinct -- in the sense that their characters are unrelated: but of course, upon reflection, they share a considerable amount when it comes to their exploration of power and its misproportion.

The third part of the novel is the shortest and reads like a radio interview with Roth. The imbalance is present here, too, as Roth -- who is not Roth -- asks out the interviewer at the end of the story, effectively exercising his power over a married woman. This part of the book, while fluent and comical, struck me as the least complete. Compared with the second part, for instance, with its emotional backdrop and evolved characters, the final portion seemed predictable -- as if the theme of power had reached its conclusion. Ultimately, I was not sure what to think about Asymmetry: some sections felt gimmicky, while others packed a genuine punch. In some ways, the book read like a series of short stories, united under the banner of a certain theme. Whether they unite to become a novel is debatable. This, in the end, despite all the veiled references to Roth, is what gave me pause.

Getting ready for faith …

'… He was a Catholic before he knew it himself': Jon Fosse, 2023 Nobel Prize in Literature winner - Catholic Herald. (Hat tip, adave Lull.)

Trouble in River City …

 … Con man sells band instruments to boys in small town.

Just so you know …

 … During the French Revolution, most of the country did not speak French..

Another word …

… Apiary | Word Genius.

Watch and listen …

 … Dana Gioia on  Seneca and the madness of Hercules.

Cockeyed sendup …

 … “Come on Down to Arizona”: Vernon Duke Hits Phoenix. (Hat tip, Dave Lull.)

Hmm …

… (14) It Used to be Hard to be a Good Catholic.

A poem for today …

 … Susan Mitchell —Autobiography

A word for today …

… Gadabout - Word Daily.

Let us pray …

 … with St. Therese of Lisieux — Daily Scripture & Reflections.

Monday, December 18, 2023

Time for some music …

… Paul Davis On Crime: A Little Night Music: The Late, Great Dean Martin's 'The Things We Did Last Summer'.

We should all be worried about this …

… These Hunter Biden Deep State allies signed one letter that will leave you red with rage - 247 Politics.

A pointed observation …

… The unawareness of awareness - by Tom Knighton.

Obscure event?

 … The United States celebrates its first Thanksgiving?

Read the whole thing …

 (14) The Holocaust Argument for God's Existence.

This is worrisome …

… Are Catholic Colleges Catholic? - The Catholic Thing.

It’s worrisome to me because I’m Jesuit-trained and once taught (briefly) at the University of Dayton. I remind myself often these days that the Pope is only a stand-in. Jesus is the head of the Church.

Enjoy!

… (14) Io Saturnalia! - Classical Wisdom.

Good to know …

 … Learning to dislike credentialed people: It’s easier than you think!

Fighting ignorance …

… Smearing the Hero | Power Line.

5 puzzling facts about crossword puzzles history …

 … 5 Puzzling Facts About the History of Crossword Puzzles.

Something to think on …

The young have aspirations that never come to pass, the old have reminiscences of what never happened.
— Saki, born on this date in 1870

Another word …

… Endogenous | Word Genius,

A poem …

… A locket for Emily Dickinson | The New Criterion. (Hat tip, Dave Lull.)

Nature and art …

 … Class explores Nabokov as writer and ‘butterfly man”. (Hat tip, Dave Lull.)

 Nabokov’s deep interest in and connection to the natural world and his cross-pollinating interests in the sciences and the arts were the focus of a new seminar, “Nabokov, Naturally,” taught in fall 2023 by Anindita Banerjee, associate professor of comparative literature in the College of Arts and Sciences (A&S).

A word for today …

… Piquant - Word Daily.

Let us pray …

 … St. Therese of Lisieux — Daily Scripture & Reflections.

Sunday, December 17, 2023

Good advice …

 Fed up with that Hallmark good cheer? Escape with a classic mystery..

I fear so …

 … ‘Liberty and Justice For All’ – A Tattered Cliche?

On Friday, The Wall Street Journal published an editorial whose slug got to the nub of the issue. “The special counsel,” it read, “tries to drag the Justices into his political timetable for the Jan. 6 trial of Donald Trump.” That’s it exactly. Smith wants the Court to decide now, today, so he can pursue his vendetta against Trump on the time table the election calendar has set. Most observers believe that the Court will be more circumspect. The writers of that editorial caution that “The wiser decision would have been to lay out the facts of what the special counsel found and let the voters decide. They chose to prosecute, and the damage has begun to unfold.”

Important events …

 … John Adams was also involved as a diplomat at the time.

Sticking to the truth

 (14) Hitting The Links: 12/17/23.

Anniversary …

… The Quest for Community at 70 | The Russell Kirk Center. (Hat tip, Dave Lull.)

While deep in a variety of ways, The Quest for Community offers a discernible, if exceedingly complex, line of thought regarding the nature of humanity and the communities we form to maintain stability, order, and freedom. State, nation, and totalitarianism, as Nisbet saw it, challenged association and voluntary community.

A most interesting story …

… A faith healer in skinny jeans is bringing Catholics back to Mass.

A priest keeps watchful vigil over her gatherings, which are preceded by a Mass and Eucharistic adoration. This fall, the archbishop of Rosario released a remarkable statement endorsing her, describing her as a “phenomenon occurring within the Catholic Church.”

Twelve seconds in history …

 … Making that first controlled powered, heavier-than-air flight.

Something to think on …

Jesus Christ is too important to be left to the theologians.
— Jaroslav Pelikan, born on this date in 1923

Another word …

… Fain | Word Genius.

Talk about offensive …

 … Canadian Government Says Christmas and Easter is ‘Systemic Religious Discrimination’.

A word for today …

… Caesura - Word Daily.

Let us pray …

 … with St. There of Lisieux — Daily Scripture & Reflections.

Saturday, December 16, 2023

The game is afoot …

 … Lucy Worsley on Arthur Conan-Doyle's complicated relationship with his detective and her "huge, weird crush on Sherlock Holmes"

“Blatant destruction” …

 … Citizens in disguise dump precious cargo into harbor.

Good to know …

 … Restored Willa Cather Childhood Home Reopens.

Just so you know …

 10 Differences Between American And British English.

Well worth paying attention to …

 Some 'Tweets' on Free Speech - by William F. Vallicella.

Get ready …

… Book Riot's 2024 Read Harder Challenge.

Time for a smile …

… Paul Davis On Crime: A Little Humor: Santa Clause Is Watching.

Focus …

 … Time lately has become a much more precious commodity.

Maybe not what you thought …

 The latest, greatest last word on Homer | Washington Examiner. (Hat tip, Dave Lull )

Where Lane Fox shines, however, is in his evaluation of the poem’s literary power. In the second part of the book, he looks at the heroes of the poem and the world they inhabit and finds that our lives are not so different from theirs without diminishing any of the poem’s foreignness.

This will not end well …

… zibaldone: Full preparations for a possible third world war.

Hmm …

… Zealotry of Guerin: Poetry and Fiction by Christopher Guerin: Beyond, Sonnet #618.

Something to think on …

There is no charm equal to tenderness of heart.
— Janr Austen, born on this date in 1775

Something to read carefully …

… and put into practice — (14) The Jesus Prayer: A Primer - by Michael Warren Davis. (Hat tip, Dave Lull.)

Another word …

Elide - Word Daily.

A word for today …

… Maunder | Word Genius.

A poem for today …

 … Pat Wilson, My Fortune.

Let us pray …

 … with St. Therese of Lisieux — Daily Scripture & Reflections

Friday, December 15, 2023

From a certain angle, yes …

… Is it Rational to be Politically Ignorant?

A comprehensive analysis …

… How to Really Fix American Higher Education | The Free Press.

… above all else, we must focus on returning American higher education to its original purposes: to seek the truth; to teach young adults the things they need to flourish; and to pass on the knowledge that is the basis of our exceptional civilization.

Sleigh ride with Mark Twain …

 … Sleigh gets a lot of attention at Elmira’s Arnot Art Museum.

Honorable mention …

 … We can thank Italo Marchiony, a 1903 food cart vendor.

Recommendations …

 … “The Best Books I Read in 2023”

Yours truly is one of the contributors.

Something to think on …

Science is not a collection of truths. It is a continuing exploration of mysteries.
— Freeman Dyson, born on this date in 1923

Let us pray …

 … with St. Therese of Lisieux — Daily Scripture & Reflections.

For the season …

… Paul Davis On Crime: Christmas Reading Under The Tree: My Washington Times Christmastime Roundup Of True Crime And Crime Fiction For Aficionados.

A word for today …

… Natty - Word Daily.

Thursday, December 14, 2023

Up, up and away …

 … One hundred ninety years of aviation achievement.

Simply awful …

… Oakland menorah destroyed, thrown into Lake Merritt.

For the season …

… The First Christmas Tree - Medievalists.net. (Hat tip, Rus Bowden.)

In case you wondered …

… What Is Magical Realism in Literature? (Hat tip, Rus Bowden.)

In 1955, Angel Flores first used the term magical realism, drawing on Roh’s earlier and similar term in asserting that magical realism was an amalgamation of magic realism and marvelous realism. According to Flores, the Argentinian writer Jorge Luis Borges was the movement’s originator. The newly coined term magical realism was soon used to name a trend that emerged within German fiction in the 1950s, which included such works as Günter Grass’ 1959 novel Die Blechtrommel (The Tin Drum).

They do exist …

… Spiritual Mountebanks - by William F. Vallicella.

Very interesting indeed …

 … MARK’S POEM OF THE PASSION AND MY LATE FRIEND DAVE.

Hmm…

 … What could possibly go wrong with this kind of promise?

Something to think on …

In the country of the story the writer is king.
—Shirley Jackson, born on this date in 1916

Poem for today …

 … Anna Akhmatova — To N. V. Rikov-Gukovski.

Let us pray …

 … with (and to) St. Therese of Lisieux — Daily Scripture & Reflections.

A word for today …

… Anon | Word Genius.

Wednesday, December 13, 2023

Why is this crap happening in my city …

 … After being bullied, a Philly student was threatened with deportation by his principal. Here’s what happened next.

I hope The Inquirer pursues this thoroughly.


Racism alive and well in Boston …

Boston Mayor Michelle Wu plans no WHITES holiday party for councilors: Aide accidentally sent group email invite meant only for 'electeds of color' | Daily Mail Online.


Just so you know …

… Chaos at Synagogue Thwarted: Shooter Cries “Free Palestine” on Hannukah!

What is this anti-Semitic shit.?  I can’t believe that the neo-Nazi crap is actually happening.

What the hell is going on …

 (14) Satan welcomed. Jews must hide. - Don Surber.

Where we find ourselves …

… When the Exercise of Rights Contributes to their Loss.

In search of lost time …

 … Once upon a time when we were young and innocent.

Creating Lew Archer …

 … One of the 'holy trinity of American crime writers'.

A poem for today …

 … Angela Ball — Hares.

Something to think on …

Caring is the only daring.
— Kenneth Patchen, born on this date in 1911

Very interesting …

 …  ‘A moment after death when the face is beautiful’: rare Raymond Chandler poem discovered by US editor. (Hat tip, Dave Lull.)

Watch what you say …

 … or you may regret it.

A word for today …

… Deontology - Word Daily.

Let us pray …

 … with St.Therese of Lisieux … Daily Scripture & Reflections.