Li Po’s poem captures the joys of a summer hike in the mountains.
Monthly Archives: August 2012
A Summer Moment of Perfect Being
With Ryan as VP, Rand Seizes the GOP
With Paul Ryan as Mitt Romney’s vice-presidential choice, Ayn Rand’s novels have taken over the GOP.
Tess Reveals the Real Meaning of Baptism
The unorthodox baptism in “Tess of the D’Urbervilles” gives us special insight into the power of the ritual.
Usain Bolt as Shakespeare’s Puck
Like Shakespeare’s Puck, Usain Bolt toys with his opponents.
Sight and Sound’s “Greatest Films” Poll
“Sight and Sound’s: once-every-ten-years poll is out, and “Citizen Kane” is no longer #1.
Beauty vs. Violence – Who Wins?
Yesterday I posted on the first part of an Elaine Scarry article where she discusses how the novel, by fostering empathy, has helped lessen violence–or so Steven Pinker claims in his book The Better Angels of Our Nature. Today I look at two other ways, according to Scarry, that literature contributes to a more humane world: […]
Lit’s Role in the Decline of Violence
The empathy fostered by novel reading may have played a role in the decline of violence.
Murakami’s Emotional Blandness as Shield
Haruki Murakami’s protagonists have a distinctive form of emotional blandness that helps them cope with the world.