My eldest son died 17 years today, the first Sunday after Easter. Judah Halevi, the great 12th century Jewish poet, captures the paradox of loving what is mortal.
Monthly Archives: April 2017
Lit, An Antidote to Authoritarianism
Literature’s universalism functions as an antidote to the exclusionary politics of figures like Donald Trump and Marine LePen.
Posted in Uncategorized Tagged authoritarianism, Dambudzo Marechera, Donald Trump, Hisham Matar, Martha Nussbaum Comments closed
House of Spirits, Authoritarians on the Rise
Strong men (and occasionally women) the world over appear to be having a moment, leading to interest in authoritarianism. Isabel Allende’s description of brutal landowner Esteban Trueba in “House of Mirth” reveals some disturbing similarities to Donald Trump.
Posted in Uncategorized Tagged authoritarianism, Donald Trump, House of Spirits, Isabel Allende Comments closed
Handmaid’s Tale, More Relevant Than Ever
With Hulu set to release “Handmaid’s Tale” tomorrow, I gather together all my past posts on Atwood’s dystopian classic. The novel isn’t only important for liberals but has lessons for rightwing women as well.
Posted in Uncategorized Tagged Christian Right, Feminism, Handmaid's Tale, Margaret Atwood, Sexism Comments closed
Kosinski Foresaw Our Television President
Jerzy Kosinski’s 1970 novella “Being There” describes a man whose obsession with television helps him thrive and even ascend to the White House. Sound familiar?
Posted in Uncategorized Tagged 2016 presidential election, Being There, Donald Trump, Jerzy Kosinski, Television Comments closed
Little Flower, If I Could Understand
In celebration of Earth Day and as scientists protest anti-science measures in Washington, Tennyson’s “Flower in the Crannied Wall” is a good poem to revisit. Tennyson holds the tiny flower as a scientist might but then honors its immense complexity.
Posted in Uncategorized Tagged "Flower in the Crannied Wall", Alfred Lord Tennyson, religion and science, Science Comments closed
Sports Injuries, Declining Magical Powers
My tennis performance, once decent, has declined since I suffered a foot injury and underwent cataract surgery. I therefore find myself identifying with Ged In LeGuin’s “Wizard of Earthsea” and Taran in “Black Cauldron” when they suddenly find themselves stripped of magical powers.
Posted in Uncategorized Tagged Black Cauldron, injury, Lloyd Alexander, recovery, tennis, Ursula Leguin, Wizard of Earthsea Comments closed
Calling Out Trump’s War Enablers
Too many beltway insiders are singing the praises of Donald Trump’s foreign policy bellicosity, with Brian Williams unironically quoting Leonard Cohen’s “I am guided by the beauty of your weapons.” He should quote Dylan’s “Masters of War” instead.
Posted in Uncategorized Tagged "First We Take Manhattan", "Masters of War", Bob Dylan, Brian Williams, Donald Trump, Leonard Cohen, war, war mongering Comments closed
