Melville foresaw Trump in “Confidence Man.”
Monthly Archives: July 2023
Melville Would Have Understood Trump
Posted in Uncategorized Tagged Confidence Man, Donald Trump, Fascism, François de La Rochefoucauld, Herman Melville, MAGA Comments closed
An Early Poem about Leah’s Lament
A 6th century reflection on the story of Leah has her finding comfort in God, even though she is “hated” below
Posted in Uncategorized Tagged anti-Semitism, Genesis, Ismar Schorsch, midrash, story of Jacob Rachel Leah, Yannai Comments closed
It’s Hotter’n Milton’s Hell
As the world experiences unprecedented heat waves, Milton’s hell come to mind.
Posted in Uncategorized Tagged climate change, Cymbeline, extreme weather events, heat, John Milton, Paradise Lost, William Shakespeare Comments closed
Obey Your Parents or Face the Lion
Today being Hilaire Belloc’s birthday, I share one of his darkly comic “Cautionary Tales for Children.”
Posted in Uncategorized Tagged "How Doth the Little Crocodile", "How Doth the Little Busy Bee", Alice in Wonderland, Cautionary Verses for Children, Children, Heinrich Hoffman, Hilaire Belloc, Isaac Watt, Leviathan, Lewis Carroll, Struwwelpeter, Thomas Hobbes Comments closed
Morrison on the Death of Emmett Till
In “Song of Solomon,” Morrison has the men in the community grapple with what the death of Emmett Till means.
Posted in Uncategorized Tagged Civil Rights Movement, Emmett Till, racism, Ron DeSantis, Song of Solomon, Toni Morrison Comments closed
Tony Bennett, WWII, and Race Activism
Learning about late singer Tony Bennett’s life has opened up new insights into my father, also a World War II vet and civil rights activist.
Posted in Uncategorized Tagged "The Greatest Generation", Civil Rights Movement, racism, Scott Bates, Tony Bennett, World War II Comments closed
Mary Magdalene as Jesus’s Lover
In Rilke’s “Pieta,” Mary Magdalene cradles the crucified Christ as a lover.
