Hecht’s “Saul and David” captures the power of music to soothe a restless soul.
Author Archives: Robin Bates
David’s Sweet Laudation of the Lord
Posted in Uncategorized Tagged "Saul and David", Anthony Hecht, Harold Bloom, Music, Psalms Comments closed
My Through the Looking-Glass Vote
Voting as a liberal in a red state can feel like Alice attempting to advance in a looking-glass world.
Posted in Uncategorized Tagged Alice through the Looking-Glass, Election 2024, Herman Melville, Kamala Harris, Lewis Carroll, Moby Dick, voting Comments closed
Kamala Harris Can Be Our Jane Eyre
America’s relationship with Trump has been toxic. Jane Eyre shows us how to exit such relationships and Kamala Harris follows suit.
Posted in Uncategorized Tagged abusive relationships, Charlotte Bronte, Donald Trump, Election 2024, female empowerment, Jane Eyre, Kamala Harris Comments closed
Zelinsky–Hamlet or Henry V?
Ukraine president recently quoted Hamlet’s great soliloquy, which does in fact lay out his situation.
Posted in Uncategorized Tagged Hamlet, Henry V, Russo-Ukraine War, Timothy Snyder, Volodymyr Zelensky, William Shakespeare Comments closed
Comstock and L. Leo as Hugo’s Javert
Billionaire and Catholic fanatic Leonard Leo wants to bring back the Comstock Act. In his relentlessness, think of him as Hugo’s Javert.
Posted in Uncategorized Tagged Abortion, Anthony Comstock, Leonard Leo, Misérables, SCOTUS, Victor Hugo Comments closed
Why Books Banned? They Change Lives
Good lit can function like social dynamite, but it’s dynamite that’s needed for growth. Parents against growth therefore attempt to ban them.
Posted in Uncategorized Tagged banned books week, Beloved, book bans, censorship, Homer, Odyssey, Plato, Toni Morrison, Twelfth Night, William Shakespeare Comments closed
The Tongue: A Restless, Poison-Filled Evil
James in his epistle warns about the damage caused by malicious tongues, a worthy caution. Jean Blewett agrees in her poem “Scandal.”
Posted in Uncategorized Tagged Epistle of James, Jean Blewett, malicious tongues, scandal Comments closed
Idaho Libraries & “My Brilliant Friend”
Idaho libraries are under attack and children must now have parent-signed waivers to use them. Thankfully this is not the case in Ferrante’s “My Brilliant Friend.”
Posted in Uncategorized Tagged censorship, Elena Ferrante, libraries, My Brilliant Friend Comments closed
6 Impossible Trump Lies before Breakfast
Lewis Carroll’s White Queen challenges Alice to believe 6 impossible things before breakfast. Six is a bare minimum for Trump supporters.
Posted in Uncategorized Tagged Alice through the Looking-Glass, Donald Trump, Election 2024, Lewis Carroll, Trump-Harris debate Comments closed
