THE TALE (AND SCENES) OF GENJI
THE TALE OF GENJI is noteworthy for several reasons: This 11th-century work of Japanese literature has been called the world’s first novel. It was more than just a tale; its … Continue reading
DECO DREAMING
I’M LISTENING to a CD of contralto Nathalie Stutzmann singing the songs of Francis Poulenc, and it’s giving me daydreams of Art Deco. This design style, short for Arts Décoratifs, … Continue reading
RED SCARE MADNESS—THE FIFTIES
THE OCCASIONAL CRAZINESS of modern days reminds me from time to time about the Red Scare during the 1950s. Its hysteria included the Hollywood blacklists, as explored in the current … Continue reading
THE HAUDENOSAUNEE
WHO WOULD think that researching the Watkins Glen race circuit would lead to the Iroquois Confederacy and a debunking of a Longfellow poem? And what about the Hiawatha Belt? Benjamin … Continue reading
Simanaitis Says 