THE LRB ON KISSINGER PART 1
“POLITICAL SATIRE BECAME obsolete,” Tom Lehrer quipped, “when Henry Kissinger was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.” That was years ago, 1972, though both of these guys are still around; Lehrer … Continue reading
THE ADVENTUROUS LIFE AND MYSTERIOUS DEATH OF C.F. HALL PART 2
YESTERDAY, 19TH-CENTURY ARCTIC adventurer Charles Francis Hall immersed himself in Inuit culture while exploring the Canadian Arctic. Today in Part 2, let’s celebrate his discovery of 300-year-old Frobisher relics and … Continue reading
THE ADVENTUROUS LIFE AND MYSTERIOUS DEATH OF C.F. HALL PART 1
I BOUGHT CAPTAIN C.F. Hall’s Life with the Esquimaux, 1865, for three reasons: It would be the oldest book in my collection. For its time, it was richly illustrated. And … Continue reading
THE FIRST HUMANIST PLAYWRIGHT
SHAKESPEARE: THE INVENTION of the Human, 1998, is a classic book by Harold Bloom, 1930–2019, who is oft cited as “the most influential English-language critic of the late 20th century.” … Continue reading
PARLIAMO ITALIANO
ON THE LONG shot that you might be dining (likely these days outdoors) at an Italian restaurant, here are culinary translational tidbits gleaned from a little guidebook. It’s more than … Continue reading
SCIENCE TIDBITS: FASCINATING, TIMELY, CONSEQUENTIAL
SCIENCE MAGAZINE, PUBLISHED weekly by the American Association for the Advancement of Science, often includes tidbits of one sort or another. Some are arcane, others as timely as today’s headlines … Continue reading
THE DROOD CAPER
CALL ME DATCHERY. Others call me Dick, or sleuth, or shamus. I’m white-haired, whiskered, wearing my powder-blue suit, with dark blue shirt, tie and display handkerchief, black brogues, black wool … Continue reading
ON REMARKABLE DIARIES
I’VE NEVER KEPT a diary. As one of Wife Dottie’s relatives said (while flipping the car’s rearview mirror out of the way), “What’s past is past….” On the other hand, … Continue reading
CAN SCIENCE BE IRRATIONAL?
IT SOUNDS CONTRADICTORY to say that science can be less than rational. However, a book review in Science magazine, published weekly by the American Association for the Advancement of Science, … Continue reading
SECONDHAND BOOKSHOPS I HAVE LOVED
BACK WHEN TRAVEL was important to my life, secondhand bookshops were important to my travel. The search was as entertaining as the acquisition, and the surprises could be terrific. Here’s … Continue reading
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