January 2017
Eric D. Lehman: The Hartford Wits and Literary History
The architects of the American literary canon have always struggled between aesthetics and the demands of historicity. The Hartford Wits are a sad example of how this tension has become lopsided in favor of aesthetic currency, practically erasing this important group from critical study.
Read MoreJesse Miksic: A Bad Dream for a New Year
It turned out 2016 was not just a "terrible year." Like most conventional wisdom, that chestnut turned out to be bunk.
Read MoreIt was the voice of Fancy; it was the face of Poetry…
As we passed along between Wem and Shrewsbury, and I eyed their blue tops seen through the wintry branches, or the red rustling leaves of the sturdy oak-trees by the road-side, a sound was in my ears as of a Siren's song; I was stunned
Read MoreWrite Our Democracy
Join us on Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday as we reaffirm our commitment to a tolerant and diverse society. Free and open to the public. One of over 40 events worldwide.
Read MoreTammy Ho Lai-Ming: Things I Heard About Hong Kong in 2016
I heard that Hong Kong children are not happy. Those aged eight to nine and those over fourteen are particularly discontented. I heard that even kindergarten children have to do lots of homework.
Read MoreKings Lear by Stuart Elden
by Stuart Elden The One King Lear, by Brian Vickers, Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 416 pp. Anyone who has seen more than one production of a Shakespeare play in a theatre, or watched a film version, will know that the words said by the actors can change. Speeches are...
Read More“Room exists for political manoeuvre”
Jürgen Habermas: The Left must regain the initiative and offer a credible response the destructive forces of unbridled capitalism.
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The tea should be strong. For a pot holding a quart, if you are going to fill it nearly to the brim, six heaped teaspoons would be about right...
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The thing about new blooms is that they tend to bleed— / Those petals birthed / hugging close / that come warmer weather are tricked into jumping away...
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I spent a good part of my childhood at home staring outside my bedroom window, following the trail of planes approaching the nearby Paris airport in the sky from my banlieue. I envied the passengers...
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The tea should be strong. For a pot holding a quart, if you are going to fill it nearly to the brim, six heaped teaspoons would be about right...
Read More
The thing about new blooms is that they tend to bleed— / Those petals birthed / hugging close / that come warmer weather are tricked into jumping away...
Read More
I spent a good part of my childhood at home staring outside my bedroom window, following the trail of planes approaching the nearby Paris airport in the sky from my banlieue. I envied the passengers...
Read More