Yesterday, I found myself deeply overwhelmed, though I kept it hidden as best I could as I accompanied my dear dad to the hospital for his first round of chemotherapy. He turns ninety this Sunday, a milestone I cherish even as we navigate this difficult journey. Having helped him care for his late partner, and … Continue reading The Spectacle of Mr. Polly: A Tragicomedy of the Mildly Absurd – and then some.
Category: philosophy
Snoozing Through the Ages: Rip Van Winkle
Just the name of this protagonist activates my chuckle muscle - imagine introducing yourself with this moniker to a purveyor of sea-foods! Washington Irving’s Rip Van Winkle is a tale that has intrigued readers for over two centuries, not just because of its fantastical plot, but because it taps into the universal desire to avoid … Continue reading Snoozing Through the Ages: Rip Van Winkle
Candide, or Optimism: The Optimist’s Survival Guide to the Worst Holiday Ever
In Voltaire’s Candide, or Optimism, we embark on a rollicking rollercoaster of misfortunes that would make even Murphy of Murphy's Law feel optimistic. It's a satirical romp through a world so fraught with disasters that even Job from the Bible would be inclined to offer a sympathetic shrug. Voltaire takes us through the whimsical and often … Continue reading Candide, or Optimism: The Optimist’s Survival Guide to the Worst Holiday Ever
Sir Roger Scruton’s The Face of God
In 2020 we lost Sir Roger Scruton: a huge loss to all right thinking people, and his like will not be seen again, I don't doubt. Some of his writings can be pretty hard going, however, they're always worth sticking with. There's always value to be found in his words. Roger Scruton's The Face of God is … Continue reading Sir Roger Scruton’s The Face of God
Gloom with a View: The Miserable Genius of Dostoyevsky’s Notes from the Underground
Fyodor Dostoyevsky’s Notes from the Underground is an unparalleled triumph of literary genius, a veritable tour-de-force that renders the ordinary, extraordinary. In this marvelously morose masterpiece, Dostoyevsky transforms the existential crisis of a middle-aged, maladjusted civil servant into an epic odyssey of self-deprecation and philosophical ponderings, peppered with the perfect balance of wry humour and existential dread. … Continue reading Gloom with a View: The Miserable Genius of Dostoyevsky’s Notes from the Underground
Wording 