I can vaguely remember reading poems by the 17th century English poet Andrew Marvell (1621-1678) in both high school senior English and my sophomore college course in English lit. Like all overview courses, no matter how good, you get just that – an overview. Marvell lived through one of the most tumultuous periods of English history – a civil war, a dictatorship, and a restoration. Ed Simon at The Millions reviews a new edition of Marvell’s poetry, and provides considerable background and context (including the poet’s influence on Stephen King).
Parler, banned from the Apple and Google app stores and de-hosted by Amazon after the Jan. 6 Capitol Hill riot, has sent a letter to the House Committee on Oversight and Reform, which is investigating what happened. Parler was blamed for allowing rioters to communicate with each other during the riot. In its letter, the company, which is now back online somehow, pointed out that roughly five percent of the rioters’ communications was via Parler. And some 80 percent was done via – wait for it – Facebook and Twitter. So why weren’t the Facebook and Twitter apps delisted by Apple and Google?
It seems that the 170+-year-old U.S. Senate filibuster is under attack whenever the party in power doesn’t have the votes it needs to shut down debate, as is the current situation. And because everything on the internet lives forever, we now can see, for example, Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois ardently defending the filibuster in 2018 and urging its destruction in 2021. Joe Carter at The Gospel Coalition has a set of unadorned facts about the filibuster – how it started, what it’s value is, and how it’s both used and misused.
More Good Reads
Poetry
A Beacon in the Darkness: The Poetics and Poetry of Robert Frost – Adam Sedia at Society of Classical Poets.
The Ancient Liberty of Milton’s Epic Verse – Timothy Wilson at The Imaginative Conservative.
Unless – Seth Lewis.
Life and Culture
American Exodus: Don’t wait for the oligarchy to let you in. Just walk away – Angelo Codevilla at Tablet Magazine.
Schools gone woke: a view from America – an American educator at The Critic Magazine.
Writing and Literature
The best writing advice I’ve ever read comes from Robert Frost – Emily Temple at Literary Hub.
British Stuff
William Maitland’s History and Survey of London – A London Inheritance.
Elwin Hawthorne, Painter – Spitalfields Life.
Reclaiming the altar of wokery – Graham Stewart at The Critic Magazine.
Faith
While I Was Still a Marxist – Marvin Olasky at Desiring God.
Preach Obadiah – Clint Archer at The Cripplegate.
When America Put the Bible on Trial: The Scopes Monkey Case a Century Later – Stephen Nichols at Desiring God.
A Biblical Theology (And Some 3D Renderings) of the Temples in Jerusalem – Justin Taylor at The Gospel Coalition.
American Stuff
Grave 8-A – Thea Rosenburg at The Rabbit Room.
Liberty or Death: On the Prophetic Visions and Unflinching Will of Harriet Tubman – Dorothy Wickenden at Literary Hub.
News Media
Ex-gay Catholic, Muslim shooter, Orthodox Jewish writer: They just don't fit the narrative? – Julia Duin at Get Religion.
Before the Throne of God Above – DVIC
Painting: Girl Reading a Letter by Candlelight, with a Young Man Peering over Her Shoulder, oil on canvas by Joseph Wright of Derby (1734-1979).
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