Saturday, May 25, 2019

Saturday Good Reads


In 2015, I read (and reviewed) the novel Laurus by Eugene Vodolazhin. He’s a Russian writer in the tradition of the great Russian novelists, grappling with big stories and big themes. He has a new book recently translated into English, The Aviator. At Front Porch Republic, Aaron Weinacht has an article about how Vodolazhin uses time and place in his fiction – and a concise overview of his works available in English.

A second good post at  the same publication: “The war to destroy memory and erase history is the battle to have any culture at all,” says Paul Krause at Front Porch Republic. He’s looking at the culture wars in a very different way.

I read the Get Religion blog daily. Its focus is how the media does – and doesn’t – cover stories involving religion. It’s usually about stories where the media miss the boat entirely, with the very occasional notice of reporters getting it right. For example, did you see how many obituaries for the comedian Tim Conway noted that he was a devout Catholic? I didn’t either. The point is this: ignoring religion or religious aspects to stories reflects a bias; it distorts the news and is a disservice to readers and viewers.

More Good Reads

Writing and Literature

The Dangers of Dime Novels – Nathan Ward at CrimeReads.

King Arthur: Surviving into Modern Times? – Richard Denham at English Historical Fiction Authors.


Some Writing Advice: Don’t Take Others’ Advice – Guy Gavriel Kay at Literary Hub.

Pushing Back Against Marilynne Robinson's Theology – Jessica Hooten Wilson at Church Life Journal.

Life and Culture

Back Row America – Chris Arnade at First Things Magazine.

Welcome to Manhood – David Warren at Essays in Idleness.

The liberal sciences and the lost arts of learning – Brent Orrell at the American Enterprise Institute.

What Our Attachment to Characters Tells Us about Cultural Apologetics – Zak Schmoll at Entering the Public Square.


Poetry

Then – Robert Rife at Rob’s LitBits.

For Argument’s Sake: The Owl and the Nightingale – Eleanor Parker at History Today.

Poems Unwritten – Daniel Leach at The Imaginative Conservative.

Death is at the Door – Aaron Brown at Collegeville Bearings.

American Stuff


The Naked Truth of Battle–  James Macgregor Burns at American Heritage.

British Stuff

Gwydir Castle: Treasure of the Conwy Valley – Annie Whitehead at English Historical Fiction Authors.

Theology



News Media

If Not This Forum, Then Which? – Stephen Kneale at Building Jerusalem.

The Street Piano Man of Washington Park


Painting: Woman Reading, oil on canvas by Rupert Bunny (1864-1947).

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