Monthly Archives: May 2009

WHO WAS VICTOR FLEMING?

Posted on May 26, 2009 by Philip

WHO WAS VICTOR FLEMING? It is remarkable that Victor Fleming, who directed two of the most popular movies of all time in the same year—GONE WITH THE WIND and THE WIZARD OF OZ— is still relatively unknown. Fleming is finally … Continue reading →

Posted in Literature | Leave a comment

LOCAL NAMES ON THE LANDSCAPE.

Posted on May 25, 2009 by Philip

LOCAL NAMES ON THE LANDSCAPE. I have posted often on how localized dialects –”microaccents’–were in Europe until late in the nineteenth century. For example, I posted here about how in France, a “pays” which had its own dialect might be … Continue reading →

Posted in History | Leave a comment

LOVE THY NEIGHBOR AS THYSELF.

Posted on May 24, 2009 by Philip

LOVE THY NEIGHBOR AS THYSELF. A wise man I know used to point out that one should love thy neighbor as thyself—not better than thyself.

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

MY INNER BLACKADDER.

Posted on May 24, 2009 by Philip

MY INNER BLACKADDER. When I watch the Blackadder series, I am continually surprised by the harsh way that Blackadder speaks to his servant Baldrick. Most people don’t speak to others in that way. I don’t–with one exception. I think and … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

“THE MOVING PICTURES.”

Posted on May 23, 2009 by Philip

“THE MOVING PICTURES.” Inspired by the history of dogs as narrators, I have looked up and confirmed that BLACK BEAUTY, which was published in 1907, had a horse as a narrator. In fact, the full title is BLACK BEAUTY: THE … Continue reading →

Posted in Literature | Leave a comment

TALES TOLD BY A DOG (COMMENT).

Posted on May 22, 2009 by Philip

TALES TOLD BY A DOG (COMMENT). I posted earlier this week that, contrary to a claim by John Sutherland that the first canine narrator was in a Kipling story in 1930, Mark Twain had used a canine narrator in 1903. … Continue reading →

Posted in Literature | Leave a comment

VALUING AMBIGUITY.

Posted on May 21, 2009 by Philip

VALUING AMBIGUITY. I have noticed in our short story group that we value stories that grow richer with rereading and with the sharing of ideas. William Empson showed in SEVEN TYPES OF AMBIGUITY how ambiguity enriches literature. I read it … Continue reading →

Posted in Literature | 1 Comment

DID SHAKESPEARE GIVE US AMBIGUITY?

Posted on May 21, 2009 by Philip

DID SHAKESPEARE GIVE US AMBIGUITY? In an interview in the May 15 Financial Times, the director Richard Eyre tells Sarah Hemming: “I think that’s one of the gifts of the happy accident of having had Shakespeare…. That we put equivocation … Continue reading →

Posted in Literature, Shakespeare | Leave a comment

DOES THE CENTER OF THE GALAXY TASTE LIKE RASPBERRIES?

Posted on May 20, 2009 by Philip

DOES THE CENTER OF THE GALAXY TASTE LIKE RASPBERRIES? I began this blog two and a half years ago today with a post about how the remnants of the Big Bang affect our daily lives. Annalisa sent me this article … Continue reading →

Posted in Science | 1 Comment

THOSE COMMERCIAL AMERICANS.

Posted on May 19, 2009 by Philip

THOSE COMMERCIAL AMERICANS. The Wall Street Journal on May 9 had an article by Jill Jonnes about the Eiffel Tower, which celebrated its 120th birthday on May 15. The article quoted from a protest by 47 prominent French intellectuals against … Continue reading →

Posted in History | Leave a comment