Monthly Archives: January 2010

HOLDEN CAULFIELD RECONSIDERED.

HOLDEN CAULFIELD REVISITED. This obituary for J.D. Salinger says about THE CATCHER IN THE RYE: “Taken as portraying a thirst for authenticity by some, the work is seen by many young people these days as merely whiney.” We had a … Continue reading

Posted in Literature | 5 Comments

“SAMUEL BECKETT LOOKS AT THE STARS”—NEW YORK CITY PRODUCTION.

“SAMUEL BECKETT LOOKS AT THE STARS”—NEW YORK CITY PRODUCTION. My play “Samuel Beckett Looks at the Stars” will be performed in New York City next Saturday and Sunday (February 6 and 7). It will be part of a program of … Continue reading

Posted in Theater | 1 Comment

ZOMBIES.

ZOMBIES. Annalisa confirms for me that zombies are popular now. I asked her because of this article from the Economist and because I knew that she had been reading in the book described in the article: PRIDE AND PREJUDICE AND … Continue reading

Posted in Economics, Literature | 1 Comment

MY FATHER, THE CODGER.

MY FATHER, THE CODGER. On my father’s 70th birthday, we were able to assemble the whole extended family around the dining room table. As the cake was brought in, my brother Elmer asked: “Dad, does this mean that now you’re … Continue reading

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KINGSLEY AMIS, CURMUDGEON.

KINGSLEY AMIS, CURMUDGEON. My father had a twinkle in his eye when he referred to himself as a curmudgeon. The Times Literary Supplement column has some quotes from Kingsley Amis that don’t seem to be said with a twinkle. About … Continue reading

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WAS MY FATHER A CURMUDGEON?

WAS MY FATHER A CURMUDGEON? I have just sent a letter in defense of my father to the Times Literary Supplement. My father often happily referred to himself as “the Old Curmudgeon” when he was taking a contrarian position in … Continue reading

Posted in History | 2 Comments

‘THE WOMAN WITHOUT A FACE.”

“THE WOMAN WITHOUT A FACE.” I am a devoted reader of mystery stories. Stories about serial killers are increasingly popular, probably because they provide a basis for a pattern that the reader has an opportunity to guess. Here is an … Continue reading

Posted in Science | 6 Comments

VIKINGS AND CELTS AND GERMANIC INVADERS LIVING TOGETHER (REVISITED).

VIKINGS AND CELTS AND GERMANIC INVADERS LIVING TOGETHER (REVISITED). You can see that Annalisa’s surprise present of John McWhorter’s book resonates with my interests, as revealed in earlier posts. McWhorter documents how the interaction of languages reflects people living together … Continue reading

Posted in History | 1 Comment

WHEN LANGUAGES COLLIDE SLOWLY—THE CELTICS.

WHEN LANGUAGES COLLIDE SLOWLY—THE CELTICS. McWhorter contrasts the kind of changes to English that the Vikings brought about and the changes to English that arose from contacts with the Celtics. The difference arises because Welsh and Cornish were spoken in … Continue reading

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WHEN LANGUAGES COLLIDE RAPIDLY—THE VIKINGS.

WHEN LANGUAGES COLLIDE RAPIDLY—THE VIKINGS. I posted here on John McWhorter’s speculation that the process of adults learning a second language imperfectly led to the pronunciation shifts described by Grimm’s Law. McWhorter thinks that lessons drawn from language collisions all … Continue reading

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