Critic’s Notebook: The Wake without training wheels

Jack Burton: I don’t get this at all. I thought Lo Pan— David Lo Pan: Shut up, Mr. Burton! You were not brought upon this world to “get it!” Big Trouble in Little China (John Carpenter, 1986) Earlier in my life, I read Dubliners, Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, and Ulysses, all by James Joyce. This year I decided to read Finnegans Wake, a novel notorious for its inaccessibility. Like The Cantos by Ezra Pound, it is a text many know, few read, and less understand. While the Wake is difficult, this shouldn’t be seen as a … Continue reading Critic’s Notebook: The Wake without training wheels

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The Day I Die: The Untold Story of Assisted Dying in America, by Anita Hannig @ NYJB

“The Day I Die is an informative and accessible addition to the literature of death and dying. Hannig, as an anthropologist, explores the various roadblocks and challenges facing individuals who seek to die with dignity.” Continue reading The Day I Die: The Untold Story of Assisted Dying in America, by Anita Hannig @ NYJB

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Monday with the Supremes: When Freedom Speaks, by Lynn Greenky @ NYJB

“When Freedom Speaks by Lynn Greenky is an excellent introduction and exploration of the contentious field of First Amendment jurisprudence. Both entertaining and educational, it provides the knowledge necessary for an informed electorate.” Continue reading Monday with the Supremes: When Freedom Speaks, by Lynn Greenky @ NYJB

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January 2020 Update

What a difference a year makes. I’ll keep this short. Looking over the stats, my blog posts had a serious dip after 2017. In 2016 there were 85 posts, the following year there were 41 posts. But I’ve had a number of personal disruptions, including moving from Minnesota to Wisconsin and dealing with the Covid pandemic. The pandemic has brought, to use a vague term, workplace challenges. Suffice to say, I’ve had to re-prioritize things. The full-time job takes priority, especially now, given the fragile economic state we’re experiencing. The second major priority is not getting Covid. Both these take … Continue reading January 2020 Update

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NYC in Photos Week: Lower East and Upper West: New York City Photographs 1957-1968 by Jonathan Brand @ NYJB

Lower East and Upper West chronicle New York City from the late fifties to the late sixties. Tumultuous change, “urban renewal,” and racial strife mark these violent decades, but in these photographs these charged descriptors lay in the background. Continue reading NYC in Photos Week: Lower East and Upper West: New York City Photographs 1957-1968 by Jonathan Brand @ NYJB

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