Category Archives: Whatever

EVEN THOUGH IT’S SPRING, “HARVEST” IS NEARBY

NEW YORKERS! Run, don’t walk, to the Quad Cinema on W. 13th Street (btwn 5th and 6th Avenues) to see “Harvest,” Marc Meyers’ brilliant and moving film about one Connecticut family (and perhaps many other families as well). Why the … Continue reading

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LET ME MAKE ONE THING PERFECTLY CLEAR . . . OR NOT

Somewhere in E. M. Forster’s A Passage to India there’s a striking image about how our mind smooths over the rough edges of things we see and hear “as one tidies the ground after extracting a weed.” I thought of … Continue reading

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READING A BOOK CAN BE DANGEROUS IF YOU PAUSE TO THINK!

Many years ago I wrote a book (my dissertation, unpublished) called Journey Through Paradox: A Critical Interpretation of the Work of Nicholas Berdiaev, 1899-1914).  Today I fell to wondering why I chose that title.  It was fitting, I suppose, since … Continue reading

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NOW HEAR THIS! NOW HEAR THIS! VIDEOS AND AUDIOS ABOUND!

Stay tuned for an important announcement . . . Which is, that all of you who did not attend my last reading at the Cornelia Street Cafe (October 19) can now enjoy the experience anyway, minus the fellowship and the … Continue reading

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A Brand New Reading – October 19!

I had intended my first post after reconstruction of my blog (it was vandalized by hackers) to be about something esoteric and intellectual — books, for example. And Lord knows I’ve read some good books in the last few months: … Continue reading

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AN ACCIDENTAL ENCOUNTER WITH A SNIPPET OF SCIENCE

Ever wonder why you get colder when the wind blows? We walk around every day inside a media bubble eagerly prattling on  about the “wind-chill” factor.  That certainly seems a bona fide blessing when it comes to the question of … Continue reading

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FATE, LUCK OR FORTITUDE: A BRILLIANT CAREER

Shortly after the Second World War a young European arrives in New York City.  His English is pretty imperfect, but he needs a job.  After employment agencies turn him down, a friend helps him compose two ads for the New … Continue reading

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NOW I LAY ME DOWN TO SLEEP; ROTH TAKES ON DEATH

I only just now read Everyman by Philip Roth. I finished it about half an hour ago, laid it down, picked it up again and began reading once more from the beginning – the graveside scene – finally sighing and … Continue reading

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TRAINING THE EYE BY NARROWING THE VISION

I came across a marvelous burst of wisdom today, penned by the photographer Dorothea Lange. These words were used as the touchstone for an impressive poem called “Aperture” by David Moolten: The camera . . . teaches people how to … Continue reading

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AN OLD POEM BRINGS A WELCOME SURPRISE

I came across an old poem of mine recently while trying to decide what books to give up and what to keep, and rather liked it, so I thought I would share it with you.  It’s rare enough to be … Continue reading

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