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The Miser by Molière
I finished reading The Miser by Molière (1668), translated by John Wood. It’s a five-act comedy and felt more farcical than the two comedies by Molière I’ve read previously. There were some very funny scenes and lines that made me laugh out loud. While there is much satire and humorous dialogue, the characters offer insightful…
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The Vanishing Tower by Michael Moorcock
I finished reading The Vanishing Tower (1970) by Michael Moorcock. It’s the fourth in the series I’ve read and perhaps my favorite. The pacing is excellent and the book maintains a steady and palpable mood. There are three sections within the book, each focusing on a different but connected adventure. The narrative doesn’t feel episodic…
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Corbiculae
The front yard is full of sunflowers and this bee has collected quite a load of pollen!
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Argonautika by Apollonios Rhodios
This is a book jot from June 2021: I just finished reading the Argonautika (3rd century BC) by Apollonius Rhodius, translated by Peter Green. It is an epic poem that relates the story of the Argonauts and the quest for the Golden Fleece. This edition includes a glossary that, at 67 pages, is full of…
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A Lear of the Steppes by Ivan Turgenev
I finished reading A Lear of the Steppes (1870), a novella written by Ivan Turgenev, translated by Constance Garnett. Those familiar with Shakespeare’s King Lear will recognize the basics of the plot, although there are numerous and substantial differences. Turgenev writes beautiful prose and the story unfolds at a wonderfully balanced pace. The characters are…
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a quote
Tyranny always starts auspiciously. —Jean Racine in Britannicus
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Dan Holiday and Box 13
I’ve recently started listening to an old radio drama I’ve never really checked out before. It’s called Box 13 and is an adventure series starring Alan Ladd. It began in 1947 and ran for 52 episodes. Ladd’s character, Dan Holiday, is a writer of mystery novels who, in an effort to garner plot ideas, solicits…
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Pea
There’s a perennial wild pea I often walk by that is growing in the ditch along an alley. I think it’s a Lathyrus latifolius.