The Vulgar Eclectic

Tag: books

  • Theodore the Poet

    As a boy, Theodore, you sat for long hoursOn the shore of the turbid SpoonWith deep-set eye staring at the door of the crawfish’s burrow,Waiting for him to appear, pushing ahead,First his waving antennae, like straws of hay,And soon his body, colored like soap-stone,Gemmed with eyes of jet.And you wondered in a trance of thoughtWhat…

  • My Own Two Feet: A Memoir by Beverly Cleary

    I read this memoir back in May of 2021. I just finished reading My Own Two Feet: A Memoir (1995) by Beverly Cleary. It was an absolutely wonderful reading experience! I felt immersed in her voice and in the unfolding of her life. She seems a lot like how I might have imagined her to…

  • Vestigia nulla retrorsum

    I’ve been reading The Lost World by Arthur Conan Doyle, and am greatly enjoying the adventure of it. It is kind of making me feel like a boy again, tramping along the banks of Apple Creek and dreaming of adventure.

  • A Conversation

    I read the chapter titled ‘Mutiny’ in The Brothers Karamazov yesterday morning. It reminded me greatly of the story The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas by Ursula K. Le Guin; so much so that it seems to be an answer, in the form of fiction, to the question posed by Ivan: “And are you…

  • The Ancient World

    I finished reading The Ancient World: A Beginning by T. R. Glover (1935). This is an overview of the history of the ancient world, focused on the Mediterranean region and primarily Greek, Jewish, and Roman culture. It touches lightly upon surrounding areas and peoples, including Asia Minor, Egypt, and Persia. There is a mention here…

  • A little Latin

    I picked this book up at a thrift store a few years ago. I think it’s really pretty neat. Opening it up, the first thing one sees is a great two page map. Turning to the next page brought me a smile!