As an example, Judith Fitzgerald points out “Something Antlered This Way Comes.”
Congratulations!
Kudos to Jared Wilson, one of the rising stars in 21st Century Literature. His book on the person of Christ is being published.
“The Wish,” by Johann Sigurjonsson
While I was at Dale Nelson’s house on Sunday, he lent me an English translation of an Icelandic play, “The Wish,” by Jóhann Sigurjónsson, and asked for my reaction. Here’s a link to the text, in the same Einar Haugen translation I’ve got.
It’s a strange play, with considerable numinous power, even in this somewhat clumsy translation (Haugen wrote the textbook from which I learned Norwegian, but he’s no English stylist). It’s a sort of Icelandic Faust story, about a young man obsessed with obtaining knowledge—not for the sake of wisdom, but for the sake of power. He believes that if he obtains access to a certain “Red Book,” which a long-dead bishop took with him to his grave, he’ll obtain total power, not only on earth but in the spiritual realm. Continue reading “The Wish,” by Johann Sigurjonsson
For Consistency in the Christian Life
A devotional prayer from Peter Marshall
“. . . But whether on the mountaintop or in the valley,
may we ever be aware that Thou art walking beside us.
And if Thou art with us,
what difference does it make where we are?”
Reading in Wichita, Kansas
Tony Woodlief praises the public reading program in Wichita, Kansas, and their choice of Willa Cather’s My Antonia.
The Ugly Duchess
New research indicates that “The Ugly Duchess,” a famous painting in England’s National Gallery, and the inspiration for some of John Tenniell’s illustrations in Alice in Wonderland, is probably an accurate portrait of its subject, according to this report in The Guardian. The unidentified woman in the painting apparently suffered from a rare form of Paget’s Disease.
Hat tip: Mirabilis.
Leif vs. Chris: Grudge match!
First of all, thanks to the folks at the Kråkeelva Lodge of the Sons of Norway, Hutchinson, Minnesota, for their hospitality Saturday evening. They were incautious enough to invite me to speak to them, and to pretend that my PowerPoint presentation on Leif Eriksson and Vínland was interesting.
Speaking of Leif Eriksson, it’s Columbus Day. We Norwegians celebrate Leif Eriksson Day on the 9th, not because we think Leif reached America on that date (he would have sailed as early in spring as possible), but in order to preempt Columbus’ celebration.
Not that anyone notices.
Dr. Gene Edward Veith posts today on an important issue I’ve covered before on this blog—that the old story that says Columbus sailed “to prove the world was round” is complete codswallop. It’s something Washington Irving put into a biography of Columbus (apparently on a day when he didn’t have the energy to walk to the library to verify his information), and school children learned it and believed it for generations.
Here’s a fact—almost every educated person has known the world is round since the times of the ancient Greeks. Continue reading Leif vs. Chris: Grudge match!
Reactions to Nobel for Literature
No doubt you have already reacted to the announcement of this year’s Nobel Prize for Literature going to Jean-Marie Gustave Le Clézio, the French author whose books have been one our shelves for years. You heard the news and said, “Why should I care about that?” I know. We are alike in this way. The Literary Saloon has a good bit of reaction.
4 “truths”
Here’s a quick religious joke. This reminds me of some fishing advice. Never invite only one Baptist to fish with you, because he’ll drink all of your beer. Course, if you give him lutheran beer to drink, maybe his doctrine will improve.
Emily Dickinson confidential!
Slate reports there’s strong evidence of an early romance in Emily Dickinson’s life. Not exactly a scandal, I think.
Hat tip: Townhall.