David Cranmer's Blog, page 14

Facing Unpleasant Facts And Engulfed In Flames

Finished George Orwell's "Looking Back on the Spanish War" essay from Facing Unpleasant Facts (2008) compiled by George Packer. Agree with the late Christopher Hitchens that Orwell was right on "three great subjects of the 20th century ... imperialism, fascism and Stalinism." Always close an Orwell book thinking long and hard on his points.
Now turning back to more lighter fare with my David Sedaris collection, When You Are Engulfed In Flames. Enjoying it immensely though I wouldn't say its laugh out loud funny but definitely entertaining and perfecto before shut-eye.

Strange Continuity: Why Our Brains Don't Explode at Film Cuts

6:48 p.m.

Little d played a clever game of backgammon with just enough derring-do and luck to beat me by one solitary blot. I enjoy the close ones and don't mind losing a hard fought, close battle. And then all three of us coconuts, at the urging of the youngest charmer, went for a walk where we collected yesterday's mail. Now I'm settling down to read When You Are Engulfed In Flames by David Sedaris with a Jack & Coke at the ready.

Dorothy On Writing

“If you have any young friends who aspire to become writers, the second greatest favor you can do them is to present them with copies of The Elements of Style. The first greatest, of course, is to shoot them now, while they’re happy.”—Dorothy Parker

Autonomous Author Predicts

How to Write a Novel Set More Than 125 Years in the Future.

At This Moment...

Morning shards: into homestretch on my Margaretha Zelle article. Then bracing black tea ahead of the Sunday papers. Music: 65's Solo Monk.

80 Years Later: The Hobbit

What J.R.R. Tolkien’s classic The Hobbit still has to offer, 80 years after its publication

Liking Trans

Always spirit-lifting to see positive reviews for a project you worked on for many months. In this case, Transgemination by Glenn Gray.

Guardian Amis Rub

It seems The Guardian (piece by Anne Enright) finds a lot to like about this new collection of essays from Martin Amis though apparently with some reservations. Of course, as you know, I'm an aficionado of Kingsley's son and will buy straightaway.

Lillian Ross

Ms. Ross was a legendary journalist with over 500 pieces published by The New Yorker. Don't click here or else you will go down the rabbit hole, like I did, of astounding talent.