Via Dymphna at Gates of Vienna, I came across this article by one Jonathan Freedland, a writer for the Guardian. Jonathan Freedland is what Norm Geras might call a “principled leftist”–at least, Freedland sounds like one. In the essay, he … Continue reading →
Norm Geras and Clive Davis both discuss the fact that most movies based on books seem to be not nearly as good as the books from which they’re taken. They cite some rare exceptions, though; movies that equal the original … Continue reading →
As so often happens, I want to take up a question posed in the comments section of a previous thread. Reader “kcom” expressed puzzlement at the lack of condemnation of Saddam’s regime from the left and their failure to see … Continue reading →
[The first part of this series on literary leftists can be found here.] The Spanish Civil War was famous for many things, including attracting the participation of some of the most well-known literary lights of the day. The October 31 … Continue reading →
Norman Geras is a man who has thought long and hard about the Holocaust. Recently, he tackled the controversial question of whether the Holocaust was, “in some significant moral sense, singular or unique in the long catalogue of calamities that … Continue reading →
It’ll be like having a look behind the curtain in the Wizard of Oz. –Richard Landes, originator of Second Draft, in an interview at Solomonia. By now you may have heard the buzz about Second Draft, a new media watchdog … Continue reading →
It’s my one-year blog anniversary. Sort of. Kind of. Why the asterisk? Although the first day I ever posted on this blog was nominally almost exactly a year ago–September 16, 2004–I wrote very little for the first five months. To … Continue reading →
When I read the first paragraph or two of this article (via Norm Geras), I thought perhaps it was from the Onion. The King of Swaziland, banning sex thoughout the realm? A ceremony of dancing girls, burning the tassels that … Continue reading →
Some disjointed thoughts from me on the abominable bombings in London, which were timed for rush hour to maximize the loss of innocent life: Dennis Ross on Fox News just now. He expressed something that many of us have been … Continue reading →
Norm Geras loves those polls! This one’s a request from Norm to list your ten favorite movie stars. It’s a bit embarrassing to admit that I’m not much of a moviegoer. Over the years I’ve gone to the movies less … Continue reading →
Norm Geras tossed me the “10 things I’ve never done before” baton, and so I’ll catch. Norm has sometimes told me I should break down and write shorter posts (he knows I do have a very slight tendency to go … Continue reading →
I’m here in New York, with the unbelievably lovely weather and the daffodils all in bloom. It feels like the tropics to me. Big celebration tonight for a major birthday of my brother–which one? I’ll never tell. But last night … Continue reading →