novels, comets, movies
Earlier this year I read John Steinbeck's "East of Eden," so I was very motivated to read his earlier classic, "The Grapes of Wrath." I've finished it now, and I hardly know how to say what a great novel it is, or what to say that has not already been said. I did see the … Continue reading The Grapes of Wrath
Marta Albertini, the great-granddaughter of Leo Tolstoy, has taken a Ukrainian mother and daughter into her home in Switzerland. Anastasia Sheludko and Marta Albertini Apparently Albertini and many others of Tolstoy's descendants have signed a letter to Putin saying that the family opposed the war and that Tolstoy himself, a renowned pacifist, would have been … Continue reading Tolstoy descendant takes in Ukrainian refugees
Back in 2009 Dominic Lieven wrote a book, "Russia Against Napoleon", that challenged Leo Tolstoy's view of history as expressed in "War and Peace." I read it recently and it's excellent, heavy on military analysis but brimming with other kinds of insights as well. The subtitle, "The True Story of the Campaigns of War and … Continue reading Russia Against Napoleon
A couple of weeks ago, Tish Harrison Warren shared a small collection of prayers for Ukraine from readers of her column across the world. She reports that her readers have turned frequently to Psalms, and particularly to Psalm 31, which I quote below in its KJV translation: In thee, O Lord, do I put my trust; … Continue reading Prayer for Ukraine