Tag Archives: politics

Happy Birthday, Niccolò Machiavelli: “Fear and the absence of hatred may go well together.”

Posted on May 3, 2013 by sheila

Niccolò Machiavelli was born in Florence, Italy, May 3, 1469 We first had to read The Prince in high school. I remember it as drudgery. I flat out didn’t get it. I read it again a couple years later, and … Continue reading →

Posted in On This Day, writers | Tagged , | 2 Comments

On This Day: March 23, 1775

Posted on March 23, 2013 by sheila

Patrick Henry made his famous “give me liberty or give me death” speech at St. John’s Church in Richmond, Virginia. Benson Bobrick writes in his book Angel in the Whirlwind: The Triumph of the American Revolution about a speech Henry … Continue reading →

Posted in Founding Fathers, On This Day | Tagged , , , , , | 12 Comments

Katyn (2007); Dir. Andrzej Wajda

Posted on February 16, 2013 by sheila

In mid-September, 1939, on a bridge in Poland, groups of people flee from opposite directions. The Germans invade from behind, and the Russians approach from the front. It is utter chaos. The crowd is well-dressed, for the most part, holding … Continue reading →

Posted in Movies, Stalin | Tagged , , , | 13 Comments

The Books: A Collection of Essays, ‘Reflections on Gandhi’, by George Orwell

Posted on February 14, 2013 by sheila

On the essays shelf: A Collection of Essays, by George Orwell I love the first words of Orwell’s 1949 review of Gandhi’s partial autobiography, published in the 1920s: Saints should always be judged guilty until they are proved innocent… Christopher … Continue reading →

Posted in Books | Tagged , , , | 10 Comments

The Books: A Collection of Essays, ‘Politics and the English Language’, by George Orwell

Posted on February 13, 2013 by sheila

On the essays shelf: A Collection of Essays, by George Orwell One of the most essential pieces of writing about writing in existence. I would give this to any young writer, or writer hopeful, to say, “Read this and learn.” … Continue reading →

Posted in Books | Tagged , , | 12 Comments

The Books: A Collection of Essays, ‘Shooting an Elephant’, by George Orwell

Posted on February 10, 2013 by sheila

On the essays shelf: A Collection of Essays, by George Orwell ‘Shooting an Elephant’, from 1936, is one of George Orwell’s most famous essays. It remains one of the best descriptions of how Empire operates, at its ugliest, and Orwell … Continue reading →

Posted in Books | Tagged , , | 6 Comments

Man of Marble (1977); Dir. Andrzej Wajda

Posted on February 9, 2013 by sheila

Agnieszka (Krystyna Janda), a young woman in 1970s Krakow, wants to make her thesis film on a famous bricklayer and Communist hero named Birkut, whose rise and fall occurred in 1950s Poland. Birkut was celebrated in song and poetry, with … Continue reading →

Posted in Movies | Tagged , | 7 Comments

The Books: A Collection of Essays, ‘Rudyard Kipling’, by George Orwell

Posted on February 8, 2013 by sheila

On the essays shelf: A Collection of Essays, by George Orwell “I woshipped Kipling at 13, loathed him at 17, enjoyed him at 20, despised him at 25, and now again rather admire him.” – George Orwell, 1936 I think … Continue reading →

Posted in Books | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

06/05 (2004); Dir. Theo van Gogh

Posted on January 30, 2013 by sheila

Director, Theo van Gogh On November 2, 2004, Dutch film director Theo van Gogh (his great-grandfather was Vincent van Gogh’s brother, Theo) was killed in broad daylight by Dutch-Moroccan Mohammed Bouyeri. Van Gogh was cycling to work, and Bouyeri shot … Continue reading →

Posted in Directors, Movies | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

On Fellini’s Amarcord

Posted on January 20, 2013 by sheila

… in honor of Federico Fellini’s birthday, which is today. Sometimes from this tumult an image of perfect beauty will emerge, as when in the midst of a rare snowfall, the count’s peacock escapes and spreads its dazzling tail feathers … Continue reading →

Posted in Directors, Movies, On This Day | Tagged , | 11 Comments