Tag Archives: William Faulkner

“He who has never felt, momentarily, what madness is has but a mouthful of brains.” — Herman Melville

Posted on August 1, 2026 by sheila

“Old nineteenth-century New England must have been fearful–in what other country would Thoreau, Melville, Whitman and Dickinson have been so overlooked?” — Robert Lowell, letter to Elizabeth Bishop, December 12, 1958 Herman Melville was born on this day in 1819. … Continue reading →

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“I did not begin to write poetry in earnest until the really emotional part of my life was over.” — poet A.E. Housman

Posted on March 26, 2026 by sheila

OUCH. He was born in 1859 and he died in 1936. His generation saw so much change it boggles the mind, and I say that as a member of a generation who grew up sans internet – I didn’t get … Continue reading →

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“For I, the chiefest lamp of all the earth…” — Christopher Marlowe, Tamburlaine

Posted on February 6, 2026 by sheila

Maybe this is him. I’m armed with more than complete steel, The justice of my quarrel. — Christopher Marlowe, Lust’s Dominion. Act iii. Sc. 4. Playwright, poet, prodigy, agent in Her Majesty’s secret service: the incomparable Christopher Marlowe was born … Continue reading →

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“I was never afraid of failure, for I would sooner fail than not to be among the greatest.” –John Keats

Posted on October 31, 2025 by sheila

I was just beautifying him, don’t you know. A thing of beauty, don’t you know. Yeats says, or I mean, Keats says. – James Joyce, Ulysses Born in 1795 on this day, John Keats was orphaned at fifteen. Because his … Continue reading →

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“Paper, tobacco, food, and a little whiskey.” — William Faulkner on his writing requirements

Posted on September 25, 2025 by sheila

“The writer’s only responsibility is to his art. He will be completely ruthless if he is a good one. He has a dream. It anguishes him so much he must get rid of it. He has no peace until then. … Continue reading →

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Year in Review: Running my mouth in 2017

Posted on December 29, 2017 by sheila

It’s been a God-awful year in so many unprecedented ways. It’s also been a great year for me professionally (which has brought with it its own set of challenges.) Here are some of the things I’ve written this year. Reviews, … Continue reading →

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For Film Comment: On Faulkner’s Tomorrow (1972), starring Robert Duvall

Posted on January 5, 2017 by sheila

I wrote about the 1972 film Tomorrow, a Horton Foote adaptation of a William Faulkner story, starring Robert Duvall (same year as The Godfather) for Film Comment. It’s screening on TCM this month. Years ago, I remember my father talking … Continue reading →

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December 2016 Viewing Diary

Posted on January 1, 2017 by sheila

Supernatural, Season 7, Episode 22, “There Will Be Blood” (2012; d. Guy Norman Bee) I had started a re-watch of Season 7 in November, so I finished it out this month. Season 7 was one of my least favorites, when … Continue reading →

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2016 Books Read

Posted on December 30, 2016 by sheila

I’ve enjoyed myself this year with reading. I have finally bounced back from 2009 and 2010, when I was so out of my mind that I could barely read anymore. (Larry McMurtry describes a similar thing happening to him post-heart … Continue reading →

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What You Need

Posted on May 30, 2007 by sheila

Paper, tobacco, food, and a little whiskey. — William Faulkner on his writing requirements

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