Leviathan tragedy
Moby-Dick or, The Whale by Herman Melville My rating: 5 of 5 stars Overwhelming! Seems as huge as the great whale itself! That central story, Captain Ahab’s obsessive pursuit of the monster that has maimed him, is powerful in itself, but the impact of the book builds through all the many digressions and side stories which … read more »
Unresolved obsessions
The New York Trilogy by Paul Auster My rating: 3 of 5 stars Three clever and deliberately unsatisfying mysteries are linked by their recurrent themes and character names. They are unsatisfying because their puzzles are not solved nor solvable, nor even completely comprehensible, though the speculations they provoke are entertaining. Each story features a male … read more »
Oh, do not ask, “What is it?”
Let us go and make our visit. This last year has been one of many visits, as well as books read, plays and movies seen, friends and family embraced. We began with a return to Susana’s homeland, Argentina, terribly hot in January. There we met and feasted with her cousins in Puan— her birthplace, a … read more »
The grinch that wants to steal Catalonia
We’re enjoying this season in our little apartment in Madrid — sunny days, museums and all the shows this great city has to offer. And we’re watching with a mix of amusement and dismay the ridiculous clowning of the “independentistas” in Cataluña/Catalunya and especially the tourist “refugees” in Belgium. Dismay that so many people can … read more »
The phantom republic and the spinning left
They have finally done it! After weeks of confusing messages, yesterday the Catalan parlament conjured the illusion of an independent republic. By secret vote (because the vote was illegal), in the name of liberty (llibertat) they have abandoned legal self-government for a phantom and illegal republic, with no viable economy, no international recognition, and no … read more »