Chile: The coup and I
The coup in Chile on September 11, 1973, was a tremendous shock — not because it was unexpected, which it wasn’t, but because it was so much more violent and murderous than we, or at least I, had imagined, in a country long known for its civility, its culture, and its rational and orderly manner … read more »
How Naziism arose
The Death of Democracy: Hitler’s Rise To Power by Bnjamin Carter Hett My rating: 5 of 5 stars This is the clearest and most concise of all the books I have read (many) to understand how Germany, known for its philosophers, scientists and artists, and with the largest social democratic party in Europe or anywhere … read more »
Les émeutes en France
Like many of my friends, I too have been appalled by the scale of the rioting in France, which can’t be explained entirely by the police killing of young Nahel. I’ll say something obvious, which is pretty much what French and other opinion writers must be saying: 1st, there is a lot of deep resentment … read more »
The Black Power Mixtape
The following is a message I sent recently to a group of my college classmates on The Black Power Mixtape, a film that I’m sure they will all want to see. Our group meets weekly on Zoom to discuss current issues, including frequently issues of race relations and conflict in the United States. We just … read more »
You and I, our own fictional creations
The Science of Storytelling: Why Stories Make Us Human, and How to Tell Them Better by Will Storr My rating: 5 of 5 stars An event “may flash before our eyes, or brush our skin, or make our ear drums vibrate, but we give it no importance until or unless we see its relevance to … read more »