For this day, President’s Day in the United States, I started reading a book called “Founding Mothers”. So many of the voices of women pre-20th century were erased, it is a miracle we know what we do about those of the 18th century and earlier. Fortunately, many of these ladies were literate and prolifically so, […]
Archive for the ‘Books and Reading’ Category
The Sacred Office
Posted in Books and Reading on February 20, 2017 | Comments Off on The Sacred Office
“I will never be satisfied”
Posted in Books and Reading on February 18, 2017 | Comments Off on “I will never be satisfied”
I read this poem a couple days ago. “Perpetual Dissatisfaction” It is the ingratitude which blinds us Our failure to see what we have on the way to getting more Our disregard for what we step over on the way to somewhere else Our lack of attention to the person by our side on the […]
Avid
Posted in Books and Reading on February 16, 2017 | Comments Off on Avid
Years ago, I despaired because I didn’t read anymore and had lost interest, didn’t have time, etc. I have now reached a rather opposite situation, and am instead quite gratified, if a little overwhelmed. I’ve finished seven books thus far this year (two I started in 2016), and currently juggle three others. When I finish […]
Here Comes the General
Posted in Books and Reading, tagged George Washington on February 3, 2017 | Comments Off on Here Comes the General
I finally started the massive George Washington biography, and I have a feeling it shall unfold much as the other Chernow bio did last summer, with me racing through it eagerly until its bulk causes a strain on my wrist. Since I just finished reading about Theodore Roosevelt, I can’t help drawing comparisons. Both lost […]
The Sunshine Patriot
Posted in Books and Reading on February 3, 2017 | Comments Off on The Sunshine Patriot
I just finished Sarah Vowell’s collection of essays, “The Partly Cloudy Patriot”, while sitting at my living room window. Big snowflakes drifted heavily outside, most of them struggling to gain a foothold before melting into the pavement. It’s typical western Washington snow, more annoying than anything else — as opposed to being fun or dangerous. […]
His Excellency
Posted in Books and Reading on February 1, 2017 | Comments Off on His Excellency
817 pages, plus footnotes/index. Help. I keep putting this one off because it’s so heavy (literally) that I know it shall take at least one month if I read daily, and I am in the habit now of juggling as many as three books simultaneously (not literally). But I reeeeeaaally want to read it! Okay […]
James + Alex = BFF
Posted in Books and Reading, tagged James Madison on January 25, 2017 | Comments Off on James + Alex = BFF
Or maybe just Best Friends up until Jefferson got back from France. From “Madison’s Gift”, in a section about James Madison working on writing the Federalist with Alexander Hamilton while they both were living in New York: A neighbor remembered them engrossed in an exchange in Hamilton’s yard, then stopping to laugh and play with […]
Handwriting Day
Posted in Books and Reading, tagged handwriting, James Madison on January 24, 2017 | Comments Off on Handwriting Day
Yesterday, John Hancock’s birthday, was National Handwriting Day. A new personal holiday of mine, because I love handwriting. Here is a sample of the outside of a letter, written in 1790 by Treasury Secretary Hamilton. It looks like he spent some time on pretty calligraphy and flourishes, then signed his name at the bottom, as […]
It is difficulties that show what men are
Posted in Books and Reading, History, tagged John Adams on January 21, 2017 | Comments Off on It is difficulties that show what men are
I finished reading “John Adams” this morning. I found it to be very well-written, if decidedly biased for its protagonist, though that is par for the course. A few bullet points: + That James Callender was a real piece of work. Why did it take so long for someone to murder him? Okay we don’t […]
Now is the Winter of Our
Posted in Books and Reading, tagged John Adams, Theodore Roosevelt on January 20, 2017 | Comments Off on Now is the Winter of Our
Discontent doesn’t seem to quite cut it. Anyway, today is a media blackout for me, my heart has had enough. For this week. What happens when you are reading two books concurrently: I started my evening with a chapter of “John Adams.” McCullough just totally goes off on Hamilton in ch. 10, like I think […]