Category Archives: reading

In search of the great 19th-century novel

My reading time each day follows the same pattern. I start, as I mentioned last time, with whatever dharma text I’m currently reading. Then, in number-two slot, I read fiction. At this point I make myself a pot of tea … Continue reading

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Nectar, anyone?

Okay—my intentions are still good! I’m getting back to this blog, and my intention is basically to talk about my reading. Writers are first of all readers, and I think it may be a lot more interesting and illuminating to … Continue reading

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Writing about reading

Well, there was a hiatus. I won’t talk about why it occurred—for one thing, I’m not exactly sure why! In part there are too many things to talk about, and it’s hard to choose among them. I have been writing … Continue reading

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Before Machiavelli, there was the Bible

One of my several reading projects is to make my way through the Great Books of the Western World—the works selected by Mortimer J. Adler, Robert M. Hutchins, and their fellow editors for inclusion in the 54-volume set published by … Continue reading

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Is it a crime to kill a fictional character?

Spoiler alert: This post contains spoilers not only about The Old Curiosity Shop by Charles Dickens, which I already spoiled last time, but about Game of Thrones, the television adaptation of George R. R. Martin’s novel series A Song of … Continue reading

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When people die who were never born

Before we go on, please know that this post contains spoilers, specifically relating to The Old Curiosity Shop by Charles Dickens. If you haven’t already consumed as much of that novel as you want to, then stop here! After this … Continue reading

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at the top of my reading period

Okay, so I care about reading. Well, that’s what I should be talking about, then, isn’t it. Every day I have a reading period. It starts usually around 3:15 p.m., although it might be earlier or later, depending on conditions. … Continue reading

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They call me Mister Vitols

I don’t write every day, but I do read every day. The reading and processing of books is the central activity of my life. I am a student before I am anything else. I say this not from a sense … Continue reading

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life is but a dream

Good gosh, I’ve got to get back in the saddle here, somehow. Who knew I could have writer’s block about my own blog? One issue is the very open-endedness of my blog. When you can write about anything, what do … Continue reading

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