My initial impression of the novel Twilight

Recently I found myself in an engaging discussion with another blogger which involved, in part, the novel Twilight. I had vaguely heard of it, but not being a huge fan of juvenile fiction or, for that matter, vampiric fiction, the book sort of passed under my radar. Today I realize that the novel was pretty… Read More My initial impression of the novel Twilight

Franz Kafka – Dark dreams with a piercing intellect

Franz Kafka (1883-1924) was an influential ‘alternative’ Bohemian novelist born of German-speaking Jewish parents in Prague. Kafka pursued an education in law and took a position in an insurance firm (1907-23) before moving to Berlin. He published short stories and critical essays. His best-known work, Die Verwandlung (Metamorphosis, 1916), is about a man who awakes… Read More Franz Kafka – Dark dreams with a piercing intellect

Explainer: The Story of Demeter and Persephone | Ancient Origins | + Opinion

The student of Greek mythology is often struck by the fact that some gods and goddesses have extensive roles in the mythical narratives, and others have very limited parts to play. Source: Explainer: The Story of Demeter and Persephone | Ancient Origins Opinion: Americans tend to study Greek myth more than Canadians. I’m not sure… Read More Explainer: The Story of Demeter and Persephone | Ancient Origins | + Opinion

Why oppose banning books and free speech?

One person’s look at the inherent conflict between individual freedom vs. freedom to not be harmed by another. These days, I sometimes question the value of the First Amendment: freedom of speech. When I watch movies on Netflix and every other word is profanity, for instance. Or when the president tells four dynamic recently elected… Read More Why oppose banning books and free speech?

Trying out FBReader (Android app at Google Play) – And a few more notes on The Count of Monte Cristo

My eyes are hurting again. I’ve been testing out some new e-readers and staring at my tablet — not just reading but fiddling with all the settings and customizations. After a few days of getting into e-reading, I began to want a reader where I could insert my own background image behind the text. FB… Read More Trying out FBReader (Android app at Google Play) – And a few more notes on The Count of Monte Cristo