Columns

We, The Immortals

As we all know, there are certain things that happen to other people that will never happen to us.  Chief among these is death.  Other people will pass away, and we shall mourn them and miss them terribly.  We will miss their companionship, and all the things that were so lovely and infuriating about them. … Read more »

Beyond Literary Landscapes—Post-War Novels

From my early beginnings as a young introvert, the public library has always been a bit of a refuge.  Years later, not much has changed, albeit with an additional affinity for endless hours spent scouring second-hand bookstores to add to my ever-growing “to-read” pile. From one bookworm to another, this column will be underscoring and… Read more »

Cities in Six—Copenhagen, Denmark

Copenhagen, Denmark’s capital, is a bewitchingly beautiful city.  It is located on several islands in the east of Denmark, and faces Malmö, Sweden, across the Øresund strait.  Originally an 11th-century Viking village, Copenhagen later served as the seat of government for the 15th and 16th century-era Nordic union of Norway, Denmark, and Sweden. In addition… Read more »

Spring Cleaning: Theory and Reality

In theory, as an abstract concept, I am very much drawn to the idea of spring cleaning.  The springtime, after all, should be a time of renewal.  Tabula rasa.  A time to make a fresh start by purging the accumulated clutter of the past year from our lives. And, God knows, my home could use… Read more »

Fly on the Wall—Can You Hear Me Now?

Telephone is a game played by youngsters in the early grades of school and at birthday parties.  The object is simple: someone introduces an original phrase, like “I’m proud to be Canadian” and, through whispers and twitters into their neighbour’s ear as they sit in a circle, each participant passes on the little prize, the… Read more »

Beyond Literary Landscapes—Alienation

From my early beginnings as a young introvert, the public library has always been a bit of a refuge.  Years later, not much has changed, albeit with an additional affinity for endless hours spent scouring second-hand bookstores to add to my ever-growing “to-read” pile. From one bookworm to another, this column will be underscoring and… Read more »

[blue rare]—In Praise of the Lazy

I’ve always disliked Aesops’ fable of the ant and the grasshopper.  The ant, with its pathologically selfless commitment to busy work and ceaseless networking, does make some kind of sense as a symbol of the complete buy-in to the all-work-no-play ethos and motivation-through-fear that employers like to pretend they don’t force upon us.  As a… Read more »

Beyond Literary Landscapes—The Literary Essay

From my early beginnings as a young introvert, the public library has always been a bit of a refuge.  Years later, not much has changed, albeit with an additional affinity for endless hours spent scouring second-hand bookstores to add to my ever-growing “to-read” pile. From one bookworm to another, this column will be underscoring and… Read more »