Category Archives: books

A Fable

Posted on August 12, 2026 by JE

In ancient days in the little kingdoms at the edge of the world, a seeker came before the prophet Imbaun, who said unto him, “As you go your way athwart the world, doing sometimes good and sometimes evil, avoid spelling … Continue reading →

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Woman of Today: SUPERGIRL (2026) vs. WOMAN OF TOMORROW by King, Evely, & Lopez

Posted on August 4, 2026 by JE

I finally saw Supergirl (2026), now that it’s on various streaming platforms. (I rarely go to theaters anymore, a habit I developed even before the COVID lockdown. It’s an aversion to audiences who don’t know how to go to a … Continue reading →

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Gradual Improvement: Charles Webb’s THE GRADUATE vs. Mike Nichols’

Posted on July 28, 2026 by JE

When I find out that a movie I like is based on a book, I frequently seek out the book. It’s not just that I like books better than movies (though a case could be made, I guess). There’s just … Continue reading →

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Reader’s Block: THE THIEF WHO COULDN’T SLEEP by Lawrence Block

Posted on July 13, 2026 by JE

I’ve been hearing about Lawrence Block’s crime fiction since forever, but I finally got around to reading some. Now I wish I’d done it decades ago.

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How Clever Is Your Cleaver?

Posted on July 2, 2026 by JE

I was reading Dougan’s commentary on Cicero’s Tusculan Disputations, which is a perfectly normal thing to do, and at one point (ad 1.49.118) he suggested that the English word clever is derived from deliver. “Interesting, if true,” I thought, and … Continue reading →

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A Spell Against Tedium: in conversation with Cynthia Ward’s “Bored of the Swords”

Posted on June 24, 2026 by JE

It’s natural not to name names in a general broadside like this, but I also think that it may be a mistake; one is as likely to wound friend as foe. However, since I’ve been writing for decades about an … Continue reading →

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Those Crazy Cats

Posted on June 6, 2026 by JE

I was reading Cicero’s Tusculan Disputations, which is a perfectly normal thing to do, and he quoted a line from Ennius, to make some point he thought needed making: egregie cordatus homo, catus Aelius Sextus “Why is he calling Aelius … Continue reading →

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Echoes of Wuruyaaria

Posted on June 3, 2026 by JE

Still reading Lucian, and came across a great new-to-me Greek verb: ὠρύομαι (oh-ROO-o-mai). It means (and sounds like) “to howl” (as a wolf or dog). It comes up in conversation between Hermes, who is conducting a party of ghosts to … Continue reading →

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“Ixnay on the Ocodilecray!” Lucian Against the Paradoctors

Posted on June 1, 2026 by JE

I’ve been reading a lot of Lucian lately, for reasons that are difficult to explain; maybe I’ll write something about that when I figure it out. But I am finding that he reads better in Greek than he does in … Continue reading →

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A Walk Around the Parker: Westlake’s THE HUNTER and Boorman’s POINT BLANK

Posted on May 22, 2026 by JE

I recently rewatched John Boorman’s Point Blank, which caused me to reread the novel it was loosely based on, The Hunter by Donald Westlake (writing as Richard Stark). The Hunter is very low on my always-reread list, and would not … Continue reading →

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