"Church Stone Shelter," Julia Kivelä, archdaily.com It is a truth universally acknowledged--among my colleagues, anyway--that the best classroom experiences tend to come from the ancient pedagogical practice known as "winging it." Sometimes, that means veering into a side quest when it seems profitable enough. At other times, it means walking in totally unprepared, relying only … Continue reading Cold Comfort: The Classroom as Refuge
Was Ulysses S. Grant a Socialist?
In an earlier post on this blog, I pointed out some similarities in the writings of U.S. Grant and H.G. Wells, specifically in the way Grant attributed the outbreak of war to the spread of populations and the rise of new forms of communication. "In the early days of the country," Grant wrote in the … Continue reading Was Ulysses S. Grant a Socialist?
Is “Macbeth” a Reboot of “Hamlet”?
"Lady Macbeth Sleepwalking," Johann Heinrich Füssli I recently read Macbeth—twice—in case I ever decide to watch Joel Coen’s film version. Half way through I was surprised to find how much it mirrors Hamlet in its theme of conscience battling with action. The main difference is that, while Hamlet struggles internally--and endlessly--over the ramifications of righting … Continue reading Is “Macbeth” a Reboot of “Hamlet”?
Sit Here. Eat.
In response to a recent post on this blog, a friend writes, in FB Messenger: I've been reading the New York Writers Workshop MFA writing guide which tries to take the place of a 30-40,000 dollar MFA program and there's lots of focus on essay and article idea generation. I'm curious, Do these other articles … Continue reading Sit Here. Eat.
On Star Wars and “Common Knowledge”
I recently submitted a manuscript for a chapter to be published in an upcoming MLA anthology to be titled, Approaches to Teaching Writing in Prison. My article includes this description of what I call "the Great White Wall" surrounding Attica CF: Those who come into contact with it cast their own emotional, moral, and political … Continue reading On Star Wars and “Common Knowledge”
The Wrong Font 