All Purls. No Swine.
She was born 122 years ago today, on August 16, 1902, the daughter of a British Army officer and a classically-trained musician. She grew up in Paris and London and--when her sickly brother was bed-bound in 1919--began to tell him stories set in Georgian (eighteenth century) England. Those stories were, with the encouragement of her… Continue reading For Georgette Heyer, on the Occasion of her 122nd Birthday
Poor old Macbeth. From Act V, Scene viii (for those of you in Rio Linda, that's Act 5, Scene 8): I bear a charmèd life, which must not yield To one of woman born. It's important that you speak the accented second "e." Otherwise it won't scan. (Iambic pentameter, you know. Thank goodness Macduff is… Continue reading QOTD: “I bear a charmèd life….”
About 2 1/2 years ago, I wrote a post mentioning John Higgs's biography of William Blake, saying that I couldn't call my post a "book review" because I hadn't read it yet. I have read it since, and it's a wonderful book. I highly recommend this book for anyone who's interested in exploring the roots… Continue reading A Book Review: William Blake Verus The World, by John Higgs
Ah, the bad old days, when the redoubtable and toxically masculine men of the new United States of America would bundle their wimmens, children, and livestock into, in front of, and behind, a Conestoga wagon along with a few possessions and necessities and--heedless of the danger--head off into "Indian Territory," also known as "The West."… Continue reading Batwoman vs Sarah Sturdyskirt
Here's a minor reworking of a post originally from five years ago on Ricochet. I've updated and edited a couple of things, but--in the main--it stands: "Diamonds are a girl's best friend:" I can’t be sure that’s true, because I’ve never owned a single one. But certainly, if I were to try and come up… Continue reading “Diamonds Are A Girl’s Best Friend”
I've always enjoyed the personal stories of what used to be called "Men in History." That phrase never offended me; I always knew there were "Women in History" too. For every Chinggis Khan, there's (at least one) Mrs. Chinggis Khan, and who knows what he'd not have achieved if it hadn't been for her (or… Continue reading Elisha Otis, RIP
34 years ago today, on August 2, 1990, Iraq (a "bigger country" as Kamala Harris might--in context--have explained) invaded and annexed Kuwait (a "smaller country," ditto.) https://youtu.be/HuDsUV44h10 So, as she said herself, "Basically, that's wrong." The West didn't take it well. And so--a week later--on August 9, 1990, the United States launched Operation Desert Shield… Continue reading The First Persian Gulf War
OK, let's acknowledge first of all that I might be--as the lawyers say--making an "admission against interest"--but I'd like to recognize the fact that Francis Scott Key, the author of the lyrics to the Star-Spangled Banner, was born 245 years ago today, on August 1, 1779. (Check the math, please; it's never my strongest point.)… Continue reading Happy Birthday, Francis Scott Key!