![]() ![]() ![]() Jesus and John Wayne: How White Evangelicals Corrupted a Faith and Fractured a Nation He was the latest and greatest high priest of the evangelical cult of masculinity.” He was a hero for God-and-country Christians in the line of Barry Goldwater, Ronald Reagan, and Oliver North, one suited for Duck Dynasty Americans and American Christians. ![]() ![]() Unencumbered by traditional Christian virtue, he was a warrior in the tradition (if not the actual physical form) of Mel Gibson’s William Wallace. He was the reincarnation of John Wayne, sitting tall in the saddle, a man who wasn’t afraid to resort to violence to bring order, who protected those deemed worthy of protection, who wouldn’t let political correctness get in the way of saying what had to be said or the norms of democratic society keep him from doing what needed to be done. Donald Trump was the culmination of their half-century-long pursuit of a militant Christian masculinity. “Evangelicals hadn’t betrayed their values. ![]()
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Lao tzu stephen mitchell7/6/2023 ![]() ![]() Like here, in his translation of one of the more famed passages, passage 33: There is something clean about it, modern perhaps, it reveals complexity of thought through simple language. I do not know which is the most faithful, but the one I enjoy the most is the translation by Stephen Mitchell. The Tao Te Ching consists of 81 passages, presented like poems. ![]() As with my interest in buddhism I am not about to become a follower, but the ideas, the ways of being advocated by the Tao, hold great interest for me and in many ways it is closer to both how I feel and how I would like to be than any other philosophy I have encountered. ![]() It is a strange philosophy and yet it seems to encapsulate much of what I have been thinking and feeling over the past several months since I decided I needed to slow down, to restrict my reading and take more time over things. The Tao is like a logical puzzle, yet it is neither logical nor a puzzle. ![]() I have, for a long time, been interested in buddhism, not to the extent that I could become a ‘follower’ but rather because there are ideas in buddhism which intrigue me, and the Tao has similar appeal but I was not quite ready for how wholly it would entrance me. I think I must have read something else which made reference to it and out of the thinnest thread of curiosity I decided to borrow it from the library. Outside of my ordinary reading I have been dipping into poetry and other such things and somehow I came across the Tao, I can’t really remember how it happened. This is not a regular review, more of a reflection. ![]() Sin city comic book7/6/2023 ![]() ![]() Through this ubiquitous example, I will both outline how Miller’s graphic technique in Sin City challenges the interplay between words and pictures so fundamental to sequential art, and also explore the implications of that approach. Instead, the “literal architecture” I intend to examine is the graphic construction and arrangement of letterforms in Sin City, specifically the onomatopoeic word Blam which conveys, visually, the sound of a gunshot. Yet just as there is no “real” Basin City, the object here is not its “real” architecture-the construction of its tenements and townhouses. The series’ interplay between experimental black-and-white artwork and the storytelling conventions of crime comics and noir cinema make the universe of Miller’s fictional Basin City, with its motley collection of lowlifes, assassins, and crooked politicos, fruitful for study. ![]() Sin City, written and illustrated by Frank Miller, has long been renowned for its striking, nihilistic style. ![]() ![]() The second is hundreds of miles away in the American Southwest, grieving the loss of everything she once loved. The first, pretty and pregnant, is standing on her doorstep. Sophie discovers hidden ties to two other women. Then one early-spring evening, a stranger at the door sets in motion a transforming chain of events. Sophie quickly develops deep affection for Kat, Martin's silent five-year-old daughter, but Martin's odd behavior leaves her with the uneasy feeling that something about her newfound situation isn't right. San Francisco widower Martin Hocking proves to be as aloof as he is mesmerizingly handsome. Sophie Whalen is a young Irish immigrant so desperate to get out of a New York tenement that she answers a mail-order bride ad and agrees to marry a man she knows nothing about. ![]() Lives are lost, lives are shattered, but some rise from the ashes forever changed. April 18, 1906- A massive earthquake rocks San Francisco just before daybreak, igniting a devouring inferno. ![]() The dwarves by markus heitz7/6/2023 ![]() ![]() Tungdil had long wanted to meet his fellow dwarves - although accepted and integrated into the human world, he felt a natural curiosity to meet his own kind - especially the female variety! His relationships with the human cast are simultaneously touching and amusing - he has a close bond with one of the kitchen workers and her children, is teased by some of the apprentices, but handles all with good humour and compassion. Following the adventures of Tungdil, (a wonderful creation, who will no doubt join the ranks of his illustrious forebears, such as Bilbo Baggins,) we are immediately immersed in action and intrigue. ![]() It's a long read, standing at just over 700 pages, and is one of a quartet, so this opening book in many ways simply sets the scene, and I assume we have much more excitement to follow in subsequent books. ![]() Translated from the original German by Sally-Ann Spencer, this novel is a fabulous addition to the fantasy genre. Plucked from obscurity and anonymity, he is sent on a quest to find his fellow dwarves, delivering messages en route: naturally, adventure will follow him, and perhaps he is even the long lost heir to the dwarves' throne - time will tell! He finds that his peaceful life is about to change dramatically. The charismatic dwarf, Tungdil, abandoned at birth, and brought up in the land of long-uns (humans), was raised and apprenticed to a magus. Summary: A long book and the first of a quartet but this is fantasy writing at its best and a fabulous addition to the genre. ![]() Good as dead by susan walter7/6/2023 ![]() ![]() Select Format Format: Paperback Select Conditions Condition: Very Good. ![]() Told from alternating points of view, Good as Dead draws together an unlikely group of people bound to one another by a crime, a cover-up, and compounding deceptions. Buy Over Her Dead Body Paperback Book By: Susan Walter from as low as 10.86. Because Holly and Savannah aren't the only ones in the neighborhood with something to hide. ![]() But when their sudden appearance in privileged Calabasas, California, piques the curiosity of neighbors, the price becomes greater than they imagined. Holly and her daughter, Savannah, will want for nothing, beginning with a luxury dream house-all for the price of their silence. Then a fixer for the high-powered guilty party approaches Holly with an offer she is in no position to refuse. In one violent moment, a hit-and-run accident turns Holly's life upside down. ![]() It all starts with a promise from a stranger: We'll take care of everything. : Good as Dead: A Novel (9781542029025) by Walter, Susan and a great selection of similar New, Used and Collectible Books available now at great prices. Good As Dead : A Novel Paperback Susan Walter Topic: Psychological, Family Life Item Width: 5.5in Item Weight: 9.6 Oz Number of Pages: 272 Pages Lc. ![]() The Walking Drum by Louis L'Amour7/5/2023 ![]() ![]() He is skilled with a sword, but also relies on his wit as he works toward achieving his nearly impossible goals. Kerbouchard is bold to a fault, trained by the Druids to have an amazing memory, a seeker of knowledge who can speak and write many languages, an unusual talent for the times. In L’Amour’s usual style, Kerbouchard goes from one adventure to another as he sets off on a quest to find his father (who is reported to be killed at sea or sold into slavery) and revenge his mother. He barely escapes with his life only to be captured and forced to be a galley slave. Young Mathurin Kerbouchard of Brittany is thrust into a violent, dangerous world when he returns from a fishing expedition and finds his mother murdered and his home burned to the ground. It takes place in the 12 th century, starting out in France, crossing medieval Europe and the Russian steppes, and finally ending in Constantinople. This novel, written in his later years, is a departure from those books. He is best known for capturing the spirit of the American West. Forty-five of his novel s have been made into films. He is one of the best –selling authors of modern times. ![]() There are 300 million copies of his books worldwide. L’Amour published his first novel in 1953 and every one of his over 120 books are still in print. A friend recommended this book and I’m glad he did because it was an exciting and educational read. If you’re looking for a good book to read this summer, pick up The Walking Drum by Louis L’Amour. ![]() Kerouac reading on the road7/5/2023 ![]() ![]() ESSAY: Kerouac's lifelong love of baseball (Dan Cichalski, March 11, 2022, MLB) Yet he’s as relevant as ever – and not just for obsessed young men ESSAY: Jack Kerouac: still roadworthy after 100 years: The author of On the Road had a messy, contradictory life. ESSAY: Jack Kerouac at 100: Part 1 (of 2): On his 100th birthday, I consider whether the King of the Beats still speaks to us today-or is just a dated relic of a hipster past (Ted Gioia, Mar 11, 2022, the honest Broker) ![]() ESSAY: Who was the most right-wing member of the Beat Generation?: On the Abbeys and the Beats (Bill Kauffman, July 16, 2022, The Spectator) Collins, December 13, 2019, Washington Post) ![]() ESSAY: The accidental book review that made Jack Kerouac famous (Ronald K.L. AUDIO: Jack Kerouac reads On The Road Audiobook with English subtitles: 28-minute recitation by Jack Kerouac from his book On the Road that was recorded on an acetate disc in the 1950s but thought lost for decades, and had only recently been rediscovered at the time of release September 14, 1999. The Hungry Mind Review's 100 Best 20th Century Books New York Public Library's Books of the Century Modern Library Top 100 Novels of the 20th Century ![]() Louise brooks lulu7/5/2023 ![]() Starting today and running through the month, "Stars of the Silent Screen" will include movie memorabilia, portraits, film stills and other vintage material designed to promote early screen stars including Brooks and Rudolph Valenti no. Two San Francisco exhibitions that feature Brooks will be displayed at What's for Dessert, a cafe and bakery on Church Street. ![]() That series includes a new production of Alban Berg's 1937 opera, "Lulu." But in this version, the title character will look more like a leggy Jean Harlowe-style siren than Brooks' petite vixen. On May 18, the Castro Theatre in San Francisco will screen "Pandora's Box" as part of a citywide Femmes Fatales Festival that coincides with a femmes fatales series at the San Francisco Opera. ![]() Spurring the latest revival is a new documentary, "Louise Brooks: Looking for Lulu," that will be shown Tuesday on the Turner Classic Movies channel. A mini mania over Brooks erupted about eight years ago when Knopf published Barry Paris' "Louise Brooks" biography. ![]() A silent-movie icon who did her bit to make the 1920s roar, Brooks is enjoying a revival 70 years after the height of her fame and more than a decade after her death. ![]() Mary sutter7/5/2023 ![]() ![]() Like Charles Frazier's Cold Mountain and Robert Hicks's The Widow of the South, My Name Is Mary Sutter powerfully evokes the atmosphere of the period. Under the guidance of William Stipp and James Blevens-two surgeons who fall unwittingly in love with Mary's courage, will, and stubbornness in the face of suffering-and resisting her mother's pleas to return home to help with the birth of her twin sister's baby, Mary pursues her medical career in the desperately overwhelmed hospitals of the capital. to help tend the legions of Civil War wounded. Determined to overcome the prejudices against women in medicine-and eager to run away from her recent heartbreak- Mary leaves home and travels to Washington, D.C. In this stunning first novel, Mary Sutter is a brilliant, headstrong midwife from Albany, New York, who dreams of becoming a surgeon. An enthralling historical novel about a young woman's struggle to become a doctor during the Civil War ![]() |