Author Archives: tom

A work of hard love

Benjamin was right; this drew my attention as I was in the midst of re-aligning my library.
It was sent to me by a close friend - since disappeared - shortly after Professor Rose’s passing. It was read once, perhaps twice, and filed away until last night. I thought I ought to share it. Click on [...]

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How Big is “Big”?

I tried to explain to my buddy what had just happened, what we, in various states of anxiety and anticipation, had just witnessed: the magnitude of the event, its world-historical importance; the significance of their achievement, both for themselves as well as for the institution.
It finally dawned on me. I knew what to say.
Bacchus, it [...]

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How to browse

Jonathan Glancey writes passionately about Selexyz Dominicanen in The Guardian’s very own ShopTalk section. The bookshop is integrated within the architectural frame of a 13th century Dominican Church, with its enormous bookcase a commanding presence and counter-point to its now secularised altar. Seldom have the twin pursuits - truthfulness and faith - come face to [...]

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sixth piece

We were asked to each bring an object to class the following day. I brought a three-pin plug. This was placed with other objects on a table, from which we selected an item. I chose this.
The lesson I learnt was that we could write about anything - if we tried!
the piece:
There at the bottom of [...]

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on reading

If reading is an exploration of uncharted lands, then books as gifts are beacons that illuminate and guide.

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captured / portrayed

Quite a coincidence. I was flying out to Surabaya the other week and picked up a book by Eric A. Johnson & Karl-Heinz Reuband. Not the usual airport fare, I agree, but pickings were slim. Do compare the cover of their book with Richard J. Evans’s The Third Reich in Power, 1933-1939.

It’s the same photograph, [...]

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weekends

Those spans of Christian-time we call “weekends”, stretching from short, shrift Fridays to long lazy Sundays, seldom warrants thinking about; somehow or rather, you savour it, it savours you. Which leaves the remaining four days. Thursdays are lubricated by a reverse spillage from the anticipated Friday. Best described as en-lulled Thursdays. Wednesdays are threshold days, [...]

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a return

I’m not sure what steered me initially away, and brought me to what I hope to be a more permanent return to the site. Things change, I suppose.
I used to subscribe to the Times Literary Supplement; each new issue invariably arrived on a Tuesday, and it would be the focal point until, once religiously devoured, [...]

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Returns

You know how it is sometimes. You see her; she catches your eye. Sometimes it’s hard to keep your resolve.
Soon enough, you’ve taken her home and do what comes naturally. Then you realise that you’ve done this before. Years ago. And it wasn’t even that great the first time around.
So you bring her back to [...]

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Things I learnt this past month

So we’re back from our honeymoon, and the lessons just keep coming and they keep getting better.

Mexicana - Always Late.
Air pollution is relative - Mexico City is the embodiment of Natural Beauty compared to Havana.
You’ve heard of Eco-Tourism? Well, in Cuba they practice Socialist Tourism. It’s something along the lines of, … how shall [...]

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