MILTON: He Shows Us How to be Dauntless
I take the title of my review directly from the text of this book by Stephen Dobranski. As one of the world’s leading experts on John Milton, Dobranski brings his…
Don Giovanni at Houston Grand Opera
Mozart’s mature opera Don Giovanni has been a fan favourite since it premiered in 1787. The old warhorse is once again trotting on the stage of Houston Grand Opera, which…
Astronomers try to catch up on AI
“There is no position for an astronomy/AI person already formed.” Quite an admission from Kari Haworth, chief technology operator at the Harvard-Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory. As the first engineer in an…
Hunt Slonem in Austin
The famed Manhattan-based artist Hunt Slonem is in Austin for a grand showing of his art at West Chelsea Contemporary on 6th Street. Slonem’s works grace the walls of such…
Glass Art at Woodlands Art Festival
The recent Art Festival in the Woodlands (just north of Houston) once again hosted an electric mix of creative people who create art in varied media. Richard Bond from Ottawa,…
Aristotle on Human Nature
Interpreting what Aristotle meant has exercised scholars for centuries. This edited book (written by 14 scholars) looks at one of his densest philosophical forays, his definition of a human being.…
A Theological Debate
One measure of a book for me is whether or not I can reference it in one of my own scientific/historical studies. This book passes that test, as I have…
The Poetry of Jennifer Robertson
“The shape of a poem begins at the end of a gaze,” writes Jennifer Robertson. While touring the Emily Dickinson House in Amherst (Massachusetts) last October, I had the great…
American Industry in WW II
In opening his address at the Texas Book Festival in Austin, author Craig Nelson invoked the memory of Joseph Stalin. Despite being the personification of evil, he was our ally…
A Few Good Men and the Roots of Morality
The current production at the Hill Country Community Theatre is A Few Good Men, by Aaron Sorkin. As the quintessence of the play is rooted in morality, I am going…