FOR CHRISTMAS: The Messiah
Handel’s Messiah is now so closely associated with Christmas that the annual arrival of the holiday itself is naturally preceded by a performance of Handel’s most famous work. But it…
Socrates and Plato: Two New Handbooks
Since everything Socrates said, or is purported to have said, is contained in the works of Plato, distinguishing between the two has always been problematic. Thus, if you going to…
A PUFF OF EXPELLED AIR: Herder’s History of Mankind
“With the exception of the genesis of living beings, it is perhaps the greatest of terrestrial creation.” What was Johann Gottfied Herder referring to? The power of speech. “Everything human…
BLANK SPLENDOUR: Caught between Infinity and Finitude
““Never can there be anything more between us,” Lady Grace said passionately to Lord John, as she rebuffed his marriage proposal. “Never, no, never!” Aghast and defeated, he sank after…
Deep Time and Poems of the Highest Antiquity
What is deep time? Author Noah Heringman (Prof of English at the Univ. of Missouri) describes it in setting out the main argument of his book: “the history of deep…
HALLOWEEN BOOK OF THE YEAR: Scottish Witches
Every year I select one book to celebrate Halloween in SunNewsAustin. Lily Seafield wrote Scottish Witches in 2009, but this year it was republished with a new introductory text by…
The Children of Athena
This book on ancient Greek intellectuals is by Charles Freeman. While he lists no academic credentials, he does state some experience on archeological digs surrounding the Mediterranean. The book consists…
The concept of ‘Liveness’ in Shakespeare
What does it mean to be alive? A reading of this book will probably change your thoughts on that. Anyone who reads about Shakespeare will be familiar with The Arden…
Zachary S. Pike on Overcoming Life’s Obstacles
A fine fellow I know in south Florida recently wrote a book entitled Regular. The subtitle reveals the motivating factor that led him to write it: A Young Man with…
Awakening the Spirit of America
“So, September 1, 1939, Germany invades Poland. This is where my book starts.” Speaking recently at the University of Texas (Austin) was Paul M. Sparrow, former director of the Franklin…