literature

26d

<p>“Read it now” – Ursula K. Le Guin</p><p>Weaving folklore, fairy tale & Norse myth into a shimmering, witty & slyly subversive tapestry, Naomi Mitchison’s TRAVEL LIGHT – a rediscovered gem of classic fantasy writing – has just been republished in the UK by Virago</p><p>@bookstodon </p><p><a href="https://store.virago.co.uk/products/travel-light" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="store.virago.co.uk/products/travel-light"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">store.virago.co.uk/products/tr</span><span class="invisible">avel-light</span></a></p><p><a href="/tags/scottish/" rel="tag">#Scottish</a> <a href="/tags/literature/" rel="tag">#literature</a> <a href="/tags/fantasy/" rel="tag">#fantasy</a> <a href="/tags/kidlit/" rel="tag">#kidlit</a> <a href="/tags/20thcentury/" rel="tag">#20thcentury</a> <a href="/tags/womenswriting/" rel="tag">#womenswriting</a> <a href="/tags/ursulaleguin/" rel="tag">#ursulaLeGuin</a> <a href="/tags/naomimitchison/" rel="tag">#NaomiMitchison</a> <a href="/tags/folklore/" rel="tag">#folklore</a> <a href="/tags/mythology/" rel="tag">#mythology</a></p>

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138d

<p>Cauld, cauld as the wall<br>That rins frae under the snaw<br>On Ben a’Bhuird…</p><p>—Nan Shepherd, “Cauld, cauld as the wall”<br>published in A KIST O SKINKLAN THINGS (ASL, 2017)</p><p><a href="https://asls.org.uk/publications/books/volumes/a-kist-o-skinlan-things/" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="asls.org.uk/publications/books/volumes/a-kist-o-skinlan-things/"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">asls.org.uk/publications/books</span><span class="invisible">/volumes/a-kist-o-skinlan-things/</span></a></p><p><a href="/tags/scottish/" rel="tag">#Scottish</a> <a href="/tags/literature/" rel="tag">#literature</a> <a href="/tags/poem/" rel="tag">#poem</a> <a href="/tags/poetry/" rel="tag">#poetry</a> <a href="/tags/scots/" rel="tag">#Scots</a> <a href="/tags/scotslanguage/" rel="tag">#Scotslanguage</a> <a href="/tags/winter/" rel="tag">#winter</a></p>

Nan Shepherd
Cauld, cauld as the wall

Cauld, cauld as the wall
That rins frae under the snaw
On Ben a’Bhuird,
And fierce, and bricht,
This water’s nae for ilka mou,
But him that’s had a waucht or noo
Nae wersh auld waters o the plain
Can sloke again,
But aye he clim’s the weary hicht
To fin’ the wall that lowps like licht,
Caulder than mou can thole, and aye
The warld cries out on him for fey.

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1y

<p>"What we chang'd<br>Was innocence for innocence; we knew not<br>The doctrine of ill-doing, nor dream'd<br>That any did."<br>Polixenes, scene ii</p><p><a href="/tags/otd/" rel="tag">#OTD</a> in 1912.</p><p>Harley Granville-Barker's production of Shakespeare's The Winter's Tale opens at the Savoy Theatre, London, with simplified scenery, ensemble acting and naturalistic verse-speaking. It is replaced in November by his production of Twelfth Night.</p><p><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Winter%27s_Tale" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Winter%27s_Tale"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Wint</span><span class="invisible">er%27s_Tale</span></a></p><p>Winter's Tale at PG:<br><a href="https://gutenberg.org/ebooks/1539" rel="nofollow"><span class="invisible">https://</span>gutenberg.org/ebooks/1539</a></p><p><a href="/tags/books/" rel="tag">#books</a> <a href="/tags/literature/" rel="tag">#literature</a> <a href="/tags/theatre/" rel="tag">#theatre</a></p>

An illustration by John Opie, engraved by Jean Pierre Simon, for Act II, Scene III of Shakespeare's [The] Winter's Tale LEONTES: [To ANTIGONUS.] You, sir, come you hither: You that have been so tenderly officious With Lady Margery, your midwife, there, To save this bastard's life,—for 'tis a bastard, So sure as this beard's grey,—what will you adventure To save this brat's life? ANTIGONUS. Anything, my lord, That my ability may undergo, And nobleness impose: at least, thus much; I'll pawn the little blood which I have left To save the innocent:—anything possible. LEONTES. It shall be possible. Swear by this sword Thou wilt perform my bidding. ANTIGONUS. I will, my lord. LEONTES. Mark, and perform it; (seest thou?) for the fail Of any point in't shall not only be Death to thyself, but to thy lewd-tongu'd wife; Whom for this time, we pardon.

Edited 1y ago

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1y

<p>"Every man takes the limits of his own field of vision for the limits of the world."<br>Psychological Observations</p><p>German philosopher and author Arthur Schopenhauer died <a href="/tags/otd/" rel="tag">#OTD</a> in 1860.</p><p>He is known for his 1818 work The World as Will and Representation (expanded in 1844), which characterizes the phenomenal world as the manifestation of a blind and irrational noumenal will.</p><p><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthur_Schopenhauer" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthur_Schopenhauer"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthur_S</span><span class="invisible">chopenhauer</span></a></p><p>Books by Arthur Schopenhauer at PG:<br><a href="https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/author/3648" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/author/3648"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/autho</span><span class="invisible">r/3648</span></a></p><p><a href="/tags/books/" rel="tag">#books</a> <a href="/tags/literature/" rel="tag">#literature</a></p>

Portrait photograph of Arthur Schopenhauer
Schäfer, Johann - Frankfurt am Main University Library

Schopenhauer is dressed in formal, dark attire, typical of the mid-19th century, with a high-collared shirt, waistcoat, and a coat. His white, unruly hair, swept back from his forehead, stands out, framing his lined, weathered face. His facial features are sharp, with a prominent nose and deeply set eyes that gaze outward with intensity, conveying his serious and contemplative nature.

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1y

<p>Surrealism at 100: A Reading List</p><p>On the centennial of the founding of Surrealism, this reading list examines its radical beginnings, its mass popularity, and its continued evolution.</p><p>By Allison C. Meier via @JSTOR_Daily </p><p><a href="https://daily.jstor.org/surrealism-at-100-a-reading-list/?utm_term=Surrealism%20at%20100%3A%20A%20Reading%20List&utm_campaign=jstordaily_09192024&utm_content=email&utm_source=Act-On+Software&utm_medium=email" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="daily.jstor.org/surrealism-at-100-a-reading-list/?utm_term=Surrealism%20at%20100%3A%20A%20Reading%20List&utm_campaign=jstordaily_09192024&utm_content=email&utm_source=Act-On+Software&utm_medium=email"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">daily.jstor.org/surrealism-at-</span><span class="invisible">100-a-reading-list/?utm_term=Surrealism%20at%20100%3A%20A%20Reading%20List&utm_campaign=jstordaily_09192024&utm_content=email&utm_source=Act-On+Software&utm_medium=email</span></a></p><p><a href="/tags/books/" rel="tag">#books</a> <a href="/tags/art/" rel="tag">#art</a> <a href="/tags/literature/" rel="tag">#literature</a> <a href="/tags/poetry/" rel="tag">#poetry</a></p>

The covers of Surrealist Manifestos by André Breton and Yvan Goll. Wikimedia Commons

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137d

<p>Reigniting Spark: Jewish Values in the Modernism of Muriel Spark<br>26 Nov, University of Edinburgh & online – free</p><p>Prof Holli Levitsky investigates how Muriel Spark navigates her Jewish identity amidst the broader themes of modernity, nationalism, & personal identity</p><p>@litstudies </p><p><a href="https://www.iash.ed.ac.uk/event/professor-holli-levitsky-reigniting-spark-jewish-values-modernism-muriel-spark" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="www.iash.ed.ac.uk/event/professor-holli-levitsky-reigniting-spark-jewish-values-modernism-muriel-spark"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">www.iash.ed.ac.uk/event/profes</span><span class="invisible">sor-holli-levitsky-reigniting-spark-jewish-values-modernism-muriel-spark</span></a></p><p><a href="/tags/scottish/" rel="tag">#Scottish</a> <a href="/tags/literature/" rel="tag">#literature</a> <a href="/tags/murielspark/" rel="tag">#murielspark</a> <a href="/tags/20thcentury/" rel="tag">#20thcentury</a> <a href="/tags/womenwriters/" rel="tag">#womenwriters</a> <a href="/tags/jewish/" rel="tag">#Jewish</a> <a href="/tags/catholic/" rel="tag">#Catholic</a> <a href="/tags/modernism/" rel="tag">#modernism</a> <a href="/tags/identity/" rel="tag">#identity</a></p>

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115d

<p>Finally, I’m done with the phone calls and everything else<br>and when I switch on the radio it feels like lying in salt water –<br>all I need to do is breathe: Bach will keep me afloat…</p><p>—Elizabeth Burns (1957–2015) was born <a href="/tags/otd/" rel="tag">#OTD</a>, 14 December</p><p>1/3</p><p><a href="https://www.wayleavepress.co.uk/?page_id=898" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="www.wayleavepress.co.uk/?page_id=898"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">www.wayleavepress.co.uk/?page_</span><span class="invisible">id=898</span></a></p><p><a href="/tags/scottish/" rel="tag">#Scottish</a> <a href="/tags/literature/" rel="tag">#literature</a> <a href="/tags/poem/" rel="tag">#poem</a> <a href="/tags/poetry/" rel="tag">#poetry</a> <a href="/tags/womenwriters/" rel="tag">#womenwriters</a> <a href="/tags/music/" rel="tag">#music</a> <a href="/tags/classicalmusic/" rel="tag">#classicalmusic</a> <a href="/tags/bach/" rel="tag">#Bach</a></p>

Listening to Bach’s B Minor Mass in the kitchen
by Elizabeth Burns

Finally, I’m done with the phone calls and everything else
and when I switch on the radio it feels like lying in salt water –
all I need to do is breathe: Bach will keep me afloat.
I’m mixing yeast into flour, making rolls for my daughter’s
birthday breakfast in the morning, kneading and kneading
the dough then setting it to rise; arranging in a glass
the last of the tiny pink roses with a sprig of green,
finding the blue candles and ironing the tablecloth,
the one my granny embroidered, sweeping the floor,
thinking about the hot August night of the birth,
and about the people we met on Westray last week,
and the presents I still need to wrap, and Bach himself
who is like a mountain covered in wildflowers,
and the singers in the Albert Hall who, the conductor says,
get close to godliness through this performance;
and I’m wondering, as all those voices fill my kitchen
with the Mass, if this is what he means: the sense
of time and place dissolving, so what divides us
from the past and elsewhere, and from each other,
falls away, and everything’s connected and we are all
drops of water in this enormous breaking wave.

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136d

<p>The City is of Night; perchance of Death…</p><p>James “B.V.” Thomson (1834–1882) – poet, journalist, translator, anarchist, atheist – was born <a href="/tags/otd/" rel="tag">#OTD</a>, 23 Nov, in Port Glasgow. Best known for his long poem THE CITY OF DREADFUL NIGHT, he influenced TS Eliot & is seen as a progenitor of Modernism </p><p>1/4</p><p><a href="https://psychogeographicreview.com/the-city-of-dreadful-night/" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="psychogeographicreview.com/the-city-of-dreadful-night/"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">psychogeographicreview.com/the</span><span class="invisible">-city-of-dreadful-night/</span></a></p><p><a href="/tags/scottish/" rel="tag">#Scottish</a> <a href="/tags/literature/" rel="tag">#literature</a> <a href="/tags/poem/" rel="tag">#poem</a> <a href="/tags/poetry/" rel="tag">#poetry</a> <a href="/tags/victorian/" rel="tag">#Victorian</a> <a href="/tags/19thcentury/" rel="tag">#19thcentury</a> <a href="/tags/modernism/" rel="tag">#modernism</a> <a href="/tags/tseliot/" rel="tag">#TSEliot</a></p>

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136d

<p>Wha’s Doctor Wha? Wha better kens nor he<br>that jouks the yetts and rides the birlin wheels<br>o time and space, shape-shiftin as he reels<br>through endless versions o reality? …</p><p>—James Robertson, “Doctor Wha”<br>First published in Where Rockets Burn Through (ed. Russell Jones, 2012)</p><p>Today, 23 November, is Doctor Who Day!</p><p>1/2</p><p><a href="/tags/scottish/" rel="tag">#Scottish</a> <a href="/tags/literature/" rel="tag">#literature</a> <a href="/tags/poem/" rel="tag">#poem</a> <a href="/tags/poetry/" rel="tag">#poetry</a> <a href="/tags/scots/" rel="tag">#Scots</a> <a href="/tags/scotslanguage/" rel="tag">#Scotslanguage</a> <a href="/tags/sciencefiction/" rel="tag">#sciencefiction</a> <a href="/tags/sfpoetry/" rel="tag">#SFpoetry</a> <a href="/tags/doctorwho/" rel="tag">#DoctorWho</a> <a href="/tags/doctorwhoday/" rel="tag">#DoctorWhoDay</a></p>

Doctor Wha
by James Robertson

Wha’s Doctor Wha? Wha better kens nor he
that jouks the yetts and rides the birlin wheels
o time and space, shape-shiftin as he reels
through endless versions o reality?
Bit dis he ken himsel? Weel, mibbe sae,
yet wha’s tae ken gin aw that’s kent by Wha
maks mair or less or better sense ava
nor whit we ithers ken, or think we dae?
The universe is fou o parallels:
wha’s like us? Hunners? Thoosans? We oorsels
micht be mere glisks o life-forms yet tae be.
Whit’s real? Whaur’s here? When’s noo? Wha’s quick or deid?
Wha’s jist a thochtie in anither’s heid?
Wha’s Doctor Wha? Wha better kens nor he?

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1y

<p>"Who can control his fate? asks the ruined Othello. No one, indeed. But everyone controls his option, chooses his alternative."</p><p>Australian writer and poet Joseph Furphy died <a href="/tags/otd/" rel="tag">#OTD</a> in 1912.</p><p>He is is widely regarded as the "Father of the Australian novel". He mostly wrote under the pseudonym Tom Collins and is best known for his novel Such Is Life (1903), regarded as an Australian classic.</p><p><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Furphy" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Furphy"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_F</span><span class="invisible">urphy</span></a></p><p>Books by Joseph Furphy at PG:<br><a href="https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/author/1205" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/author/1205"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/autho</span><span class="invisible">r/1205</span></a></p><p><a href="/tags/books/" rel="tag">#books</a> <a href="/tags/literature/" rel="tag">#literature</a></p>

Portrait of Joseph Furphy.

In the portrait, Furphy is often depicted wearing formal but modest clothing, likely a suit with a vest and tie, reflecting his background as a working man who also engaged in intellectual pursuits.

Furphy's expression is serious and contemplative, with a hint of sternness, as though deep in thought.

His moustache, possibly graying, gives him a distinguished appearance, adding to the sense of wisdom and experience.

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114d

<p>I'm keeping reading Shklovsky. This paragraph is not that funny for a non-Russian ear, but it reminded me of two great anecdotes I want to share. (01/03)</p><p><span class="h-card"><a href="https://fedigroups.social/@bookstodon" class="u-url mention" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">@<span>bookstodon</span></a></span></p><p><a href="/tags/bookstodon/" rel="tag">#bookstodon</a> <a href="/tags/prose/" rel="tag">#prose</a> <a href="/tags/literature/" rel="tag">#literature</a> <a href="/tags/russian/" rel="tag">#russian</a> <a href="/tags/poets/" rel="tag">#poets</a> <a href="/tags/anecdotes/" rel="tag">#anecdotes</a></p>

«Once they called me and asked to go to the <army> volunteer <Osip> Brik.

There was such a comrade in our squad. Everybody knew him: on his test drive, he crushed three cars at once».

VIKTOR SHKLOVSKY. THIRD FACTORY

Brick was, let's say, part of the poet Vladimir Mayakovsky's extended family, a famous person in his own right and Shklovsky's mate. This story reminded me of a couple of literary anecdotes in the same vein.

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134d

<p>“Laidlaw is the melancholy heir to Marlowe. Reads like a breathless scalpel cut through the bloody heart of a city’ – Denise Mina</p><p>William McIlvanney discusses and reads from his LAIDLAW trilogy at Dundee Literary Festival 2013, in conversation with Russel D. McLean</p><p>@bookstodon <br> <br><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K879j3KVFvo" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="www.youtube.com/watch?v=K879j3KVFvo"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">www.youtube.com/watch?v=K879j3</span><span class="invisible">KVFvo</span></a></p><p><a href="/tags/scottish/" rel="tag">#Scottish</a> <a href="/tags/literature/" rel="tag">#literature</a> <a href="/tags/20thcentury/" rel="tag">#20thcentury</a> <a href="/tags/crimefiction/" rel="tag">#CrimeFiction</a> <a href="/tags/williammcilvanney/" rel="tag">#WilliamMcIlvanney</a></p>

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1y

<p><a href="/tags/otd/" rel="tag">#OTD</a> in 1857.</p><p>Eugène Sue's extended fiction Les Mystères du peuple is condemned on charges of offending morals and religion, the author having died on August 3.</p><p>According to Umberto Eco, parts of Sue's book Les Mystères du peuple served as a source for Maurice Joly in his 1864 work Dialogue in Hell Between Machiavelli and Montesquieu, a book attacking Napoleon III and his political ambitions.</p><p><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eug%C3%A8ne_Sue" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eug%C3%A8ne_Sue"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eug%C3%A</span><span class="invisible">8ne_Sue</span></a></p><p><a href="https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/author/1186" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/author/1186"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/autho</span><span class="invisible">r/1186</span></a></p><p><a href="/tags/books/" rel="tag">#books</a> <a href="/tags/literature/" rel="tag">#literature</a></p>

Advertisement for "Mysteries of the People" by Eugène Sue. The New Review magazine, April 1915 (p. 245).

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133d

<p>Unveiling Lady Scott<br>Walter Scott, French Influence & Transcultural Connections<br>Free online from 26 Nov–10 Dec 2025</p><p>Céline Sabiron sheds new light on Walter Scott’s work by investigating the French influence of his wife, Charlotte Charpentier & argues that she, as a knowledgeable art & literature enthusiast, greatly assisted him in his work as his secretary, amanuensis, & proofreader</p><p>@litstudies </p><p><a href="https://www.cambridge.org/core/elements/unveiling-lady-scott/312FE027B29B98DEA13AEFD0A39EA095" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="www.cambridge.org/core/elements/unveiling-lady-scott/312FE027B29B98DEA13AEFD0A39EA095"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">www.cambridge.org/core/element</span><span class="invisible">s/unveiling-lady-scott/312FE027B29B98DEA13AEFD0A39EA095</span></a></p><p><a href="/tags/scottish/" rel="tag">#Scottish</a> <a href="/tags/literature/" rel="tag">#literature</a> <a href="/tags/18thcentury/" rel="tag">#18thcentury</a> <a href="/tags/romanticism/" rel="tag">#romanticism</a> <a href="/tags/walterscott/" rel="tag">#WalterScott</a></p>

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1y

<p>Polish poet, dramatist, painter, sculptor, and philosopher Cyprian Norwid was born <a href="/tags/otd/" rel="tag">#OTD</a> in 1821.</p><p>Considered a "rising star" in his youth, Norwid's original, nonconformist style was not appreciated in his lifetime. Partly due to this, he was excluded from high society. His work was rediscovered and appreciated only after his death by the Young Poland movement of the late-nineteenth and early-twentieth centuries.</p><p><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyprian_Norwid#" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyprian_Norwid#"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyprian_</span><span class="invisible">Norwid#</span></a></p><p><a href="/tags/books/" rel="tag">#books</a> <a href="/tags/literature/" rel="tag">#literature</a> <a href="/tags/poetry/" rel="tag">#poetry</a></p>

Portrait of Cyprian Kamil Norwid in 1871.

Norwid is shown with a serious, contemplative expression. His eyes often seem deep-set and thoughtful, conveying his intellectual depth and the hardships he endured. The expression also reflects his status as a misunderstood and underappreciated figure during his lifetime.

Norwid is seen wearing formal, yet modest clothing, which aligns with his austere lifestyle. His hair and beard, slightly disheveled, contribute to his image as a Romantic artist.

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133d

<p>Burns and Nature<br>21 January, Glasgow – free</p><p>An exploration of Robert Burns’s relationship to nature, told through poetry, spoken word & film.</p><p>This event, presented in partnership with the Centre for Robert Burns Studies at the University of Glasgow, will examine Burns’s relationship to place, his life as a farmer, & his perspective on humanity’s relationship to the natural world.</p><p><a href="https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/burns-and-nature-tickets-1975112411391" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/burns-and-nature-tickets-1975112411391"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/burns-a</span><span class="invisible">nd-nature-tickets-1975112411391</span></a></p><p><a href="/tags/scottish/" rel="tag">#Scottish</a> <a href="/tags/literature/" rel="tag">#literature</a> <a href="/tags/18thcentury/" rel="tag">#18thcentury</a> <a href="/tags/robertburns/" rel="tag">#RobertBurns</a> <a href="/tags/poetry/" rel="tag">#poetry</a> <a href="/tags/environmentalism/" rel="tag">#environmentalism</a> <a href="/tags/nature/" rel="tag">#nature</a></p>

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135d

<p>Computer’s First Christmas Card: a Poetry/Coding workshop<br>4 December, Mitchell Library, Glasgow – free</p><p>Inspired by Edwin Morgan’s poem ‘The Computer’s First Christmas Card’, attendees at this Poetry/Coding workshop will code a festive poem & leave with a handmade Christmas card! There will also be a chance to see some items from the Edwin Morgan collection.</p><p>No experience of coding or creative writing necessary.</p><p><a href="https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/computers-first-christmas-card-a-poetrycoding-workshop-tickets-1969671946815" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/computers-first-christmas-card-a-poetrycoding-workshop-tickets-1969671946815"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/compute</span><span class="invisible">rs-first-christmas-card-a-poetrycoding-workshop-tickets-1969671946815</span></a></p><p><a href="/tags/scottish/" rel="tag">#Scottish</a> <a href="/tags/literature/" rel="tag">#literature</a> <a href="/tags/glasgow/" rel="tag">#Glasgow</a> <a href="/tags/poetry/" rel="tag">#poetry</a> <a href="/tags/coding/" rel="tag">#coding</a> <a href="/tags/writing/" rel="tag">#writing</a></p>

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1y

<p>"If the fifteenth century discovered America to the Old World, the nineteenth is discovering woman to herself."<br>"Woman's Political Future" Speech</p><p>American writer Frances Ellen Watkins Harper was born <a href="/tags/otd/" rel="tag">#OTD</a> in 1825.</p><p>She was an abolitionist, suffragist, poet, teacher, public speaker, and writer, one of the first African American women to be published in the United States.</p><p><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frances_Ellen_Watkins_Harper" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frances_Ellen_Watkins_Harper"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frances_</span><span class="invisible">Ellen_Watkins_Harper</span></a></p><p>Books by Frances Ellen Watkins Harper at PG:<br><a href="https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/author/345" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/author/345"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/autho</span><span class="invisible">r/345</span></a></p><p><a href="/tags/books/" rel="tag">#books</a> <a href="/tags/literature/" rel="tag">#literature</a> <a href="/tags/poetry/" rel="tag">#poetry</a></p>

Portrait of Frances Ellen Watkins Harper.

In: Women of distinction : remarkable in works and invincible in character
Year: 1893
https://archive.org/details/womenofdistincti00scru/page/n40/mode/1up?view=theater

Harper is dressed in modest, formal clothing, typical of the period. Her attire reflects her professional status and her role as a speaker and activist. She is shown in a high-necked dress with simple accessories, emphasizing her seriousness and professionalism.

Harper is often portrayed with a straight, upright posture, which adds to her aura of authority and poise.

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114d

<p>I’m trying to entice my book club into reading Arcadia (Stoppard) with me, as well as Fleming’s analysis of the play. They probably won’t go along.</p><p>Philistines!</p><p>I’ll go it alone.</p><p><a href="/tags/literature/" rel="tag">#literature</a></p>

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168d

<p>Investigating Irish & Scottish Women Writers of Children’s Literature<br>12 December, Edinburgh University – free</p><p>A one-day symposium exploring regional & national identities in children’s literature c.1750–1940 – an era of major cultural & political upheaval in Ireland & Scotland</p><p>@litstudies </p><p><a href="https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/investigating-irish-scottish-women-writers-of-childrens-literature-tickets-1838781518019" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/investigating-irish-scottish-women-writers-of-childrens-literature-tickets-1838781518019"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/investi</span><span class="invisible">gating-irish-scottish-women-writers-of-childrens-literature-tickets-1838781518019</span></a></p><p><a href="/tags/scottish/" rel="tag">#Scottish</a> <a href="/tags/irish/" rel="tag">#Irish</a> <a href="/tags/literature/" rel="tag">#literature</a> <a href="/tags/childrensliterature/" rel="tag">#childrensliterature</a> <a href="/tags/kidlit/" rel="tag">#kidlit</a> <a href="/tags/womenwriters/" rel="tag">#womenwriters</a> <a href="/tags/identity/" rel="tag">#identity</a></p>

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115d

<p>Guillaume Apollinaire’s Trailblazing Caligrams, 1913</p><p>The form is part of the message in French writer Guillaume Apollinaire's "caligrams", in which the shape of the words on the page creates meaning.</p><p>by Paul Sorene</p><p><a href="https://flashbak.com/guillaume-apollinaire-caligrams-poems-480405/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=guillaume-apollinaire-caligrams-poems" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="flashbak.com/guillaume-apollinaire-caligrams-poems-480405/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=guillaume-apollinaire-caligrams-poems"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">flashbak.com/guillaume-apollin</span><span class="invisible">aire-caligrams-poems-480405/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=guillaume-apollinaire-caligrams-poems</span></a></p><p>Caligrames at PG:<br><a href="https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/55569" rel="nofollow"><span class="invisible">https://</span>www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/55569</a></p><p><a href="/tags/books/" rel="tag">#books</a> <a href="/tags/literature/" rel="tag">#literature</a></p>

Transcription of the image:

006—Il pleut

Il pleut des voix de femmes comme si elles étaient mortes même dans
le souvenir c'est vous aussi qu'il pleur merveilleuses rencontres de
ma vie ô gouttelettes et ces nuages cabrés se prennent à hennir tout
comme un univers de villes auriculaires écoute s'il pleut tandis que
le regret et le dédain pleurent une ancienne musique écoute tomber les
liens qui te retiennent en haut et en bas

https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/55569/pg55569-images.html#a006

Description of the image:

The title of the poem is in normal orientation at the top of the image. The poem itself is typed in lines at a slight angle to vertical - each letter of a word below the previous letter, and each line to the right of the previous line. The lines aren't precisely straight or parallel. The shape of the poem suggests rain.

English translation:

It rains women's voices as if they were dead even in
memory it is you too that it cries wonderful encounters of
my life oh droplets and these rearing clouds begin to neigh just
like a universe of ear cities listen if it rains while
regret and disdain cry an ancient music listen to the
ties that bind you above and below falling

Edited 114d ago

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135d

<p>The night tinkles like ice in glasses.<br>Leaves are glued to the pavement with frost.<br>The brown air fumes at the shop windows,<br>Tries the doors, and sidles past…</p><p>—Norman MacCaig, “November night, Edinburgh”<br>published in The Poems of Norman MacCaig (Birlinn, 2011)</p><p><a href="https://birlinn.co.uk/product/the-poems-of-norman-maccaig/" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="birlinn.co.uk/product/the-poems-of-norman-maccaig/"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">birlinn.co.uk/product/the-poem</span><span class="invisible">s-of-norman-maccaig/</span></a></p><p><a href="/tags/scottish/" rel="tag">#Scottish</a> <a href="/tags/literature/" rel="tag">#literature</a> <a href="/tags/poem/" rel="tag">#poem</a> <a href="/tags/poetry/" rel="tag">#poetry</a> <a href="/tags/20thcentury/" rel="tag">#20thcentury</a> <a href="/tags/november/" rel="tag">#November</a> <a href="/tags/winter/" rel="tag">#winter</a> <a href="/tags/edinburgh/" rel="tag">#Edinburgh</a> <a href="/tags/normanmaccaig/" rel="tag">#normanmacCaig</a></p>

Norman MacCaig
November night, Edinburgh

The night tinkles like ice in glasses.
Leaves are glued to the pavement with frost.
The brown air fumes at the shop windows,
Tries the doors, and sidles past.

I gulp down winter raw. The heady
Darkness swirls with tenements.
In a brown fuzz of cottonwool
Lamps fade up crags, die into pits.

Frost in my lungs is harsh as leaves
Scraped up on paths. – I look up, there,
A high roof sails, at the mast-head
Fluttering a grey and ragged star.

The world’s a bear shrugged in his den.
It’s snug and close in the snoring night.
And outside like chrysanthemums
The fog unfolds its bitter scent.

Edited 134d ago

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1y

<p><a href="/tags/otd/" rel="tag">#OTD</a> in 1922.</p><p>Sinclair Lewis's satirical novel Babbitt is published by Harcourt, Brace & Company.</p><p>It is a satirical novel about American culture and society that critiques the vacuity of middle class life and the social pressure toward conformity. The controversy provoked by Babbitt was influential in the decision to award the Nobel Prize in Literature to Lewis in 1930.</p><p><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Babbitt_(novel)" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Babbitt_(novel)"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Babbitt_</span><span class="invisible">(novel)</span></a></p><p>Babbitt at PG:<br><a href="https://gutenberg.org/ebooks/1156" rel="nofollow"><span class="invisible">https://</span>gutenberg.org/ebooks/1156</a></p><p><a href="/tags/books/" rel="tag">#books</a> <a href="/tags/literature/" rel="tag">#literature</a></p>

First edition cover of the novel Babbitt (1922), by Sinclair Lewis

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<p>Italian poet, writer, and philosopher Dante Alighieri died <a href="/tags/otd/" rel="tag">#OTD</a> in 1321.</p><p>Dante is known for establishing the use of the vernacular in literature at a time when most poetry was written in Latin, which was accessible only to educated readers. His use of the Florentine dialect for works such as The New Life and Divine Comedy helped establish the modern-day standardized Italian language.</p><p><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dante_Alighieri" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dante_Alighieri"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dante_Al</span><span class="invisible">ighieri</span></a></p><p>Books by Dante Alighieri at PG:<br><a href="https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/author/507" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/author/507"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/autho</span><span class="invisible">r/507</span></a></p><p><a href="/tags/books/" rel="tag">#books</a> <a href="/tags/literature/" rel="tag">#literature</a> <a href="/tags/poetry/" rel="tag">#poetry</a></p>

Andrea del Castagno, Dante Alighieri, ne Ciclo degli uomini e donne illustri, affresco, tra il 1448 e il 1451, Galleria degli Uffizi, Firenze

The painting of Dante Alighieri by Andrea del Castagno, part of the Ciclo degli uomini e donne illustri (Cycle of Famous Men and Women), is a fresco created between 1448 and 1451. It is housed in the Galleria degli Uffizi in Florence. The portrait honors Dante as one of the most prominent literary figures in Italian history.

In this fresco, Dante is depicted as a tall, solemn figure, wearing a traditional red robe with a matching cap (a zucchetto), which was associated with scholars and intellectuals. The red color symbolizes Dante's prominence and the honor bestowed upon him in Florence's cultural history.

Dante’s face is dignified and contemplative, reflecting his status as a thinker and poet. His face is slightly turned to the side, emphasizing his prominent nose and thoughtful gaze.

He is shown standing in a stately posture, holding a book in his hand, most likely representing The Divine Comedy. The book signifies his contribution to literature and his intellectual achievements.

Botticelli’s "The Map of Hell" is a detailed and dramatic representation of Dante’s Inferno.
The painting is structured around a massive funnel or pit, which spirals downward toward the Earth’s core. These circles narrow as they descend, representing Dante’s journey through Hell, where the severity of sin increases the deeper one goes. Each ring or layer corresponds to a specific category of sin, following the structure Dante outlined in Inferno.
The first circle represents Limbo, where virtuous non-Christians and unbaptized souls reside in a less tormented, shadowy existence.
The second circle shows those punished for lust, buffeted by strong winds.
The third circle depicts gluttons suffering in a filthy, icy slush.
The fourth circle portrays the misers and spendthrifts, forced to push heavy weights against one another.
The fifth circle illustrates the wrathful fighting each other in the River Styx, while the sullen are submerged beneath it.
The sixth circle shows heretics trapped in flaming tombs.
The seventh circle is divided into three sub-circles, where violent sinners are punished, including those who commit violence against others, against themselves, and against God.
The eighth circle depicts the fraudsters suffering in ten ditches, each with a unique punishment based on the type of fraud.
The ninth and final circle is the frozen lake of Cocytus, where traitors are encased in ice, and Lucifer himself resides at the center, holding the ultimate traitors in his jaws.

Illustration for Paradiso (of The Divine Comedy) by Gustave Doré.

The illustration of Paradiso from The Divine Comedy by Gustave Doré is a breathtaking and ethereal portrayal of Dante's ascent into Heaven. Doré’s illustrations for The Divine Comedy, completed in the 19th century, are renowned for their dramatic use of light and shadow, as well as their grand, visionary style. His illustrations for Paradiso stand out for their portrayal of divine beauty, light, and celestial order.

In typical illustrations of Paradiso, Doré masterfully captures the overwhelming presence of divine light. This light, emanating from the center of the illustration, symbolizes the presence of God. The radiance fills the entire composition, with Dante and Beatrice often depicted as tiny figures in comparison to the vast, celestial brightness. The light represents purity and divine truth, essential themes of Dante's journey through Heaven.

Surrounding the light, Doré often illustrates ranks of angels or blessed souls arranged in celestial circles or spheres. These figures are frequently portrayed in intricate, flowing robes, with wings outstretched, creating a sense of motion and harmony. The angelic beings are shown in concentric circles, as Dante describes in Paradiso, reinforcing the structured, ordered nature of Heaven according to medieval cosmology.

The illustration of Purgatorio, Canto XXX, 60-146 by William Blake, titled Beatrice Addressing Dante, is a vivid and emotional representation of the moment when Beatrice confronts Dante in the Earthly Paradise near the summit of Mount Purgatory. In this scene from Dante’s Purgatorio, Beatrice appears in a triumphal chariot, symbolizing divine grace, to address Dante for the first time, offering him spiritual guidance and chastising him for straying from the path of righteousness.

At the center of the composition is Beatrice, standing in her chariot. She is depicted as a radiant and almost otherworldly figure, with an aura of divine authority. Blake often emphasizes Beatrice’s spiritual purity by portraying her with soft, flowing robes and a serene expression, which contrasts with the darker tones of the surrounding environment. Her posture is commanding but graceful, reflecting her role as a guide and embodiment of divine love.

Below or to the side of Beatrice, Dante is shown kneeling or standing in awe, gazing upward toward Beatrice with a look of intense emotion. His posture and expression reflect a mixture of reverence, penitence, and shock.

The chariot in which Beatrice stands is a key symbol in this illustration, representing divine authority and grace.

Blake’s illustration blends heavenly and earthly elements, reflecting the liminal space of the Earthly Paradise.

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<p>American novelist, essayist, and short story writer F. Scott Fitzgerald was born <a href="/tags/otd/" rel="tag">#OTD</a> in 1896.</p><p>He is most famous for his novels that capture the Jazz Age and Roaring Twenties, a time of economic prosperity, cultural change, and excess following World War I. Although he achieved temporary popular success and fortune in the 1920s, Fitzgerald received critical acclaim only after his death.</p><p><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F._Scott_Fitzgerald" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F._Scott_Fitzgerald"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F._Scott</span><span class="invisible">_Fitzgerald</span></a></p><p>Books by F. Scott Fitzgerald at PG:<br><a href="https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/author/420" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/author/420"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/autho</span><span class="invisible">r/420</span></a></p><p><a href="/tags/books/" rel="tag">#books</a> <a href="/tags/literature/" rel="tag">#literature</a></p>

Fitzgerald in 1929

Nickolas Muray - Variations of this photo, both black-and-white and colorized, were published in a variety of newspapers and magazines throughout the year 1929. This scan is sourced via ElectricLiterature.com.

Portrait of writer F. Scott Fitzgerald used in a year-long print advertising campaign for the Woodbury Soap Company, in which Fitzgerald featured as one of three judges—the two others being actor John Barrymore and newspaperman Cornelius Vanderbilt IV—who were purportedly selecting the winners of monthly beauty contests.

Edited 1y ago

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