literature

1y

<p>A Journey Through Dante’s Inferno: A Brief Guide</p><p>by Thom Delapa</p><p>Dante’s Inferno is hailed as a medieval masterpiece and a precursor to the Renaissance, with T.S. Eliot having ranked it alongside Shakespeare.</p><p><a href="https://www.thecollector.com/journey-through-dante-inferno/" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="www.thecollector.com/journey-through-dante-inferno/"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">www.thecollector.com/journey-t</span><span class="invisible">hrough-dante-inferno/</span></a></p><p><a href="/tags/books/" rel="tag">#books</a> <a href="/tags/literature/" rel="tag">#literature</a> <a href="/tags/medieval/" rel="tag">#medieval</a></p>

Inferno, Canto XXXIII–XXXIV by Andrea di Cione di Orcagna

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62d

<p>to hear the Gaelic ann an taigh-mòr<br>air a’ chrìch eadar dà shiorrachd<br>ann an Èirinn far am faighear taic<br>o gach comhairle gus na dìogan a ghlanadh,<br>na claisean a chàradh…</p><p>—Pàdraig MacAoidh, “Geographical Exclusions Apply”<br>published in With Their Best Clothes On: New Writing Scotland 36 (ASL, 2018)</p><p><a href="/tags/scottish/" rel="tag">#Scottish</a> <a href="/tags/literature/" rel="tag">#literature</a> <a href="/tags/gaidhlig/" rel="tag">#Gaidhlig</a> <a href="/tags/gaelic/" rel="tag">#Gaelic</a> <a href="/tags/poem/" rel="tag">#poem</a> <a href="/tags/poetry/" rel="tag">#poetry</a></p>

Pàdraig MacAoidh
GEOGRAPHICAL EXCLUSIONS APPLY

to hear the Gaelic ann an taigh-mòr
air a’ chrìch eadar dà shiorrachd
ann an Èirinn far am faighear taic
o gach comhairle gus na dìogan a ghlanadh,
na claisean a chàradh, ged nach robh e
idir gu leòr agus fios gun teagamh sam bith
gun robh an taigh a’ grodadh, nach bi
e fada son t-saoghail seo, leis gun robh e –
mar gach taigh-mòr eile – a’ tuiteam
às a chèile on mhullach, gun robh
na sglèatan a’ crochadh air adhar,
na cabair phreasach nas làine de thuill
na de dh’fhiodh ’s it was lovely to hear
the Gaelic aig solas dearg ann an Gleann
Iucha far an do stad car agus shlaighd
fear sios an uinneag agus leig e às –
gu slaodach – cnap cotain a bha stobte
sa bheul ann am beàrn far am b’ àbhaist
fiacail a bhith, an cotan air tionndadh
dearg gorm dubh agus air maistrich
le na duilleagan ’s an traillich ’s an uisge
ronnach ruadh a’ ruith sìos a’ chlais
sìos dhan it was lovely to hear the Gaelic
anns a’ chlò a’ chlò a’ chlò às am bi
fàileadh m’ eilein-sa ag èirigh gach trup
a bhios tu fàs teth agus fliuch aig an aon àm
mar gum b’ e comharra feise a bh’ ann
rud cho borb bèisteil ’s nach urrainn dhut
a chumail ri taobh do chraicinn, nad
achlaisean, eadar do shlèistean, gun iad a bhith
air an suathadh, air an sgròbadh a bhith dearg
’s dubh ’s geal ’s tu ag ràdh eadar fiaclan dùinte

an ceann a chèile Moire Moire Moire it was
lovely to hear the Gaelic aig àm dol fodha
na grèine, gus am bris an là, gu latha-luain,
aig mullach na creige ann an Gippsland
far an do shad an Sgitheanach
Alasdair Mac a’ Mhaolain tùsanaich
far an oir an dèidh peilearan
a chur nan casan mar gum b’ e plàigh
a bh’ annta ’s beathaichean leòinte
nach robh fiù ’s airidh air tròcair,
nach b’ annta ach troc it was lovely
to hear the Gaelic air an t-seann sgeir,
na glasan-làimhe a’ bìdeadh d’ abhbrannan
’s do chaoil-dhùirn agus an t-sàl
a’ suathadh d’ fheòla agus an reothart
a’ lìonadh gun dòchas agad – agus i
an àm a’ phreasaidh a-rithist an-còmhnaidh
mar a bha ’s mar a bhitheas – ach guth fireann
thar nan tonn a’ dùrdail it was lovely

Peter Mackay
GEOGRAPHICAL EXCLUSIONS APPLY

to hear the Gaelic in a big house
on the border between two counties
in Ireland where you could get help
from both councils for cleaning the gutters
repairing the rones, even though it was
never enough and there was no doubt
that the house was rotting, not long
for this world, since it was – like every other
big house – tearing itself apart
from the top down, and the slates
were hanging in air and the corrugating
roofbeams more full of holes than wood
and it was lovely to hear the Gaelic at a red
light in Glencoe where a car stopped and a man
wound down his window and dropped –
gently – a sop of cotton that had been
stoppering a hole in his mouth where once
there’d been a tooth, the cotton now turning
red blue black and swirling chewing
masticating with the leaves and butts
in the red rusted water running down the gutter
towards it was lovely to hear the Gaelic
in the tweed the tweed the tweed from which
the smell of my island rises each time
you get both hot and wet at the same time
as if it was a marker of sex, something so
barbaric and animal you could not keep it
beside your skin, in your armpits, between
your thighs without them being rubbed
and scratched red and black and white
while you say between teeth gritted together
Mary Mary Mary it was lovely to hear

the Gaelic at the setting of the sea, when the day
breaks, till the day of the moon, at the top
of the cliff in Gippsland where the Sgitheanach
Alasdair Mac a’ Mhaolain threw aborigines
over the edge, having shot them in the legs
as if they were a plague, or wounded
animals, that weren’t worthy of pity
that were nothing but brutes it was lovely
to hear the Gaelic on the ol’ tidal rock
the manacles biting into your ankles
and wrists and the brine of the rising
spring tide seasoning your flesh and
no hope left but – it being the time
of the press-gangs again, as usual,
as it was and shall be – a male voice
murmuring over the seas it was lovely

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62d

<p>Black History Month: What is it and why is it important?</p><p>Black History Month is an opportunity to understand Black histories.</p><p>By Alem Tedeneke (from the archives)</p><p><a href="https://www.weforum.org/stories/2024/02/black-history-month-what-is-it-and-why-do-we-need-it/" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="www.weforum.org/stories/2024/02/black-history-month-what-is-it-and-why-do-we-need-it/"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">www.weforum.org/stories/2024/0</span><span class="invisible">2/black-history-month-what-is-it-and-why-do-we-need-it/</span></a></p><p>Index of Project Gutenberg Works on Black History by Various edited by David Widger is available online:<br><a href="https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/58975" rel="nofollow"><span class="invisible">https://</span>www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/58975</a></p><p><a href="/tags/books/" rel="tag">#books</a> <a href="/tags/literature/" rel="tag">#literature</a> <a href="/tags/blackhistorymonth/" rel="tag">#blackhistorymonth</a></p>

Photograph of Frederick Douglass, circa 1879.

Douglass is dressed formally in a dark suit with white shirt and bow tie, with his distinctive wild gray hair and beard. The dignified portrait captures him at approximately age 61, during the period when he served as U.S. Marshal for the District of Columbia and continued his work for civil rights and social justice.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frederick_Douglass#/media/File:Frederick_Douglass_(circa_1879)_(cropped).jpg

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1y

<p>Lewis Carroll collection given to his Oxford college in surprise US donation</p><p>Exclusive: Christ Church college taken aback to receive hundreds of the author’s letters, photos and rare items</p><p>By Dalya Alberge</p><p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/books/2025/feb/16/lewis-carroll-oxford-surprise-us-donation" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="www.theguardian.com/books/2025/feb/16/lewis-carroll-oxford-surprise-us-donation"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">www.theguardian.com/books/2025</span><span class="invisible">/feb/16/lewis-carroll-oxford-surprise-us-donation</span></a></p><p>Lewis Carroll at PG:<br><a href="https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/author/7" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/author/7"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/autho</span><span class="invisible">r/7</span></a></p><p><a href="/tags/books/" rel="tag">#books</a> <a href="/tags/literature/" rel="tag">#literature</a></p>

1863 photograph of Lewis Carroll by Oscar G. Rejlander.

The image is a black-and-white portrait showing Carroll, the pen name of Charles Lutwidge Dodgson, dressed formally in a dark suit with a white bow tie.

He has wavy, neatly styled hair and a calm, contemplative expression. His gaze is directed slightly downward and to the side.

He is holding an object, possibly a jar or small container, wrapped in a cloth, adding a slightly mysterious element to the composition.

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1y

<p>“its power as a starter in crowd psychology comes from Mackay’s insistence on humanising the follies he describes. No macroeconomic constructs here – just good old greed, optimism, superstition & cunning plans”</p><p>—Charles Mackay (1814–1889) was born <a href="/tags/otd/" rel="tag">#OTD</a>, 27 March – best remembered today for his 1841 book Extraordinary Popular Delusions & the Madness of Crowds</p><p>1/3</p><p><a href="https://www.peterharrington.co.uk/blog/the-great-and-awful-book-of-human-folly-charles-mackays-popular-delusions-2/" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="www.peterharrington.co.uk/blog/the-great-and-awful-book-of-human-folly-charles-mackays-popular-delusions-2/"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">www.peterharrington.co.uk/blog</span><span class="invisible">/the-great-and-awful-book-of-human-folly-charles-mackays-popular-delusions-2/</span></a></p><p><a href="/tags/scottish/" rel="tag">#Scottish</a> <a href="/tags/literature/" rel="tag">#literature</a> <a href="/tags/19thcentury/" rel="tag">#19thcentury</a> <a href="/tags/victorian/" rel="tag">#Victorian</a> <a href="/tags/psychology/" rel="tag">#psychology</a> <a href="/tags/masspsychology/" rel="tag">#masspsychology</a> <a href="/tags/economics/" rel="tag">#economics</a> <a href="/tags/stockmarket/" rel="tag">#stockmarket</a> <a href="/tags/bubbles/" rel="tag">#bubbles</a></p>

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60d

<p>Robert Louis Stevenson’s short story “The Bottle Imp” was first published (in English) on this day, 8 Feb, 1891, in the New York Herald. It was originally published in Samoan translation as “‘O le Fagu Aitu” in the missionary magazine O le sulu Samoa (The Samoan Torch)</p><p>A 👿 🧵</p><p>1/10</p><p><a href="/tags/scottish/" rel="tag">#Scottish</a> <a href="/tags/literature/" rel="tag">#literature</a> <a href="/tags/shortstory/" rel="tag">#shortstory</a> <a href="/tags/robertlouisstevenson/" rel="tag">#RobertLouisStevenson</a> <a href="/tags/19thcentury/" rel="tag">#19thcentury</a> <a href="/tags/victorian/" rel="tag">#Victorian</a> <a href="/tags/pacific/" rel="tag">#Pacific</a> <a href="/tags/samoa/" rel="tag">#Samoa</a> <a href="/tags/hawaii/" rel="tag">#Hawaii</a> <a href="/tags/supernatural/" rel="tag">#supernatural</a></p>

A newspaper clipping from 1891, showing a title and the opening few lines of Robert Louis Stevenson’s short story "The Bottle Imp"

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1y

<p>"Someone has a great fire in his soul and nobody ever comes to warm themselves at it, and passers-by see nothing but a little smoke at the top of the chimney and then go on their way."</p><p>Quote in his Letter (no. 155), June 1880.</p><p>~Vincent van Gogh, born <a href="/tags/otd/" rel="tag">#OTD</a> in 1856.</p><p>Van Gogh's letters are available online at:<br><a href="https://vangoghletters.org/" rel="nofollow"><span class="invisible">https://</span>vangoghletters.org/</a></p><p>Books by Van Gogh at PG:<br><a href="https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/search/?query=Vincent+van+Gogh&submit_search=Search" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/search/?query=Vincent+van+Gogh&submit_search=Search"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/searc</span><span class="invisible">h/?query=Vincent+van+Gogh&submit_search=Search</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></p>

"Van Gogh painted this self-portrait in the winter of 1887–1888, when he had been living in Paris for nearly two years. Since his arrival in the city he had devoted much study to the dotted Pointillist technique, thereby learning how he might apply it in his own fashion. His use of brushstrokes running in a variety of directions created a self-portrait with a halo-like circle round his head. This variation and the dynamics it created were Van Gogh’s own contribution to the new style of painting." (Van Gogh Museum notice)

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61d

<p>"Mastered by desire impulsive,<br>By a mighty inward urging,<br>I am ready now for singing,<br>Ready to begin the chanting<br>Of our nation’s ancient folk-song..."</p><p>An epic border: Finland’s poetic masterpiece, the Kalevala, has roots in 2 cultures and 2 countries</p><p>by Thomas A. DuBois</p><p><a href="https://theconversation.com/an-epic-border-finlands-poetic-masterpiece-the-kalevala-has-roots-in-2-cultures-and-2-countries-261444" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="theconversation.com/an-epic-border-finlands-poetic-masterpiece-the-kalevala-has-roots-in-2-cultures-and-2-countries-261444"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">theconversation.com/an-epic-bo</span><span class="invisible">rder-finlands-poetic-masterpiece-the-kalevala-has-roots-in-2-cultures-and-2-countries-261444</span></a></p><p>Kalevala at PG:<br><a href="https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/search/?query=Kalevala" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/search/?query=Kalevala"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/searc</span><span class="invisible">h/?query=Kalevala</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>

Mistress of the North, Louhi attacking Väinämöinen in the form of a giant eagle with her troops on her back. (The Defense of the Sampo, Akseli Gallen-Kallela, 1896), Turku Art Museum.

The scene depicts an episode from the Kalevala, the Finnish national epic, showing the sorceress Louhi (the Mistress of the North) transformed into a giant eagle attacking the hero Väinämöinen and his companions as they flee in a boat with the magical Sampo. Louhi carries her warriors on her back as she swoops down, her enormous wings spread across the green-gold sky. The heroes in the boat below defend themselves with weapons, fighting desperately to protect the Sampo.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kalevala#/media/File:Sammon_puolustus.jpg

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61d

<p>You might forget the exact sound of her voice<br>or how her face looked when sleeping.<br>You might forget the sound of her quiet weeping<br>curled into the shape of a half moon…</p><p>—Jackie Kay, “Darling”<br>published in DARLING (Bloodaxe, 2007)</p><p><a href="https://www.bloodaxebooks.com/ecs/product/darling-877" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="www.bloodaxebooks.com/ecs/product/darling-877"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">www.bloodaxebooks.com/ecs/prod</span><span class="invisible">uct/darling-877</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/jackiekay/" rel="tag">#JackieKay</a> <a href="/tags/grief/" rel="tag">#grief</a> <a href="/tags/death/" rel="tag">#death</a></p>

Darling
by Jackie Kay

You might forget the exact sound of her voice
or how her face looked when sleeping.
You might forget the sound of her quiet weeping
curled into the shape of a half moon,

when smaller than her self, she seemed already to be leaving
before she left, when the blossom was on the trees
and the sun was out, and all seemed good in the world.
I held her hand and sang a song from when I was a girl –

Heel y’ho boys, let her go boys –
and when I stopped singing she had slipped away,
already a slip of a girl again, skipping off,
her heart light, her face almost smiling.

And what I didn’t know or couldn’t say then
was that she hadn’t really gone.
The dead don’t go till you do, loved ones.
The dead are still here holding our hands.

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61d

<p><a href="/tags/otd/" rel="tag">#OTD</a> in 1823 novelist Ann Radcliffe died.</p><p>She "was an English novelist who pioneered the Gothic novel, and a minor poet. Her fourth and most popular novel, The Mysteries of Udolpho, was published in 1794.... Her novels combine suspenseful narratives, exotic historical settings, and apparently-supernatural events."</p><p><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ann_Radcliffe" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ann_Radcliffe"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ann_Radc</span><span class="invisible">liffe</span></a></p><p>Books by Radcliffe at PG:</p><p><a href="https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/author/1147" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/author/1147"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/autho</span><span class="invisible">r/1147</span></a></p><p><a href="/tags/books/" rel="tag">#books</a> <a href="/tags/literature/" rel="tag">#literature</a></p>

"Emily discovering a body in Ann Radcliffe's The Mysteries of Udolpho (1794)." - picyrl.

The drawing shows a woman holding a lantern. She is pulling back a curtain which reveals a dead man lying on a bed.

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1y

<p>Andrew Lang (1844–1912) was born <a href="/tags/otd/" rel="tag">#OTD</a>, 31 March. An extraordinarily prolific anthropologist, writer & literary critic, he is best remembered today for collecting & editing fairy stories from around the world</p><p>A 🎂 🧵</p><p>1/6</p><p><a href="https://universityofglasgowlibrary.wordpress.com/2016/05/20/the-man-of-letters-in-fairyland-andrew-lang/" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="universityofglasgowlibrary.wordpress.com/2016/05/20/the-man-of-letters-in-fairyland-andrew-lang/"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">universityofglasgowlibrary.wor</span><span class="invisible">dpress.com/2016/05/20/the-man-of-letters-in-fairyland-andrew-lang/</span></a></p><p><a href="/tags/scottish/" rel="tag">#Scottish</a> <a href="/tags/literature/" rel="tag">#literature</a> <a href="/tags/19thcentury/" rel="tag">#19thcentury</a> <a href="/tags/victorian/" rel="tag">#Victorian</a> <a href="/tags/kidlit/" rel="tag">#kidlit</a> <a href="/tags/fairytale/" rel="tag">#fairytale</a> <a href="/tags/andrewlang/" rel="tag">#AndrewLang</a></p>

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1y

<p>American Literature’s White Whale: Why the “Great American Novel” is Still Worth Pursuing</p><p><a href="https://lithub.com/american-literatures-white-whale-why-the-great-american-novel-is-still-worth-pursuing/" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="lithub.com/american-literatures-white-whale-why-the-great-american-novel-is-still-worth-pursuing/"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">lithub.com/american-literature</span><span class="invisible">s-white-whale-why-the-great-american-novel-is-still-worth-pursuing/</span></a></p><p><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_William_De_Forest" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_William_De_Forest"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Wil</span><span class="invisible">liam_De_Forest</span></a></p><p>Miss Ravenel's conversion from secession to loyalty at PG:<br><a href="https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/41355" rel="nofollow"><span class="invisible">https://</span>www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/41355</a></p><p><a href="/tags/books/" rel="tag">#books</a> <a href="/tags/literature/" rel="tag">#literature</a></p>

John William De Forest is depicted with a full beard and mustache, giving him a scholarly and mature appearance.

Deep-set eyes and a serious, contemplative expression, reflecting his role as a novelist and historian.

Formal attire, such as a dark suit, a high-collared shirt, and a bow tie, which was typical for men of his era.

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349d

<p>George Orwell Knew What Made Shakespeare Great</p><p>By Michael Lucchese</p><p><a href="https://providencemag.com/2025/04/george-orwell-knew-what-made-shakespeare-great/" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="providencemag.com/2025/04/george-orwell-knew-what-made-shakespeare-great/"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">providencemag.com/2025/04/geor</span><span class="invisible">ge-orwell-knew-what-made-shakespeare-great/</span></a></p><p><a href="/tags/books/" rel="tag">#books</a> <a href="/tags/literature/" rel="tag">#literature</a></p>

William Shakespeare by John Taylor, edited.

Shakespeare appears with a high forehead, arched eyebrows, and deep, contemplative eyes that suggest wit and introspection.

He wears an elegant black doublet with a white collar — modest yet refined, reflecting his status as a respected playwright and poet of the Elizabethan era. A gold earring in his left ear adds a touch of bohemian flair, hinting at his creative spirit.

His dark hair is shoulder-length, slightly tousled, and he sports a trimmed mustache and goatee — a fashionable look for a man of letters in the early 1600s.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:William_Shakespeare_by_John_Taylor,_edited.jpg

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1y

<p>A special shoutout to The New York Review of Books which has just started using the Fediverse:</p><p>➡️ <span class="h-card"><a href="https://newsie.social/@nybooks" class="u-url mention" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">@<span>nybooks</span></a></span> </p><p>The NYRB is a celebrated magazine on literature, politics, arts, ideas & current events.</p><p>They've just started posting, so their profile may look blank to your server. Follow them and their posts will start showing up on your server too 🙂 </p><p>(By the way, NYRB has no connection to the New York Times Book Review, they just have similar names.)</p><p><a href="/tags/books/" rel="tag">#Books</a> <a href="/tags/literature/" rel="tag">#Literature</a> <a href="/tags/magazines/" rel="tag">#Magazines</a> <a href="/tags/culture/" rel="tag">#Culture</a> <a href="/tags/arts/" rel="tag">#Arts</a></p>

Edited 1y ago

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59d

<p>Let us remember<br>the stillborn: how they</p><p>cede their places here<br>with such good grace</p><p>that no one ever<br>speaks of them</p><p>again…</p><p>—John Burnside, “A Footnote to Colossians”<br>published in RUIN, BLOSSOM (Penguin, 2024)</p><p><a href="https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/456120/ruin-blossom-by-burnside-john/9781529909258" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="www.penguin.co.uk/books/456120/ruin-blossom-by-burnside-john/9781529909258"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">www.penguin.co.uk/books/456120</span><span class="invisible">/ruin-blossom-by-burnside-john/9781529909258</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/johnburnside/" rel="tag">#JohnBurnside</a></p>

John Burnside
A Footnote to Colossians

For ye are dead, and your life is hid
Colossians 3:3

Let us remember
the stillborn: how they

cede their places here
with such good grace

that no one ever
speaks of them

again.
In school,

we placed them, carefully,
in Limbo,

deep in the folds of smoke
and snowfall, where

their names would never
find them:

pagan, now,
and immaterial,

like phantoms,
or that

boy I sometimes saw
in polaroids,

the one they said
was me.

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59d

<p>The swine hangs on,<br>The swine hangs on to power,<br>The townsfolk mutter round the tower…</p><p>—Alan Jackson, “The Swine”<br>published in Salutations: Collected Poems 1960–1989 (Polygon, 1990)</p><p><a href="https://www.scottishpoetrylibrary.org.uk/poem/swine/" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="www.scottishpoetrylibrary.org.uk/poem/swine/"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">www.scottishpoetrylibrary.org.</span><span class="invisible">uk/poem/swine/</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></p>

The Swine
Alan Jackson

The swine hangs on,
The swine hangs on to power,
The townsfolk mutter round the tower:

“Roast him, toast him,
Thin his blood.
Try fire first,
Then try flood.

Char the timbers,
Crack the stone.
Make him marrow
In a splintered bone.

Then he’ll tumble,
Our hot meat.
Then we hack him.
Then we eat.”

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347d

<p>"Men with common minds seldom break through general rules. Prudence is ever the resort of weakness; and they rarely go as far as as they may in any undertaking, who are determined not to go beyond it on any account."</p><p>Letters Written During a Short Residence in Sweden, Norway, and Denmark (1796)</p><p>~Mary Wollstonecraft (27 April 1759 – 10 September 1797) </p><p>Mary Wollstonecraft at PG:<br><a href="https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/author/84" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/author/84"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/autho</span><span class="invisible">r/84</span></a></p><p><a href="/tags/books/" rel="tag">#books</a> <a href="/tags/literature/" rel="tag">#literature</a></p>

Wollstonecraft in 1790–1791, by John Opie

Wollstonecraft is depicted in a three-quarter view, her body turned slightly to the side while her face looks directly toward the viewer. Her expression is calm, serious, and contemplative, suggesting deep intelligence and moral conviction.

She wears a simple white garment, likely a muslin or linen dress with a soft, open collar.

Her dark hair is loosely gathered under a soft, dark cap or bonnet, with curls escaping naturally around her face.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Wollstonecraft#/media/File:MaryWollstonecraft.jpg

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1y

<p><a href="/tags/art/" rel="tag">#art</a> <a href="/tags/history/" rel="tag">#history</a>: imagine being such a gifted author that one of your most radical & inventive novels was mainly a product of automatic writing? best known, perhaps, for providing the screenplay that would become alain resnais' 'hiroshima mon amour' - which is not a bad place to start if you've not yet become acquainted with marguerite duras (born <a href="/tags/otd/" rel="tag">#otd</a> in 1914) - she largely escaped acclaim outside of france. this is regrettable. (threadish)<br><a href="/tags/margueriteduras/" rel="tag">#margueriteDuras</a> <a href="/tags/literature/" rel="tag">#literature</a> <a href="/tags/illustration/" rel="tag">#illustration</a> <a href="/tags/france/" rel="tag">#france</a></p>

digital pencil & ink sketch of french author, marguerite duras, in her younger days.
she looks towards the ground to her left, a slight smile on her lips. hair is beautifully swept back & piled atop her head.
colours are pale turquoise, pale rose, black, off-white & crimson.

digital black & (off) white pencil & ink sketch of french author, marguerite duras, in her younger days.
she looks towards the ground to her left, a slight smile on her lips. hair is beautifully swept back & piled atop her head.

digital pencil & ink sketch of french author, marguerite duras, in her younger days.
she looks towards the ground to her left, a slight smile on her lips. hair is beautifully swept back & piled atop her head.
there's a block of mid-turquoise behind her & it's decorated with yellow & coral triangles.

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346d

<p>1876 | Laurel Springs, NJ</p><p>Looking Up</p><p>Walt Whitman has a happy hour.</p><p><a href="https://www.laphamsquarterly.org/happiness/looking" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="www.laphamsquarterly.org/happiness/looking"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">www.laphamsquarterly.org/happi</span><span class="invisible">ness/looking</span></a></p><p>Whitman at PG:<br><a href="https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/author/600" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/author/600"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/autho</span><span class="invisible">r/600</span></a></p><p><a href="/tags/books/" rel="tag">#books</a> <a href="/tags/literature/" rel="tag">#literature</a></p>

An 1862 photograph of Whitman taken by Mathew Brady.

Whitman is shown seated, with a relaxed, almost casual posture. His expression is thoughtful but unforced — a slight, knowing look in his eyes suggests both introspection and resilience.

He wears plain, slightly rumpled clothing: an open-collared shirt.

Whitman’s hair is tousled and his beard is full and flowing, giving him a weathered, natural look that breaks from the more polished, formal portraits typical of the era.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walt_Whitman#/media/File:Walt_Whitman_-_Brady-Handy_restored.png

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1y

<p>Leigh Hunt, the Unstoppable Critic</p><p>Convicted and imprisoned for libeling the Prince Regent, Hunt capitalized on his incarceration by turning his prison cell into a newsroom and grand salon.</p><p>By: Emily Zarevich </p><p><a href="https://daily.jstor.org/leigh-hunt-the-unstoppable-critic/?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Lit%20Hub%20Daily:%20April%207%2C%202025&utm_term=lithub_master_list" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="daily.jstor.org/leigh-hunt-the-unstoppable-critic/?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Lit%20Hub%20Daily:%20April%207%2C%202025&utm_term=lithub_master_list"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">daily.jstor.org/leigh-hunt-the</span><span class="invisible">-unstoppable-critic/?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Lit%20Hub%20Daily:%20April%207%2C%202025&utm_term=lithub_master_list</span></a></p><p><a href="/tags/books/" rel="tag">#books</a> <a href="/tags/literature/" rel="tag">#literature</a> <a href="/tags/journalism/" rel="tag">#journalism</a></p>

James Henry Leigh Hunt, by Benjamin Robert Haydon (died 1846).

Hunt is shown in a half-length view, typically with his head turned slightly to one side.

His expression is gentle, intelligent, and somewhat introspective.

His features are finely drawn—delicate mouth, straight nose, and bright, expressive eyes that suggest warmth and wit.

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30d

<p>The 19th-century Gaelic poet & songwriter Màiri Nic a’ Phearsain (Mary MacPherson) – known as Màiri Mhòr nan Òran (Great Mary of the Songs) – was born <a href="/tags/otd/" rel="tag">#OTD</a>, 10 March 1821. Much of her work was political & was especially focused on the struggle for land rights</p><p>1/5</p><p><a href="https://www.thenational.scot/news/19145415.mairi-mhor-nan-oran-celebrating-one-greatest-gaelic-poets/" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="www.thenational.scot/news/19145415.mairi-mhor-nan-oran-celebrating-one-greatest-gaelic-poets/"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">www.thenational.scot/news/1914</span><span class="invisible">5415.mairi-mhor-nan-oran-celebrating-one-greatest-gaelic-poets/</span></a></p><p><a href="/tags/scottish/" rel="tag">#Scottish</a> <a href="/tags/literature/" rel="tag">#literature</a> <a href="/tags/gaidhlig/" rel="tag">#Gaidhlig</a> <a href="/tags/gaelic/" rel="tag">#Gaelic</a> <a href="/tags/19thcentury/" rel="tag">#19thcentury</a> <a href="/tags/victorian/" rel="tag">#Victorian</a> <a href="/tags/history/" rel="tag">#history</a> <a href="/tags/landrights/" rel="tag">#landrights</a></p>

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58d

<p>Dorothy Parker: Sharp-Witted Writer, Bitter Professor</p><p>Dorothy Parker’s year as a visiting professor shows how a celebrated literary voice struggled to adapt to the realities of academic teaching.</p><p>By: Emily Zarevich </p><p><a href="https://daily.jstor.org/dorothy-parker-sharp-witted-writer-bitter-professor/" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="daily.jstor.org/dorothy-parker-sharp-witted-writer-bitter-professor/"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">daily.jstor.org/dorothy-parker</span><span class="invisible">-sharp-witted-writer-bitter-professor/</span></a></p><p><a href="/tags/books/" rel="tag">#books</a> <a href="/tags/literature/" rel="tag">#literature</a> <a href="/tags/education/" rel="tag">#education</a></p>

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345d

<p>The Author of ‘Anne of Green Gables’ Lived a Far Less Charmed Life Than Her Beloved Heroine</p><p>L.M. Montgomery created a classic of children’s literature, but what about her lesser-known works?</p><p>By V.M. Braganza (from the archive)</p><p><a href="https://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/lm-montgomery-anne-green-gables-life-180981839/?utm_source=smithsoniandaily&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=editorial&lctg=93133550" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/lm-montgomery-anne-green-gables-life-180981839/?utm_source=smithsoniandaily&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=editorial&lctg=93133550"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-cu</span><span class="invisible">lture/lm-montgomery-anne-green-gables-life-180981839/?utm_source=smithsoniandaily&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=editorial&lctg=93133550</span></a></p><p>L. M. Montgomery at PG:<br><a href="https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/author/36" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/author/36"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/autho</span><span class="invisible">r/36</span></a></p><p><a href="/tags/books/" rel="tag">#books</a> <a href="/tags/literature/" rel="tag">#literature</a></p>

Lucy Maud Montgomery, 14. During this period, as she put it in her diary, she had begun to harbor “dreams of future fame.” Courtesy University of Guelph

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58d

<p>Saltire Sessions: Gerda Stevenson</p><p>The Saltire Society talks to Gerda Stevenson – actress, writer, director & musician – about storytelling in its different forms, Scots language, loss & Gerda’s new short story collection CAT WUMMIN, published by Luath Press.</p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l93GKY8DeaM" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="www.youtube.com/watch?v=l93GKY8DeaM"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">www.youtube.com/watch?v=l93GKY</span><span class="invisible">8DeaM</span></a></p><p><a href="/tags/scottish/" rel="tag">#Scottish</a> <a href="/tags/literature/" rel="tag">#literature</a> <a href="/tags/scots/" rel="tag">#Scots</a> <a href="/tags/scotslanguage/" rel="tag">#Scotslanguage</a> <a href="/tags/womanwriters/" rel="tag">#womanwriters</a></p>

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58d

<p>I nod and nod to my own shadow and thrust<br>A mountain down and down.<br>Between my feet a loch shines in the brown,<br>Its silver paper crinkled and edged with rust…</p><p>—Norman MacCaig, “Climbing Suilven”<br>from BETWEEN MOUNTAIN AND SEA: Poems From Assynt (Birlinn, 2018)</p><p><a href="https://birlinn.co.uk/product/between-mountain-and-sea/" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="birlinn.co.uk/product/between-mountain-and-sea/"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">birlinn.co.uk/product/between-</span><span class="invisible">mountain-and-sea/</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/climbing/" rel="tag">#climbing</a> <a href="/tags/hillwalking/" rel="tag">#hillwalking</a> <a href="/tags/suilven/" rel="tag">#Suilven</a> <a href="/tags/sutherland/" rel="tag">#Sutherland</a> <a href="/tags/20thcentury/" rel="tag">#20thcentury</a> <a href="/tags/normanmaccaig/" rel="tag">#NormanMacCaig</a></p>

Norman MacCaig
Climbing Suilven

I nod and nod to my own shadow and thrust
A mountain down and down.
Between my feet a loch shines in the brown,
Its silver paper crinkled and edged with rust.
My lungs say No;
But down and down this treadmill hill must go.

Parishes dwindle. But my parish is
This stone, that tuft, this stone
And the cramped quarters of my flesh and bone.
I claw that tall horizon down to this;
And suddenly
My shadow jumps huge miles away from me.

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