Eggplant.place

213d

Time Interpolated

A companion essay to our partner podcast Proust Curious, hosted by Emma Claussen and Hannah Weaver.

via @lithub

https://www.publicbooks.org/time-interpolated/?utm_source=Klaviyo&utm_medium=campaign&utm_id=01JZ8JEHVTREMXDDYHMPZ4W5ZA&_kx=3MZUehzXM-41qlWAMPUiuNZadX2p0SByuNf_t0eMLB0.U5D8ER

In Search of Lost Time at PG:
https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/search/?query=In+Search+of+Lost+Time

#Books #Literature

First galley proof of A la recherche du temps perdu: Du côté de chez Swann with handwritten revision notes by Marcel Proust (1871 - 1922).

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/In_Search_of_Lost_Time#/media/File:MS_A_la_recherche_du_temps_perdu.jpg

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353d

Literary Genius: Who Was Johann Wolfgang von Goethe?

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe is the most influential German literary figure in history. Learn more about his life, science, and philosophy.

By Maysara Kamal

https://www.thecollector.com/literary-genius-who-was-johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/

Books by Goethe at PG:
https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/author/586

#books #literature

Goethe in 1828, by Joseph Karl Stieler.

He is dressed in a dark, buttoned-up coat with a white high-collared shirt underneath, reflecting the refined fashion of the early 19th century.

A decorative chain and a red brooch adorn his attire, indicating his status and prestige.

In his right hand, he holds a piece of paper with handwritten text, symbolizing his literary and intellectual contributions.

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353d

Lost and Found: A Newly Discovered Poem by Robert Frost

Nothing New,” which the American poet wrote in 1918, is published for the first time in The New Yorker’s Anniversary Issue.

By Jay Parini

https://www.newyorker.com/books/double-take/lost-and-found-a-newly-discovered-poem-by-robert-frost

#books #literature #poetry

Frost in 1949

Walter Albertin, World Telegram staff photographer - Library of Congress. New York World-Telegram & Sun Collection.

http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/cph.3c20741

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Robert_Frost_NYWTS_4.jpg

Frost appears as an elderly man with white, slightly disheveled hair, deep-set eyes, and a contemplative expression.

His face shows signs of age, with visible wrinkles that add to his distinguished and wise appearance.

He is dressed in a suit and tie, reflecting his formal yet approachable persona.

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315d

A Journey Through Dante’s Inferno: A Brief Guide

by Thom Delapa

Dante’s Inferno is hailed as a medieval masterpiece and a precursor to the Renaissance, with T.S. Eliot having ranked it alongside Shakespeare.

https://www.thecollector.com/journey-through-dante-inferno/

#books #literature #medieval

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

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239d

"Give me a little less
with every dawn."

Marjorie Lotfi performs John Burnside's "Prayer" in a film directed by Savannah Acquah, from a new series from the ‪Adrian Brinkerhoff Poetry Foundation & the Writers’ Mosaic

https://www.brinkerhoffpoetry.org/poems/prayer

#Scottish #literature #poem #poetry #JohnBurnside

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352d

Lewis Carroll collection given to his Oxford college in surprise US donation

Exclusive: Christ Church college taken aback to receive hundreds of the author’s letters, photos and rare items

By Dalya Alberge

https://www.theguardian.com/books/2025/feb/16/lewis-carroll-oxford-surprise-us-donation

Lewis Carroll at PG:
https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/author/7

#books #literature

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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314d

“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”

—Charles Mackay (1814–1889) was born #OTD, 27 March – best remembered today for his 1841 book Extraordinary Popular Delusions & the Madness of Crowds

1/3

https://www.peterharrington.co.uk/blog/the-great-and-awful-book-of-human-folly-charles-mackays-popular-delusions-2/

#Scottish #literature #19thcentury #Victorian #psychology #masspsychology #economics #stockmarket #bubbles

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352d

What Are Wilkie Collins’ Contributions to Victorian Literature?

Wilkie Collins (1824 -1889) was a significant figure in Victorian Literary circles. He is perhaps best known today for his sensation novel The Woman in White as well as his influential detective novel The Moonstone.

By Lauren Jones

https://www.thecollector.com/wilkie-collins-contribution-to-victorian-literature/

Wilkie Collins at PG:
https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/author/98

#books #literature

Carte-de-visite mounted albumen photograph of author Wilkie Collins. Dimensions, including mount: 11 x 7 cm

Adam Cuerden - Digital Commonwealth (Massachusetts) / Boston Public Library

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311d

"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."

Quote in his Letter (no. 155), June 1880.

~Vincent van Gogh, born #OTD in 1856.

Van Gogh's letters are available online at:
https://vangoghletters.org/

Books by Van Gogh at PG:
https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/search/?query=Vincent+van+Gogh&submit_search=Search

#books #art #literature

"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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351d

#OTD in 1885.

Mark Twain's Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is published in the US for the 1st time, in New York by Charles L. Webster, illustrated by E. W. Kemble, the 1st impression having been delayed for replacement of an unauthorized obscene alteration to one of the illustrative plates. Its first-person narrative in colloquial language is initially controversial but ultimately influential in the development of realism in American literature.

At PG
https://gutenberg.org/ebooks/76

#books #literature

Cover of the book «Adventures of Huckleberry Finn» by Mark Twain, 1884

E. W. Kemble (1861–1933)

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351d

"The name of the one was Obstinate and the name of the other Pliable."

#OTD in 1678.

The first part of English nonconformist John Bunyan's Christian allegory The Pilgrim's Progress, partly written while he was imprisoned for unlicensed preaching, is published in London.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Pilgrim%27s_Progress

The Pilgrim's Progress at PG:
https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/131

#books #literature

Title page of Pilgrim's Progress Date: 1678 Author: John Bunyan (1628-1688).

The text on the page includes the full title, which describes the work as an allegory delivered "under the Similitude of a Dream." The book details the journey of a Christian pilgrim from "this world" to "that which is to come," emphasizing spiritual struggles and redemption.

The title page also includes a biblical reference (Hosea 12:10) and publication details, indicating that the book was printed in London for Nathaniel Ponder.

Additionally, there is a handwritten inscription at the top of the page with the name "Joseph Middleton" and the year "1784," likely indicating a former owner of this copy.

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310d

Andrew Lang (1844–1912) was born #OTD, 31 March. An extraordinarily prolific anthropologist, writer & literary critic, he is best remembered today for collecting & editing fairy stories from around the world

A 🎂 🧵

1/6

https://universityofglasgowlibrary.wordpress.com/2016/05/20/the-man-of-letters-in-fairyland-andrew-lang/

#Scottish #literature #19thcentury #Victorian #kidlit #fairytale #AndrewLang

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309d

Joseph Conrad’s Travel Stories Weren’t Black and White

Conrad’s celebration of imperial exploration is accompanied by an acknowledgment that such feats often go hand-in-hand with oppression and exploitation.

By: H.M.A. Leow

https://daily.jstor.org/joseph-conrads-travel-stories-werent-black-and-white/

#books #literature

Caricature of Joseph Conrad by David Low in Lions and Lambs, 1928.

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307d

American Literature’s White Whale: Why the “Great American Novel” is Still Worth Pursuing

https://lithub.com/american-literatures-white-whale-why-the-great-american-novel-is-still-worth-pursuing/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_William_De_Forest

Miss Ravenel's conversion from secession to loyalty at PG:
https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/41355

#books #literature

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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307d

A Journey Through Dante’s Inferno: A Brief Guide

Dante’s Inferno is hailed as a medieval masterpiece and a precursor to the Renaissance, with T.S. Eliot having ranked it alongside Shakespeare.

by Thom Delapa

https://www.thecollector.com/journey-through-dante-inferno/

The Divine Comedy at PG:
https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/search/?query=divine+comedy&submit_search=Search

#books #literature

Dante Alighieri with Florence and the Realms of the Divine Comedy (Hell, Purgatory, Paradise), 1465.

By
Domenico di Michelino (1417–1491)
After Alesso Baldovinetti (1425–1499)

Dante's Figure:
Dante stands in the foreground, slightly to the left, wearing a long red robe and a laurel crown—symbols of his status as a poet. He holds an open book, likely representing The Divine Comedy, where lines from the text are visible.

The City of Florence (Left Side):
Behind Dante, to the left, is a detailed representation of Florence, including its recognizable landmarks such as the Duomo (Florence Cathedral) and the Palazzo Vecchio. This emphasizes Dante’s connection to his birthplace, despite his exile.

Hell (Far Left, Background):
To the far left, the entrance to Hell is depicted as a dark, cavernous opening. Above it, Lucifer looms over the infernal landscape, with tormented souls shown suffering in various circles, illustrating Dante’s description of Hell’s structure.

Purgatory (Middle Right):
In the center, a mountain represents Purgatory, with souls ascending its spiral path toward purification. At the top, the Garden of Eden is depicted, symbolizing the final stage before reaching Paradise.

Paradise (Upper Right):
In the sky above Purgatory, golden celestial spheres symbolize Heaven. Christ, angels, and saints are depicted in radiant light, representing the divine realm where souls achieve eternal bliss.

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285d

George Orwell Knew What Made Shakespeare Great

By Michael Lucchese

https://providencemag.com/2025/04/george-orwell-knew-what-made-shakespeare-great/

#books #literature

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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306d

A special shoutout to The New York Review of Books which has just started using the Fediverse:

➡️ @nybooks

The NYRB is a celebrated magazine on literature, politics, arts, ideas & current events.

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 🙂

(By the way, NYRB has no connection to the New York Times Book Review, they just have similar names.)

#Books #Literature #Magazines #Culture #Arts

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236d

James Clerk Maxwell (1831–1879) was born #OTD, 13 June. As a physicist, he ranks alongside Newton & Einstein (“He achieved greatness unequalled”—Max Planck; “I stand on the shoulders of Maxwell”—Albert Einstein).

Maxwell also wrote poetry: “Rigid Body Sings” is based on “Comin’ Through the Rye” by Robert Burns

https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/45774/in-memory-of-edward-wilson-who-repented-of-what-was-in-his-mind-to-write-after-section

#Scottish #literature #poetry #19thcentury #Victorian #Scots #Scotslanguage #Physics #science #physicist

In Memory of Edward Wilson, Who Repented of what was in his Mind to Write after Section
BY JAMES CLERK MAXWELL

Rigid Body (sings).

Gin a body meet a body
Flyin’ through the air,
Gin a body hit a body,
Will it fly? and where?
Ilka impact has its measure,
Ne’er a ane hae I,
Yet a’ the lads they measure me,
Or, at least, they try.

Gin a body meet a body
Altogether free,
How they travel afterwards
We do not always see.
Ilka problem has its method
By analytics high;
For me, I ken na ane o’ them,
But what the waur am I?

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303d

Poem of the week: A Sonnet to the Noble Lady, the Lady Mary Wroth by Ben Jonson

"A strategically flattering tribute to a pioneering female writer is lifted by authentic warmth and admiration"

https://www.theguardian.com/books/2025/apr/07/poem-of-the-week-a-sonnet-to-the-noble-lady-the-lady-mary-wroth-by-ben-jonson

Ben Jonson at PG

https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/author/1269

#poetry #authors #books #literature

Erato, Muse of Lyrical Poetry by Charles Meynier (French, 1768–1832). "Erato is the muse of lyric poetry in Greek mythology. She is often depicted holding a small kithara or lyre, a stringed musical instrument, here seen resting against a tree in the lower left. She is writing with an arrow given to her by a winged Eros or Cupid, the god of love. This painting belongs to a cycle of five works commissioned by businessman François Boyer-Fonfréde for his home in Toulouse."

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283d

"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."

Letters Written During a Short Residence in Sweden, Norway, and Denmark (1796)

~Mary Wollstonecraft (27 April 1759 – 10 September 1797)

Mary Wollstonecraft at PG:
https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/author/84

#books #literature

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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306d

#art #history: 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 #otd in 1914) - she largely escaped acclaim outside of france. this is regrettable. (threadish)
#margueriteDuras #literature #illustration #france

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.

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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.

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282d

1876 | Laurel Springs, NJ

Looking Up

Walt Whitman has a happy hour.

https://www.laphamsquarterly.org/happiness/looking

Whitman at PG:
https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/author/600

#books #literature

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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302d

Leigh Hunt, the Unstoppable Critic

Convicted and imprisoned for libeling the Prince Regent, Hunt capitalized on his incarceration by turning his prison cell into a newsroom and grand salon.

By: Emily Zarevich

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

#books #literature #journalism