Doubt the Experts

I'm finally approaching the end of the book, and am looking forward to that, since I haven't become a convert to transcendentalism. ...

I'm up to 1844, when Emerson reached the age of 41. His first child, Waldo, was born in 1836 but died in 1842. This had a devastating ef...

I'm at the middle of the book, and it seems to be getting more interesting at this point. The five surviving Emerson brothers are starti...

At the time of their marriage, Ellen was already showing signs of tuberculosis, and she died on February 8, 1831, at the age of nineteen. Th...

I've started on this biography of Ralph Waldo Emerson, by Robert D. Richardson Jr. So far it seems to be well-written, but, because I...

Although, as I've said repeatedly, I don't like thinking about or discussing Donald Trump, I thought that I should pass along my imp...

This new book, by Giorgio Vallortigara, continues his discussion of apparently complex neurological mechanisms in simple animals. He moves o...

One of my characteristics is that I like to be completely caught up on all responsibilities so that I don't have to worry about things t...

I have been preoccupied for a few days with a visitor and therefore have not spent much time thinking about this blog. I have also been casu...

We are about at peak fall colors now. Some leaves have fallen, but there is still a long way to go. Technically we are still in a drought, b...

  after Antonella Anedda I At last, what must be done falls away undone          Darkness grows like headaches grow from a hard seed & g...

I've finally reached the end of this long biography, and here is the wrap-up.   Her 1862-to-1865 period, when she first corresponded wit...

Emily Dickinson left behind three unsent drafts to a person who was addressed as "Master." This has caused a great deal of scholar...

I'm up to the year 1860, when Emily turned thirty, and will finish the book within a couple of weeks. During the 1850's, her life to...

For a break from Emily Dickinson, I decided to make a "Diary" post. I really don't like following the news, but thought that I...

When Emily returned home from college in 1848, she was given household assignments, such as cooking and dishwashing. She baked bread for the...

Chinatown.

I am ambling along in the book and will spend several more weeks before finishing. Habegger seems to be recording all of the pertinent infor...

I've started on this long 2002 biography by Alfred Habegger. Normally I might have saved it for winter, but I don't have any other s...

  A walk with Sabine Hossenfelder.

I've sort of been waiting for the Trump administration to implode, but, although it does seem to be occurring, it's still a slow pro...

Today I came across  this short article  on reading versus listening on  3 Quarks Daily , which I usually peruse once a week on Sundays, and...

I'm entering my traditional summer doldrums period, during which I tend to lose interest in everything. My new telescope mount is taking...

If you have been reading this blog much, you will have noticed that my interest in fiction has generally diminished over the last few years;...