Category Archives: Literature

#93: The Resident Eight Year Old Questions the Literary Merits of Finnegans Wake

What the hell is wrong with that book, he asks, listening to Dad attempt a reading out loud of the third paragraph of Finnegans Wake. What the hell is wrong with that book, Dad? Well, for starters, there’s a word in the paragraph in question, the third word in the first sentence, in parentheses, that’sContinue reading “#93: The Resident Eight Year Old Questions the Literary Merits of Finnegans Wake”

#92: On Reading The Wake Out Loud

I’ve written before how it’s been impossible for me to finish Moby Dick and now I’ve once again picked up another formidable tome, Finnegans Wake. This one, too, I’ve tried many times before and failed but nevertheless keep coming back to it, a glutton for punishment. But with neither Moby Dick or the Wake doContinue reading “#92: On Reading The Wake Out Loud”

#85: The Eight Year Old Son of the American English Teacher Illustrates the Chinese Poets

It’s a teacher work-day and Mom is getting an MRI, so the boy comes with Dad to school, takes copious notes during the staff meeting and afterwards creates a mural in the classroom. He begins with the tree. When you come back from Spring Break, he says, you can do a lesson about trees. ConsiderContinue reading “#85: The Eight Year Old Son of the American English Teacher Illustrates the Chinese Poets”

#72: Potter Author Trending

First of all, I’m embarrassed that I took the bait, hook, line, and sinker, in the sidebar list of stories “trending” on the Mighty Social Network; secondly, I’m ashamed I clicked on this particular subject matter, an author I am only nominally interested in–an author for which only in the very most minimal way couldContinue reading “#72: Potter Author Trending”

Teaching Controversial Texts: In Defense of Kalpa Imperial by Angélica Gorodischer

So I wrote a little blog post some many months ago now.  It was 2000 words long.  It was a furious little rant about how one of the books I teach in 11th grade IB English, Kalpa Imperial by Angélica Gorodischer, was being removed from, or at least being considered for removal from, or, asContinue reading “Teaching Controversial Texts: In Defense of Kalpa Imperial by Angélica Gorodischer”

#62: Leaves

Leaves I love the trees but hate the leaves. Each fall the oaks bury us several times over. You see that big pile surrounded by mostly green grass? In a week there will be no green grass; in a day, perhaps, if there’s a wind, there will be no green grass and the process willContinue reading “#62: Leaves”

#61: The American English Teacher Makes An Epic Gaffe While Trying To Be Inclusive

He’s teaching a poem during the study of 17th century American literature by Sor Juana Inéz de la Cruz, a brilliant poet, Catholic nun, living in what was then called New Spain, and crafting these beautiful poems about the power of intellect and about surviving a broken heart. He’s teaching one of those poems, yes,Continue reading “#61: The American English Teacher Makes An Epic Gaffe While Trying To Be Inclusive”

#60: The American Teenager Claims The Puritans Were Speaking Old English

The American Teenager Claims The Puritans Were Speaking Old English He wants to say the Puritans were speaking or writing in Old English; a pet peave of mine, this calling by students Old English what is essentially their language, modern English, a language they don’t really know that well after all. But they know evenContinue reading “#60: The American Teenager Claims The Puritans Were Speaking Old English”

The Power of Retreat

The truth of the matter is I didn’t read a single word of Moby Dick. I remain today on the same page I was on a week ago. Thanks to the generosity and kindness of my wife and son, I have been on retreat for a week at St. Mary’s College in Moraga for theContinue reading “The Power of Retreat”