We all have our passions, our quirky things that make us happy.
For me, among many other things, it’s used books, travel books, explorers and adventurers memoirs, books about the Orient, and the Arabian Nights.
So you can imagine how happy I am: this morning the postman delivered a package containing a very cheap, terribly battered but perfectly readable hardback copy of Tim Severin’s The Sinbad Voyage.
A single book that checks all the categories mentioned above, in a single package. Continue reading
Wuxiaworld
Just a quick heads up for a wonderful resource I just discovered: the place is called WuxiaWorld, and these guys are translating in English a number of wuxia (Chinese fantasy sword & sorcery novels) and light novels from the Far East.
This comes as a classic case of fuzzy serendipity, as I am currently planning an Oriental Fantasy of sorts, and this certainly qualifies as research.
And fun!
Check them out!
Teach Yourself to Live
This post was somewhat instigated by my friend Jim Cornelius, that runs the Frontier Partisans blog. On his Facebook page Jim shared the news about an American gentleman, a Ryan Holiday, that’s bringing about a renewed interest for Stoicism, of all things.
The guy is making big bucks in the self-help department, and is also running conventions, Stoicon, believe it or not, but it looks like he’s selling for big bucks a bastardized version of the original Stoicism.
And in case you missed it, Stoicism is described as…
an ancient Greek school of philosophy founded at Athens by Zeno of Citium. The school taught that virtue, the highest good, is based on knowledge, and that the wise live in harmony with the divine Reason (also identified with Fate and Providence) that governs nature, and are indifferent to the vicissitudes of fortune and to pleasure and pain.
Nice and smooth.
Now, on to my post… Continue reading
The birthday of the ragman’s son: Kirk Douglas at 100
Today is the 100th birthday of actor Kirk Douglas.
With over 90 acting credits on IMDB, Douglas is one of my favorite actors of all time, and one whose films are part of my personal history. The guy’s been Spartacus, he’s been Van Gogh, he’s been Ulysses, Doc Holliday and Ned Land.
So, not knowing how to celebrate the birthday of this icon, I decided to do a post about the five Kirk Douglas movies I like the most.
Nothing fancy – just a trailer and a paragraph with some personal notes.
Enjoy! Continue reading
Journey with the gods: Takizawa Bakin and the writer as masterless samurai
A few days ago I was reading a short pamphlet by a friend, that reprised, among other things, this idea we have been playing with, of indie and freelance writers being ronin, masterless samurai.
The comparison is strikingly fitting: individuals with competence and skill, bound to a code of conduct (or at least a work ethic), despised, mocked and feared because they lack a master (or an agent, or a publisher), trying to make ends meet.
A self-sufficient adventurer, a loner fighting his own wars.
The problem with these men was that they were armed and out of work.
(Nakasendo Way)
Romantic?
Possibly. Continue reading
Grim London: the dark history of a city
Crimes? Murders? Capital Executions? Hauntings? Monsters?
All this and much more has been carefully mapped and documented by the creators of Grim London, and interactive map that will inform you and delight you for hours, and an excellent resource for writers and urban explorers.
Check it out!
The Agnes Moorehead Blogathon: The Bat, 1959
For many, if not most members of the public, Agnes Moorehead will be the flamboyant and evil (or should we rather say “bitchy”?) Eudora from Bewitched. And it’s a pity, really, because Moorehead was a great character actress and had along and distinguished, and varied, career.
Indeed, such were her achievements, that now we are having an Agnes Moorehed Blogathon, thanks to the blog In the Good Old Days of Classic Hollywood.
So please follow the link to check out the many, many fine blogs being involved, and then come back here as we’ve got a mysterious serial killer, a lot of embezzled money and an old dark house. And rabies-carrying bats.
Plus Agnes Moorehead and Vincent Price.
Because Karavansara is doing The Bat from 1959. Continue reading
Karavansara 