Any fool can destroy trees. They cannot defend themselves or run away. And few destroyers of trees ever plant any; nor can planting avail much toward restoring our grand aboriginal giants. It took more than three thousand years to make some of the oldest of the Sequoias, trees that are still standing in perfect strength … Continue reading John Muir, Save the redwoods (Review)
Library of America
Mark Twain, A presidential candidate (Review)
Towards the end of his life, Mark Twain wrote, the Library of America (LOA) says, The political and commercial morals of the United States are not merely food for laughter, they are an entire banquet. I'm not sure the US had/has a monopoly on this. However, let me get to the point. LOA published Twain's column, … Continue reading Mark Twain, A presidential candidate (Review)
Edith Wharton, Writing a war story (Review)
"Writing a war story" is quite different to the Edith Whartons I've read to date, and it was clear from the opening sentence - "Miss Ivy Spang of Cornwall-on-Hudson had published a little volume of verse before the war". It was the comic tone that did it. All the previous works of hers I've read, several novels and … Continue reading Edith Wharton, Writing a war story (Review)
Kate Chopin, A pair of silk stockings (Review)
Over the years, the Library of America's (LOA) Story of the Week has published seven short stories by Kate Chopin, and I've posted on four of them. Now comes my fifth. It was actually published in February. I noted it, printed it out, but have only now found time to sit down and read it, and of … Continue reading Kate Chopin, A pair of silk stockings (Review)
Washington Irving, The adventure of the German student (Review)
Washington Irving (1783-1859) is best known for his short stories "Rip Van Winkle" and "The legend of Sleepy Hollow", but in fact he was a prolific writer and, according to Wikipedia, is often credited as being America's first "man of letters". I was fascinated to read in Wikipedia that, as well as being a writer, he … Continue reading Washington Irving, The adventure of the German student (Review)
Frederick Law Olmsted, Trees in streets and in parks (Review)
I last came across the American landscape architect, Frederick Law Olmsted, a few years ago when I was doing some freelance research for a Canberra 2013 centenary project. This was because Olmsted, who designed New York's Central Park with Calvert Vaux, inspired Walter Burley Griffin and Marion Mahoney Griffin, the original designers of Canberra. Now, it just … Continue reading Frederick Law Olmsted, Trees in streets and in parks (Review)
George G. Foster, The eating-houses (Review)
Some of you will know that Mr Gums and I love to eat out. So, when I saw a Library of America (LOA) Story of the Week titled "The eating-houses" by one George G Foster appear in my in-box at the end of last year, I knew I had to read it. I just had … Continue reading George G. Foster, The eating-houses (Review)
Mark Twain, How to cure a cold (Review)
I haven't reviewed anything by Mark Twain on this blog, though I have posted on an interview with him by Rudyard Kipling, so when his story "How to cure a cold" appeared in December as a Library of America Story of the Week, I figured it was time. According to LOA's notes, "How to cure a cold" was written … Continue reading Mark Twain, How to cure a cold (Review)
Mary Austin, The land (Review)
Regular readers here know that I choose my Library of America offerings for various reasons: for authors I haven't read before but would like to (such as Edgar Allan Poe and Sherwood Anderson), for authors I love and am always happy to read more of (such as Willa Cather, Kate Chopin and Edith Wharton), or … Continue reading Mary Austin, The land (Review)
Sherwood Anderson, Adventure (Review)
As some of you will know, I started discussing books online in January 1997 when I joined a listserv-based international reading group. I was active in that group until around the time I started blogging, when I found I could no longer keep up with all my on-line presences. In the period that my involvement … Continue reading Sherwood Anderson, Adventure (Review)
Whispering Gums 