Wordsworth and Watercolors

  V ölsunga Saga or, The Saga of the Volsungs Author Unknown Classics Club Review #5/50 An all round bizarre but thoroughly enjoyable history of the lineage and legacy of Volsung. I haven't much to say, I'm afraid, and I read it a while back now. Consider this post less as a review, but more of an acknowledgement. The best known story from this is that of Sigurd and the Dragon. Sigurd is the original Siegfried I encountered as a child in Die Nibelungen (1924), which was in turn based on the German epic poem 'Nibelungenlied'. "Brunhilde knelt at his feet", 1905, Ferdinand Leeke The beautiful warrior queen Brunhild/Brynhild, whom you do not want to mess with, lies sleeping within castle walls surrounded by a barrier of fire, through which, if any man would awaken her and take her to wife, he must go. And then there's whatever Brunhild might do to him. The only reason for all this palaver is because, after killing one of Odin's favorite kings in battle, ...

  The History of Rasselas, Prince of Abissinia by Samuel Johnson Published April, 1759 Tremendously Late Classics Club Review #4/50 I found this volume in a used bookstore, and really only got it because it seemed a whimsical thing to do; why not, after all? People do read Samuel Johnson, and what an intriguing title! I didn't only obtain the book for pretension's sake; it did sound genuinely interesting – an aspiring snob I may be, but a discerning one I hope. Rasselas, said Prince of Abissinia [ sic ], lives in the so-called Happy Valley in a pleasure palace, indolent and carefree. But not happy. One day, musing beside a stream, he watches the sheep grazing and realizes that they are what the people of the Happy Valley are like: they have no pursuits beyond immediate carnal enjoyments – food, water, shelter, sleep, sunshine, – and he begins to wonder if this is really 'happiness'. For a sheep, certainly. But for human beings there must be something more needed, some a...

Our Man in Havana by Graham Greene Published 1958 Sane men surround You, old family friends They say the earth is round – My madness offends. An orange has pips, they say, And an apple has rind. I say that night is day And I've no axe to grind. Please don't believe. . . I say that winter's May   And I've no axe to grind.           Our Man in Havana , Graham Greene   BEFORE I BEGIN — (1)  as always, I shall spoil as I please, so watch out, &  (2) as these past few days, I have been dealing with the flu, so please forgive me if this review is like something a character by Gogol would write in his diary. Thank you. My only previous exposure to Graham Greene was his short story, "The Destructors", and in cinema form, when my dad and I watched Brighton Rock (1948), Our Man in Havana (1959), and The Comedians (1967) on various movie nights. Jesus Christ Superstar (1973) and Ivan the Terrible , Parts I & II (1945-46/58), have also...