Archipelago Books

If you are thinking of joining the Read-a-Book Challenge but are wondering what to tackle, here's an idea. I wandered over to campus this morning--during the one-hour-a-day window when the post office is currently open--in order to pick up my mail, which I hadn't done in a week.

And what should I find but the latest shipment from Archipelago Books, a wonderful independent press that I discovered by accident about a year ago. They print lovely editions of foreign works in English translation. For $15/month you can become a member, which not only supports the work of this independent publisher but also means that they will send you a copy of each new title as it appears, about 10-12 times per year.

This time I actually received two new titles, the ones pictured above:

Jean Giono, Occupation Journal, from the French by Jody Gladding
José Eduardo Agualusa, The Society of Reluctant Dreamers (what a great title), from the Portuguese by Daniel Hahn

These both look wonderful. I unfortunately have a rather long list of things to read, so we'll see when I actually get to them. But they look great here on the desk in front of me!

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A Warning Against Drink

I have gotten several things read over the last few days, but I keep forgetting to post any of it. Some more Gotthelf, but also a couple of other things. I'll try to break them up in order to get a few more posts out of them! Last Friday I finished another Gotthelf novella, Wie fünf Mädchen im Branntwein jämmerlich umkommen . That title does not translate very well into English, or at least I don't think so. Something like, How Five Young Women Perish Miserably Due to Brandy (or literally "in brandy"). It is an early work of Gotthelf's and a piece of social criticism. When Gotthelf was writing (1838), the canton of Bern had recently liberalized its system for granting licenses to operate a pub. At the same time, new methods of producing cheap brandy from different sources, including even the ubiquitous potato, were developed. As a consequence, inns and pubs sprang up throughout the countryside, creating a new temptation for poor...

"Plague Time" Essay Contest

If you are a major or minor in History, Political Science, Augmented History, Humanities, or German Studies, you are eligible to enter a brand-new essay contest being sponsored by the Department of History and Political Science. Details available here . And if you aren't a major or minor in one of those areas... it is not too late to become one now !

Titian Exhibition at the National Gallery, Live on BBC

London's National Gallery currently has an exhibition of Titian's work -- one that unfortunately cannot be seen right now due to the coronavirus shutdown. But on Saturday, the BBC will air a one-hour documentary about the exhibition -- a chance to "see" it in spite of the plague. According to the webpage, it should be available shortly after its broadcast. Update (4/4): Rats--it looks as though you can only see it in the UK. Very disappointing.

Plague Time

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