July 24, 2009
Thank you, New Jersey!
I live in a state that has sent 3 governors to prison since 1960, with a 4th on his way. And I live in a city and county where public […]
READ MOREJuly 22, 2009
Suspicions of Mr. Whicher
This book, by Kate Summerscale, is quite a tour de force. Jonathan Whicher was one of the first detectives in the Metropolitan Police in 19th Century London, and Summerscale tells […]
READ MOREJuly 20, 2009
SPS
When I was a kid, if I brought home the news that my teacher had particularly praised some project of mine, my father would frown and say, “SPS.” This stands […]
READ MOREJuly 9, 2009
Bronzeville, Chicago
I’m writing an essay for Granta about Bronzeville, the Great Migration of African Americans from the south to Chicago early in the Twentieth Century, Chicago’s racism, and my favorite Chicago […]
READ MOREJuly 4, 2009
July 4
On July 4, I have a ritual that includes listening to Paul Robeson sing “Ballad for Americans,” reading the Declaration of Independence aloud with my husband, and eating chocolate ice […]
READ MOREJune 28, 2009
Wimbledon
I’ve never played tennis, but I always enjoy watching Wimbledon. It’s something I started doing with my husband’s mother, Geraldine, who was born in Wimbledon in 1883. She used to […]
READ MOREJune 20, 2009
9 so far this year
That’s murders in the United States by people connected to white supremacist groups, according to Chip Berlet on June 18th’s Fresh Air. Apparently, we can’t have anti-hate-crime legislation in America […]
READ MOREJune 16, 2009
Good Websites?
Thanks for your support. I’m sorry to whine in public–just wanted to explain why I’m not keeping on top of the blog these days. My web mistress, Lisa Hazen, is […]
READ MOREJune 12, 2009
Things Could Be Worse
Things could be worse; they often are, and I am lucky. But I’ve had a lot going on in my private world involving many different doctors and many different family […]
READ MOREJune 6, 2009
D-Day: – and + 1
65 years ago tonight, my husband, S C Wright, was the radar officer in the code room on the HMS Apollo. He decoded the message that announced the June 6 […]
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