Monthly Archives: October 2025

It’s about Boxes, not Boxing

Posted on October 22, 2025 by Kathy

Wherein I admit that the terms discussed below were heretofore unfamiliar to me. Be kind. Homework, a recent memoir by Englishman Geoff Dyer, is endlessly amusing. He’s a witty writer (The Ongoing Moment, The Last Days of Roger Federer) with … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Wednesday Word | Tagged , | 3 Comments

More about Orwell

Posted on October 10, 2025 by Kathy

In 1984, George Orwell’s dystopian state created Newspeak, a strictly utilitarian language with a continuously shrinking vocabulary and simplistic syntax. To avoid ambiguity and complexity, Newspeak kills words, limiting the possibilities of thought. Clear victims of this effort are beauty … Continue reading →

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Orwell’s Roses

Posted on October 7, 2025 by Kathy

Both sides of the conservative/liberal divide claim George Orwell for their own, but the left has a better claim. Orwell fought against the fascist Franco revolt in Spain. He sided with the poor and powerless in labor (labour!) disputes and … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Uncategorized, Weekend Editions | Tagged , , , , , , , | 6 Comments