“Can Asians Think?” asks Mahbubani. If they can, what were they doing during the European Renaissance and the Enlightenment? Not much, it seems. But now, following Japan’s example, a new self-confidence is emerging as Asians consider how their societies have developed in recent years. American fashions prevail amongst the poor, [Read more…]
Matsumae argues that since historical materialism is based on Newtonian science, modern science renders Marxism redundant. Relativity, probability and uncertainty have replaced nineteenth century determinism. Were he alive today, Marx would have accepted the change and adapted his system to accommodate it. Matsumae shows how Western science suffered under the [Read more…]
“The Lawless Roads” are neither! Nowhere is any lawlessness perpetrated against the protagonist, nor does he describe anything akin to a road; it is all potholes at best. He navigates his “lawless” journey via boat, airplane, or donkey. Greene observes: “Like the characters in Chekhov they have no reserves – [Read more…]
David Peace recreates Brian Clough’s disastrous forty-four day management of Leeds United. Interwoven with the main plot is the story of Clough’s successes, assisted by Peter Taylor, as manager of Hartlepools and Derby County. Derby and Leeds were major rivals in the mid-seventies; their managers, Clough and Revie, bitter adversaries, [Read more…]
Almayer marries the adopted Malay child of his patron Captain Lingard and runs his trading post in Sambir, Borneo. Almayer builds a large trading house (his “folly”) in anticipation of wealth. His marriage loveless, Almayer’s affections are invested in his beautiful daughter Nina, who, returning from her European education, elopes [Read more…]
Challenged by Andrew Carnegie to discover the secrets of wealth, Napoleon Hill spent twenty years interviewing five hundred wealthy men and distilling their revelations into thirteen principles of money making described in Think and Grow Rich, a book that made him rich and famous. Necessary qualities are Desire, Faith, Decision, [Read more…]
For Steiner, tragic drama is a uniquely western achievement. In Judaism, sin causes disaster; to the Greek disaster lies beyond reason or justice. Elizabethan tragedy coincided with the loss of early Renaissance optimism. Yet after Racine, tragedy was in decline with the rise of the bourgeoise and its love of [Read more…]
In 1689 the poet Basho wrote his famous fifth travel diary describing his spring and summer journey with Sora, his companion, into the northern hinterland of Japan. The narrative is studded with haiku commemorative of things seen or felt, of the blossoming moment in nature and society, the joys and discomforts [Read more…]
A Time of Gifts in 100 Words In December 1933 Patrick Leigh Fermor, aged eighteen, set out to walk from Rotterdam to Istanbul. This volume ends at the Danube and is compelling recovery of a middle-aged writer’s youthful zest and engaging curiosity. Handsome, charming, erudite, blessed with a gift for [Read more…]
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