All articles from Common Reader
What is spite?
In her 'Notes on Spite', has suggested a productive new area for enquiry. What are the great works of art and literary criticism about spite? Hollis says "Spite may be the most undertheorized force in creative achievement." Is that because spite is so hard to define? Even Johnson could only manage a
Why is Rear Window so tense?
The central critical question about Rear Window is: what makes it so compelling? For the first part of the film, nothing happens. The murder only happens a quarter of the way into the film, and it is doubted for most of the duration. From the opening frame, behind the credits, we can see people movi
No more paid writing here
To conform with the conditions of my US J-1 visa while I am at the Mercatus Centre, I am no longer putting a paywall on anything I write. Everything—Shakespeare, Jane Austen, book club calls—will be free in future. From now on, there are no paid posts, chats, calls or anything else. The paid tier is
Sweet Thames run softly while I sing my song
Everything I write is now free. The paid tier is for archive access only. I encourage you to cancel your subscription if you no longer want archive access. I ask for no payment. I ask for no subscriptions to support me or to be nice. More here. If you have questions, please email commonreader@substa
Willa Cather's case for reading the great books
On the evenings when there was no whist at the Forresters', Niel usually sat in his room and read,—but not law, as he was supposed to do. The winter before, when the Forresters were away, and one dull day dragged after another, he had come upon a copious diversion, an almost inexhaustible resource.
The Mary Pages, by Sally Read
This is the new memoir from the poet Sally Read. I enjoy Read's poetry and was very pleased to read this. Here is a good religious poem. And here is a collection based on her time as a psychiatric nurse.The Mary Pages tells the story of Read's obsession with the Virgin, from her atheistic childhood
Talking about taste
I enjoyed this discussion with Colin McEnroe (a very good host: he quotes Shakespeare off the cuff as well as the Rocky movies) and very much. Becca is an excellent critic and the whole thing was very enjoyable for me. We talked about what good taste is, whether everyone can cultivate taste, if it's
What is the Odyssey about?
This piece would usually be paywalled, but while I work out the conditions of my visa I am keeping the paywall off of posts like this for now. I shall update you soon. My thanks for your forbearance.The next Jane Austen book club will now be on 28th September not 7th September. On 14th September the
Mrs Warren's Profession. A splendid play performed almost pefectly.
Imelda Staunton's performance in Mrs Warren's Profession at the Garrick Theatre is one of the best that I have seen for several years. She has the ability to convey every nuance of Shaw's play, a demanding piece of work, and she never relies on mere intensity, anger, or loudness instead of tone, int
Literature is calling you to put down your phone.
Literature is calling you to put down your phone; ignore the culture wars; block out the secondhand musings of newspaper philosophers. Turn to the great works of civilisation. See that your life is a quest for meaning. Become as ambitious as the poets whose work outlived empires.Rome, Greece, and Re