And to share the fact that lots of people give poetry books as Christmas gifts, a fact I learned from working at Babbitt's. And Emily Dickinson is a fave! Along with the Romantics. I was also pleased to learn that Mary Oliver and Sharon Olds are in demand, so much so that I had to send people off to the new book stores and hope they are stocking plenty of O poets.
So here's a coincidence of the sort I love. I finished The Death of Adam this year...deep, informative essays on history and theology, among other things, by Marilynne Robinson, who seeks to restore the reputation of John Calvin (Jean Cauvin) and also to give Marguerite de Navarre her due (as women of the past were so often overlooked, and are still neglected), and what to my wondering eyes should appear in my hands yesterday at work but a book of Original Letters Relative to the English Reformation, published in 1846 for the Parker Society, which is dedicated to such things.
And just in case you want to stand under the mistletoe with someone, here's this.
Love the mistletoad!!
ReplyDeleteI too, give poetry for xmas. Hope you have a wonderful holiday :)
Alas, Calvin is not destined (or is it predestined?) to have his reputation restored. At least I hope not. Unless it turns out that he was actually a really fun guy with a great sense of humor, who was only joking about retrobates and hell and never imagined anyone would take it seriously. Otherwise, yeah, not so much, no.
ReplyDeleteActually, you might want to read the book! Much of the bad rep he's got is based not on what he said but what other people said, who never read him. And it's by Marilynne Robinson, of Housekeeping, Gilead, and Home. She's a bit of an expert on "Calvinism."
ReplyDeleteWhere did you get the toad?! All he needs is a Santa hat. I received a book of photos by Jeff Wall.
ReplyDelete