The Present Age and the Difference Between a Genius and an Apostle by Søren Kierkegaard (translated by Alexander Dru) Harper & Row (1 January 1962) Stanford library page What's it about?: Two essays by the existentialist philosopher, Søren Kierkegaard. "The Present Age" is a scathing piece on the rise of the mass media in the … Continue reading The Present Age and the Difference Between a Genius and an Apostle
Author: Lawrence Deveney
Everything I’ve Known
"Not everything that happens happens for a reason, but everything that survives survives for a reason." Nassim Taleb "Everything I've Known" was the fourth and final single from Korn's sixth album, Take a Look in the Mirror. Released in April of 2004, it was the album's least popular single. An animated music video, directed by Gregory Ecklund, received minor airplay on MTV2. "It's … Continue reading Everything I’ve Known
Genghis Khan
Genghis Khan: Emperor of All Men by Harold Lamb Amereon Press (12 October 1927) National Library of Australia page What's it about?: Harold Lamb's biography of Genghis Khan, founder and first khan of the Mongol Empire. It details the leader's life and conquests, and analyses his legacy. My opinion: A strange text. It excels in … Continue reading Genghis Khan
Sweet Smell of Success
Sweet Smell of Success: The Short Fiction of Ernest Lehman by Ernest Lehman Overlook Press (1 May 2000) Goodreads page What's it about?: Two novellas and thirteen short stories by Ernest Lehman, screenwriter of films including North by Northwest, Sabrina, and Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? These works speak of pure ambition, and what goes … Continue reading Sweet Smell of Success
The Discourses
The Discourses by Niccolo Machiavelli Penguin (31 December 2000) Publisher's page What's it about?: Niccolo Machiavelli on Livy's history of the Roman Republic. From the Florentine diplomat's analysis comes this proposal: a system of government that would uphold civic freedom and security by instilling the virtues of active citizenship, and that would also encourage citizens … Continue reading The Discourses
The Portable Machiavelli
The Portable Machiavelli by Niccolo Machiavelli (edited and translated by Peter Bondanella and Mark Musa) Penguin (31 May 1979) Publisher's page What's it about?: A collection of personal and professional writings by Florentine diplomat and philosopher Niccolo Machiavelli. It includes complete texts of The Prince, Belfagor, and Castruccio Castracani. An abridged version of The Discourses … Continue reading The Portable Machiavelli
Y’All Want a Single
"The greatest weakness of countercultural thinking has always been its inability to produce a coherent vision of a free society, much less a practical political program for changing the one we live in." Joseph Heath and Andrew Potter "Y'All Want a Single" was the third single from Korn's sixth album, Take a Look in the … Continue reading Y’All Want a Single
The Journalist and the Murderer
The Journalist and the Murderer by Janet Malcolm Penguin (31 October 1990) Publisher's page What's it about?: Janet Malcolm's study on the ethics of journalism, examining the professional choices that shape a work of nonfiction. It was originally published as a multi-part essay for The New Yorker. The journalist and murderer discussed are Joe McGinniss, … Continue reading The Journalist and the Murderer
Fallen
"Women are not wrong at all when they reject the rules of life that have been introduced into the world, inasmuch as it is the men who have made these without them." Michel de Montaigne Evanescence released their debut album, Fallen, on March 4, 2003. The album was written by founding members Amy Lee (vocals, … Continue reading Fallen
The Last Lion (3 Volumes)
The Last Lion: Winston Spencer Churchill, 1874-1965 William Manchester and Paul Reid Little, Brown and Company (6 November 2012) Publisher's page What's it about?: A trilogy of biographies covering the life of Winston Churchill, British statesman, solider, and writer. The first two volumes were published in the 1980s. Author William Manchester passed away while working … Continue reading The Last Lion (3 Volumes)
