Mark Forsyth is the witty and effervescent writer of several books on the history of language, etymology and linguistics. The Elements of Eloquence explains the timeless art of crafting memorable one liners. In other words, the rules of classical rhetoric. This is a great guide for writers who want to master the subtle artContinue reading “Book Review: The Elements of Eloquence by Mark Forsyth – Part 1”
Category Archives: Blog
Seeing
We do a lot of looking; we look through lenses, telescopes and TVs. Our looking is perfected every day – but we see less and less. Never has it been more urgent to speak of seeing…we are onlookers, spectators. ‘Subjects’ we are, that look at ‘objects’. Quickly, we stick labels on all that is, labelsContinue reading “Seeing”
Book Review: Making Magic by Briana Saussy
Briana Saussy writer and founder of the Sacred Arts Academy in San Antonio, Texas has written an intimate, enjoyable and joyful guide to the art of creating spiritual rituals and ceremonies in your home. Making Magic is organised by technique and material. It makes the everyday rituals in our lives sacred and adds pleasure andContinue reading “Book Review: Making Magic by Briana Saussy”
No news of the affairs of men
In the age of omnipresent news and digital devices dominating our every waking moment, this poem by 18th century Japanese hermit poet Ryokan seems very relevant. No news of the affairs of men. How lovely to be without the news of the world. Whatever the news of the day, Ryokan sure as hell didn’t giveContinue reading “No news of the affairs of men”
Ancient Word of the Day: Borbhan
The word Borbhan comes from Gaelic. It’s the gentle murmuring or purling sound made by a stream; also the sound of small stones falling.
Ancient word of the day: Arachnid
According to ancient Greek myth, the first spider to ever live was a once human girl named Arachne. She lived in the ancient city of Lydia in Turkey and was famous for her ability to weave beautiful clothing. Arachne gained fame for her weaving and became boastful of her ability, telling people that her weavingContinue reading “Ancient word of the day: Arachnid”
The odds in favour of you being born were slim
“Imagine a speck of dust next to a planet a billion times the size of the earth. The speck of dust represents the odds in favor of your being born; the huge planet would be the odds against it. So stop sweating the small stuff.”
Book Review: The Mind in the Cave by David Lewis Williams
I grabbed a copy of this book fully expecting to love it. The Mind in the Cave is packed with information about ancient history, anthropology, archaeology and the Lascaux and Chauvet cave complexes – some of my favourite subjects. Although I have to say that this book was written in a style that was confusing to read, difficult to wade through and some of the information didn’t make sense, even to this non-expert on the topic.
Laid back self-isolation mix #1
Hi my friends. I am going to start doing semi-regular playlists of music that are laid back, joyful, soul warming. Music that will help you to get through hard times in self-isolation, particularly if you are separated from those you love, or if you are feeling lonely. These mixes will be eclectic styles – house,Continue reading “Laid back self-isolation mix #1”
Infinite attention, infinite regard and the minor deities of the internet
“That’s the dream of replication: infinite attention, infinite regard. The machinery of the internet has made it a democratic possibility, as television never could, since the audience in their living rooms necessarily far outnumbered the people who could be squeezed into the box. Not so with the internet, where anyone with access to a computerContinue reading “Infinite attention, infinite regard and the minor deities of the internet”
Content Catnip 