Category Archives: art
The truth and criticism: origami boulders (memo re: November 2)
Susan Sontag famously wrote, “Interpretation is the revenge of the intellect upon art.” Those were fighting words in 1966, among a certain (probably not so large but then again much larger than it would be now) crowd. “Even more,” she … Continue reading
The truth and narrative, 2: my life with Julio Cortázar
In the midst of my Greenean visions, fueled from the outset by Pulling’s trip from Buenos Aires to Asunción, I picked up a novel called The Winners at my local bookstore. I was still in college, and I hadn’t met … Continue reading
Filed under art, brasil, Brazil, existentialism, freedom, ideas, life, literature, truth, writing
The truth and narrative, 1: my life with Graham Greene
This is the first of three posts on writers whose work has influenced the course of my own life. The writers are Graham Greene, Julio Cortázar and Roberto Bolaño. In these writers I have seen myself in futures, presents, and … Continue reading
Filed under art, Brazil, freedom, individuality, life, philosophy, postcolonialism, truth, writing, youth
E/F – The glass of art
A friend of mine told me about a playwriting workshop he attended some years ago. The instructor was David Mamet, and after the lecture someone asked Mamet what made him a great playwright. “I write plays, and you don’t,” was … Continue reading
Filed under art, evolution, existentialism, ideas, philosophy, poetry, truth, vanity, writing
Without truth you are the looser
If a picture is worth a thousand words, how many words is a picture of words worth? Spelling mistake or assertion about the relationship of truth to intestinal fortitude? Martin Luther would surely disagree, for in his case getting to … Continue reading
Truth and Rocket Science – guest stenographer
Photograph courtesy of Visual Stenographers: Atiba T. Edwards + Emma Raynor The Scoop Photographs from Truth and Rocket Science—some already published on this site and some from my archives—are now being featured on the blog “Visual Stenographers,” which is published … Continue reading
Filed under art, ideas, journalism, media, Park Slope, politics, truth
The truth and fearlessness
My God has sent his angel and closed the lions’ mouths so that they have not hurt me. Daniel 6:23 Of those who are fearless, there two kinds: the reckless and the serene. The reckless attract more followers, for they … Continue reading
The truth and type-casting
There are two kinds of people: those who follow and those who don’t. Of followers, there are two kinds: those who stay put, and those who go somewhere. Of followers who go somewhere, there are two kinds: those who are … Continue reading
