Biography of John Burroughs. Few have heard of him now, but Burroughs was once very well-known. “For several decades he may have been the most popular writer of any kind in the country — when he and President Theodore Roosevelt traveled across the U.S. by train in 1903, observers said the writer often drew more admirers at their whistle stops than the politician, soon to be returned to the White House.” His fame was deserved; his work is worth checking out.
Month: December 2017
The new movie by Steven Spielberg about Katherine Graham’s role in publishing the Pentagon Papers. I was surprised at how much I liked it.
Spielberg’s movies have also annoyed me a little. They are all good, and I always enjoy them. He has a nice formula, which I mean as both a compliment and a fault. He knows the steps to take to put together an entertaining movie but it often feels a bit too much a paint by numbers. I also feel like he’ s talking down to me too.
Meryl Streep is fantastic. I always been a little skeptical about her “greatness”, but I take it all back. She’s perfect in this one.
Categories
But nothing can take the place of love. Love is the measure of life: only so far as we love do we really live. The variety of our interests, the width of our sympathies, the susceptibilities of our hearts— if these do not measure our lives, what does? As the years go by, we are all of us more or less subject to two dangers, the danger of petrifaction and the danger of putrefaction; either that we shall become hard and callous, crusted over with customs and conventions till no new ray of light or of joy can reach us, or that we shall become lax and disorganized, losing our grip upon the real and vital sources of happiness and power. Now, there is no preservative and antiseptic, nothing that keeps one’s heart young, like love, like sympathy, like giving one’s self with enthusiasm to some worthy thing or cause. – John Burroughs
Categories
Book of Luke
Basically the same stories as the other book. I would say this book was a bit more eloquent. A bit longer.
Categories
John James Audubon – John Burroughs
A short biography of John James Audubon by John Burroughs. Written in 1902. I didn’t know anything about Audubon. He was a naturalist. After spending many years in various businesses, mostly failing, decided to follow his talent for drawing animals. Worked out well.
Categories
The power to see straight is the rarest of gifts; to see no more and no less than is actually before you; to be able to detach yourself and see the thing as it actually is, uncolored or unmodified by your own sentiments or prepossessions. In short, to see with your reason as well as with your perceptions, that is to be an observer and to read the book of nature aright. – John Burroughs
A collection of short experimental films.
I don’t know, I probably didn’t understand a lot of it.
Categories
O Captain! my Captain!
by Walt Whitman
Categories
We’ll start the war from right here! – Theodore Roosevelt Jr.
The book is divided into two parts. In the first part Burroughs defends Leaves of Grass against academic, conventional-minded critics that objected to Whitman’s very unconventional style and often highly sensual themes. He also commends Whitman as a true lover and interpreter of nature, Burroughs favorite theme. The second, more interesting to the average reader section is a short biography of Whitman. It describes his early childhood life, his time working in D.C., (including his getting fired from the Treasury Department for the crime of being the author of Leaves of Grass), and his experience volunteering as a nurse during the Civil War, including several remarkable letters written by Whitman about his experiences. Whitman himself lended a hand in the books writing.
Categories
If you can’t say something good about someone, sit right here by me. – Alice Roosevelt
Categories
General Review Of The Sex Situation
by Dorothy Parker
Categories
When I Heard the Learn’d Astronomer
by Walt Whitman
Categories
In Genesis, it says that it is not good for a man to be alone but sometimes it is a great relief. – John Barrymore
Categories
John Burroughs – Boy and Man – Clara Barrus
Short biography of naturalist John Burroughs, by his close friend, Dr. Clara Barrus.
Burroughs was a well-known writer during his time. Subject matter similar to Thoreau. Work is very readable but not nearly on the same level as Thoreau, although that is really not a fair comparison for anybody.
Categories
Nothing Gold Can Stay
by Robert Frost
Categories
If we think birds, we shall see birds wherever we go; if we think arrowheads, as Thoreau did, we shall pick up arrowheads in every field. – John Burroughs
Categories
The eye sees what it has the means of seeing, and its means of seeing are in proportion to the love and desire behind it. – John Burroughs
Categories
Lion in the White House – Aida Donald
Born in 1858 in NYC. Very wealthy family. Father stressed education. Uncle Robert Barnwell Roosevelt interested in social reform and conservation.
Sickly as a child. Father encouraged him to build up his body, which he did. Became very interested in natural science. Studied insects intensely.
Went to Harvard. Very good student.
Tried law school. Didn’t like it. Dropped out.
Categories
We are all answers to long sums in addition. – Clara Barrus
Categories
We usually do well what we like to do. When anyone finds something he especially likes to do, and can do just a little better than anyone else, and in a way all his own, it is probably his particular work in the world. It is often nearer than he dreams. – Clara Barrus
Categories
Serene I fold my hands and wait
Nor care for wind, nor tide, nor sea;
I rave no more ‘gainst time or fate,
For lo! my own shall come to me.
– John Burroughs
Categories
The most precious things of life are near at hand, without money and without price. Each of you has the whole wealth of the universe at your very door. All that I ever had, and still have, may be yours by stretching forth your hand and taking it. – John Burroughs