Allan Massie
Walking with Ghosts
As I write, the damage and death-toll of the latest earthquakes in China are being assessed, and the inhabitants of New Orleans are returning to the city from which they fled a few days ago, happy (one assumes) that Hurricane Gustav has been less destructive than was expected. ‘Events’, said Bismarck, ‘are stronger than the plans of men’, and even in our technologically advanced civilisation Nature frequently reminds us of her ability to provide terrifying and destructive events. The eruption of Mount Vesuvius in AD 79, which engulfed the towns of Pompeii and Herculaneum, was, in comparison with some of Nature’s other efforts, comparatively unremarkable.
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'Too many historians sneer at our forbears; scolding them if they follow the customs of their own day ... tut-tutting if the poor things are detected having a little fun.'
From the archive, Mary Clive on medieval travellers.
http://ow.ly/yk8a50yrjSG
'Reading Taylor’s book has also made me join a book club. I did not like the January book; I did enjoy drinking gin while saying why.'
@clamorousvoice explores the history of women readers.
https://literaryreview.co.uk/she-readers
'When the language starts functioning as a character in fiction, when it is there drawing attention to itself ... It’s not anything that anybody really takes seriously.'
Our interview with Anthony Burgess from 1983.
http://ow.ly/5u0y50yrjoO