In a review of a collection of contemporary short stories from abroad:

“It is as if literary fiction didn’t so much reflect other cultures, obliging us to immerse ourselves in the exotic, but rather brought back news of shortcomings and injustices to an international community that could be relied upon to sympathize. These writers seem more like excellent foreign correspondents than foreigners. Across the globe, the literary frame of mind is growing more homogeneous. ”

This is how I feel about the Mormon literary fiction that I’ve read. ‘Literary’ is an identity and ‘Mormon’ is another. Truly synthesizing identities is an act of genius. Genius is sadly in short supply.

If Deborah Rhode gets her way. What a wonderful future we are creating for our children!

Oooookay ….

One of the cringeworthiest things I’ve seen in a while. (more…)

I would prefer not to.

Powerline has some nice graphics on this.    (more…)

Some people take their butter seriously.

James Lileks battles squirrels. (more…)

Refusing to enforce the Voting Rights Act. (more…)

In England. (more…)

A defense of having children.

Heh.

A bit gentler than Russell Kirk’s “chirping sectaries” but all the more true for it.

I think I share considerably more common ground with libertarians than modern liberals, but both are fundamentally movements of the Left and neither is based on a sound model of human nature. The libertarian model is less unsound, particularly as expressed in their campaign literature (“There is no Utopia”) but Homo economicus remains a laboratory strain distinct from its cousin in the wild.

Jonah Goldberg asks the question.      (more…)

This pastor sounds like a good man. The oathbreaking slanderer does not.

How many angels can dance on the head of a pinot noir? I’m dashed if I can recall and the Drones’ Club Trivia Contest will be upon us eftsoons and right swiftly. Jeeves says he cannot venture to say.