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The Muses Companion – April 15, 2024
Good day, readers. Today is April 15th, the 105th day of the year 2024, with 261 days remaining. “The only thing that you absolutely have to know, is the location of the library.” Albert Einstein Today in Literary History: On this day in 1452, Leonardo da Vinci, one of the foremost artists and intellectuals of the Italian Renaissance, was born. While best known for his artworks, Leonardo’s extensive notebooks, filled with scientific diagrams, anatomical sketches, and engineering designs, also make him a significant figure in the literature of the sciences. Notable Birthdays: Today’s Readings: From The Portrait of a Lady by Henry James: “It has made me better loving you……
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The ’90s Were A Decade I’d Rather Forget
As the soft glow of nostalgia continues to illuminate the 1990s, painting them as the quintessential era of simpler times and cultural milestones, I find myself at odds with the mainstream sentiment. It’s peculiar, standing on the outside of a collective memory that cherishes what I recall as my darkest days. While others revel in the revival of flannel shirts, grunge rock, and the dawning of the internet age, for me, the ’90s were a series of personal trials and tribulations—a decade I’d much rather forget. I was born into the warmth of the late ’70s, a time of tumultuous change but also of hope and expansion. The ’70s and…
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The Muses Companion – April 14, 2024
Good day, readers. Today is April 14th, the 104th day of the year 2024, with 262 days remaining. “All good books are alike in that they are truer than if they had really happened.” Ernest Hemingway Today in Literary History: On this day in 1931, Spain was declared a republic with the overthrow of King Alfonso XIII. This significant event marked a period of intense social reform and artistic exploration in Spain, influencing countless Spanish writers and poets, including Federico García Lorca, whose works often reflect the tumultuous spirit of his times. Notable Birthdays: Today’s Readings: From A Study of History by Arnold J. Toynbee: “History is a vision of…
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The Muses Companion – April 13, 2024
Good day, readers. Today is April 13th, the 103rd day of the year 2024, with 263 days remaining. “The role of a writer is not to say what we all can say, but what we are unable to say.” Anaïs Nin Today in Literary History: On this day in 1742, George Frideric Handel’s “Messiah” made its debut in Dublin, Ireland. Though not literary in the conventional sense, the libretto, crafted by Charles Jennens from the King James Bible and the Book of Common Prayer, illustrates the profound interplay between music and poetic scripture, influencing numerous literary and musical works thereafter. Notable Birthdays: Today’s Readings: From Waiting for Godot by Samuel…
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The Muses Companion – April 12, 2024
Good day, readers. Today is April 12th, the 102nd day of the year 2024, with 264 days remaining. “We write to taste life twice, in the moment and in retrospect.” Anaïs Nin Today in Literary History: On this day in 1961, Yuri Gagarin became the first human to journey into outer space, orbiting Earth in Vostok 1. This historic event not only marked a significant achievement in the Space Race but also inspired a myriad of literary works focused on space exploration and the human condition in the face of the vast unknown. Notable Birthdays: Today’s Readings: From Ramona the Pest by Beverly Cleary: “It was a high mountain Ramona…
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The Muses Companion – April 11, 2024
Good day, readers. Today is April 11th, the 101st day of the year 2024, with 265 days remaining. “Literature is a textually transmitted disease, normally contracted in childhood.” Jane Yolen Today in Literary History: On this day in 1983, Harold Washington was elected as the first African-American mayor of Chicago. While not a literary event, his election was a landmark moment in American history and has been explored in numerous biographies and works of nonfiction that examine racial and political dynamics in U.S. cities. Notable Birthdays: Today’s Readings: From a biography of Harold Washington, reflecting on his impact: “His leadership style and the symbolic weight of his achievements brought new…
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The Muses Companion – April 10, 2024
Good day, readers. Today is April 10th, the 100th day of the year 2024, with 266 days remaining. “A classic is a book that has never finished saying what it has to say.” Italo Calvino Today in Literary History: On this day in 1925, F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby was first published. This novel is now considered a masterpiece of American literature and a critical exploration of the American Dream in the roaring twenties. The work offers a poignant critique of wealth, power, and disillusionment in post-war America. Notable Birthdays: Today’s Readings: From The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald: “So we beat on, boats against the current, borne…
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The Muses Companion – April 9, 2024
Good day, readers. Today is April 9th, the 99th day of the year 2024, with 267 days remaining. “The reading of all good books is like a conversation with the finest minds of past centuries.” René Descartes Today in Literary History: On this day in 1553, François Rabelais, the French Renaissance writer, physician, Renaissance humanist, monk, and Greek scholar, passed away. He is best known for his series of novels Gargantua and Pantagruel, which are variously celebrated for their humor, satirical approach, and exploration of the human condition through the lens of grotesque and bawdy tales. Notable Birthdays: Today’s Readings: From Les Fleurs du mal by Charles Baudelaire: “Nature is…
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We Witnessed A Partial Eclipse
As the twilight sun gave way to an eerie midday darkness, Amelia and I stood in the fields of our Vermont farm, our eyes turned skyward. The day had been marked on our calendar with anticipation: an astronomical event promised a full eclipse, a rare alignment that would shroud our world in an otherworldly twilight. But nature, in her unpredictable artistry, scripted a different spectacle. Instead of the complete darkness we expected, we witnessed a partial eclipse. The moon nibbled at the sun’s edge, crafting a crescent of light that seemed too mystical to belong to our everyday sky. The light that filtered through this celestial interplay was unlike any…
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The Muses Companion – April 8, 2024
Good day, readers. Today is April 8th, the 98th day of the year 2024, with 268 days remaining. “Books are the mirrors of the soul.” Virginia Woolf Today in Literary History: On this day in 1973, Pablo Picasso, one of the most influential artists of the 20th century, passed away. While primarily known for his contributions to visual arts, Picasso also had a significant impact on literature, inspiring countless works of poetry, fiction, and drama that reflect on his innovative use of form and color. Notable Birthdays: Today’s Readings: From The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver: “To live is to be marked. To live is to change, to acquire the…
