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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…
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The Muses Companion – April 7, 2024
Good day, readers. Today is April 7th, the 97th day of the year 2024, with 269 days remaining. “Fiction is the lie through which we tell the truth.” Albert Camus Today in Literary History: On this day in 1770, William Wordsworth, one of the most influential figures of English Romanticism, was born. His poetry, celebrating nature and the human spirit, pioneered a new style of poetry in which nature and the expression of personal emotions were central themes. His works, including the poem Tintern Abbey and the lengthy autobiographical The Prelude, remain seminal in the study of English literature. Notable Birthdays: Today’s Readings: From The Prelude by William Wordsworth:“The mind…
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The Muses Companion – April 6, 2024
Good day, readers. Today is April 6th, the 96th day of the year 2024, with 270 days remaining. “With April’s gentle rains and warming rays, we find ourselves poised on the cusp of transformation, each moment ripe with potential.” Margaret Atwood Today in Literary History: On this day in 1924, Virginia Woolf published her groundbreaking novel Mrs. Dalloway. Woolf’s stream-of-consciousness narrative delves deep into the complexities of post-war English society through the eyes of Clarissa Dalloway as she prepares for a party. Woolf’s profound exploration of time, consciousness, and human connection remains a cornerstone of 20th-century literature. Notable Birthdays: Gustave Moreau (April 6, 1826 – April 18, 1898), the French…
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The Muses Companion – April 5, 2024
Good day, readers. Today is April 5th, the 95th day of the year 2024, with 271 days remaining. “April’s promise is the kindling of spring, igniting under our dreams with each passing day.” Rainer Maria Rilke Today in Literary History: On this day in 1968, Philip K. Dick’s novel Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? was first published. This seminal science fiction work explores themes of reality, humanity, and empathy through the story of Rick Deckard, a bounty hunter tasked with “retiring” rogue androids. Dick’s novel would later be adapted into the iconic film Blade Runner, further cementing its place in cultural history. Notable Birthdays: Booker T. Washington (April 5,…
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The Muses Companion – April 4, 2024
Good day, readers. Today is April 4th, the 94th day of the year 2024, with 272 days remaining. “April unfurls the curtains of bloom, revealing the stage of a new season’s play.” T.S. Eliot Today in Literary History: On this day in 1928, Maya Angelou was born. An iconic American poet, memoirist, and civil rights activist, Angelou’s work, including her seminal autobiography I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, continues to inspire generations with its powerful themes of resistance, resilience, and self-discovery. Notable Birthdays: Marguerite Duras (April 4, 1914 – March 3, 1996), the French novelist and filmmaker, was born on this day in Saigon, French Indochina. Best known for…
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An Errant Heat To The Star
I sometimes find myself feeling akin to a stray wisp of heat from a distant star—present, yet seemingly inconsequential, lost amidst the grandeur of the universe. This feeling envelops me silently, a whisper of isolation that echoes through the vast chambers of my existence. I have danced through the rhythms of life, weaving my essence into the fabric of my community, my family, and my friendships. Yet, despite these connections, moments arrive unannounced, bringing with them a profound sense of being left out, of being forgotten. These are the moments when laughter and conversation swirl around me, not quite touching me, when I feel like an observer in my own…
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The Muses Companion – April 3, 2024
Good day, readers. Today is April 3rd, the 93rd day of the year 2024, with 273 days remaining. “April’s embrace is a symphony of renewal, each note a whisper of what’s yet to unfold.” Anne Morrow Lindbergh Today in Literary History: On this day in 1897, Johannes V. Jensen, the Danish author and poet later awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1944, published his first novel, The Fall of the King. This historical novel, focusing on Denmark during the Renaissance, is praised for its vivid imagery and narrative power, marking a significant moment in Scandinavian literature. Notable Birthdays: Washington Irving (April 3, 1783 – November 28, 1859), one of…
