Monthly Archives: April 2013

Vales of Laughter? Not so much.

Posted on April 30, 2013 by James Mark Shields

I picked up this 1953 comic novel of Peter DeVries after reading a writer whom I respect report that it is a work that literally makes him laugh out loud. This, to me, is an extremely high commendation, something I … Continue reading →

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The World of the PRB

Posted on April 25, 2013 by James Mark Shields

I have been a fan of the art of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood for several decades, since first encountering their works while sojourning in the United Kingdom. In fact, even before seeing the paintings of Rossetti et al., in their magnificent … Continue reading →

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A Dream of Red Mansions

Posted on April 7, 2013 by James Mark Shields

I have been absent from the blog for several months due to various reasons, not the least of which is that I have been immersed in reading an extraordinary long work, the Chinese Ming Dynasty classic A Dream of Red … Continue reading →

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