Ellicott City

September 29, 2024 Peace and Good, This has been a quiet couple of weeks. I am settling into my new rhythm of activities. I celebrate Mass at the shrine on the property and at St. Joseph's Nursing Home (about a half hour away). I listen to confessions at the Shrine. I am giving spiritual direction to an increasing number of people. I am taping my podcasts and writing articles in the free time. It is keeping me busy, but not too busy. There are a lot of people talking to me about the upcoming election. I keep speaking of the advise of Pope Francis, to choose the lesser of two evils. Yet, the spirit of the campaign leave a lot of people unsettled. I continue to do my immunotherapy, which is really not all that bad. I had a little problem this week with a sinus infection, but that is passing. The annual inundation of stink bugs has arrived. My roon looks like a scene from the Exorcist with all the bugs crawling around it. They are not troublesome, just creepy and stinky when one catches them. I have finished some reading and listening: Unseen Diversity: the World of Bacteria by Betsey Dyer This is a Modern Scholar course on bacteria. The professor loves her work, but she doesn’t come across as nerdy. I have to say I learned a lot. One example is that for all the thousands of types of bacteria, only about 50 are pathogenic. Furthermore, many bacteria and viruses are actually helpful. I would recommend listening to this course if you have a chance. Edward III: the Perfect King by Ian Mortimer This is a thorough biography of the life and deeds of King Edward III. His father had been overthrown by a usurper and Edward II’s queen. Edward had to seize power and once he did, he proved himself to be a good king (according to the definition of his times). The author is a bit fawning in his account, but he does tell a good story. The Anglo-Saxon World by Michael Drout This is a study of the Anglo-Saxon world from the arrival of these German invaders and settlers into the Celtic and by now Romano-Britain world until the arrival of the Vikings and the Norman invaders under William the Great. The author clearly loves his topic, and he presents the various lectures with enthusiasm and respect. It is a good course (Modern Scholar) to give an overview on the topic. Cassender of Macedon by Charles River Editors This is a short biography of one of the leaders of the Macedonians who ruled parts of Alexander’s empire after his death. The whole period is filled with wars and alliances and betrayals. Maybe that is the most important thing to remember. At the same time, even though most things were chaotic, Greek culture was being diffused throughout the vast empire that Alexander had conquered. A House Reunited: How America Survived the Civil War by Jay Winik I have read Winik’s account of April, 1865, the end of the Civil War and the beginning of the healing that needed to take place after that disastrous cataclysm. This course from Modern Scholar is similar to the material that he presented in his book. The People’s Dynasty: Culture and Society in Modern China by Robert Shepherd This is a very well done study of the culture of modern China. The author has lived and studied there. He especially shows how some of the facile judgments made about China could just as easily be applied to the US (e.g. the insatiable desire for possessions, government surveillance of the internet). He speaks of efforts of some at a grass roots level to address problems like corruption and pollution (without ever criticizing the government or the party). The course is quite insightful. The Life and Times of Mark Twain by Michael Shelden This is an account of the life and career of Mark Twain. It speaks of his various careers as he gradually found himself as a writer. He is presented as the first American author to really write in American idiom (and not in a version of British high-class expression). He is seen in his relationship with his society, with his family, etc. He is even seen in his genius as he published his works on a subscription basis, thus multiplying their appeal, and as a failure in most business enterprises, losing vast amount of money on investments. In Michelangelo’s Shadow: the Mystery of Modern Italy by Joseph Luzzi This Modern Scholar course has nothing to do with Michelangelo. It is about Italy, its culture, its language, its food, its families, its regions with their own personalities, etc. The course is taught by the son of an immigrant from Calabria, thus someone who knew the tension between Italy as a nation and the local version of being Italian in one of the provinces. I would not say that the presentation is profound. It is more heartwarming and for me, who lived in Italy so long, familiar. High Seas, High Stakes: Naval Battles that Changed History by Timothy Shutt This is an overview of some of the major naval battles throughout history. It is not all that technical a presentation, more of a nice anthology to entertain the listener with a bunch of stories. Understanding Democracy in America by Ken Masugi This is a critical reading and application of the book Democracy in America by Baron de Tocqueville. The presenter comes from a particular point of view (less government, more individual liberty, allowing religion and values guide the nation and its citizens). The presentation, though, was well done and enlightening. The Life and the Writings of John Milton by Seth Lerer This is a Teaching Company course on the writings of John Milton. A couple of years ago I read Paradise Lost, more so that I could say that I had read it than to enjoy it. I do not like Milton’s style nor often his Puritanical and Patriarchal message. I felt I owed it to him and myself to listen to this course. I can’t say I like Milton any more after finishing it. The professor presenting it is a bit too fawning upon Milton and his writings. From Spinning Wheels to Steam and Steel by Jennifer Popiel This is a Modern Scholar presentation on the industrial revolution. What I liked about the presentation was that it was not only from an engineering point of view, but it also dealt with the social and political repercussions of this massive change in how society was organized. The Giants of the British Novel, Part 1 by Timothy Shutt This is an overview of the British novel from its earliest days to the time of Jane Austin (this is the first part of a two part presentation). Shutt, whose other courses I have listened to, is an excellent presenter. He gives enough material about the author’s life and perspective and about the ambient in which he/she wrote to help one better understand the message being presented. Have a good week. Shalom fr. Jude