A Chinese exchange student whom my wife and I came to know quite well recommended the 1993 movie “Farewell, My Concubine” as a classic Chinese film that we should watch. I pass on the recommendation … A Chinese Tragedy: Farewell, My ConcubineRead more
Author: Bill Isley
In Defense of Escape
The ancient Greeks tragedies saw all of man’s efforts overruled by cruel and blind fate. Karl Marx said man was subject to economic determinism. B.F. Skinner contended that human behavior was determined by genetics and … In Defense of EscapeRead more
George MacDonald’s Phantastes: The Dazzling Depth of Fairy Land
Last year we as a faculty at Cair Paravel Latin School had the enriching pleasure of reading and discussing “The Light Princess,” “The Golden Key” and The Princess and the Goblin, three delightfully profound fairy … George MacDonald’s Phantastes: The Dazzling Depth of Fairy LandRead more
The Party Culture
One sign of the decadence of modern culture is the manner in which we observe national and religious holidays. Our holiday festivities are evidence of what I call a party culture.
The God that Failed: A Meditation on Sexual Passion in Splendor in the Grass
The interpretation of the 1961 movie, Splendor in the Grass, as an outright condemnation of the repressive sexual mores of 1920’s small-town America is simplistic. The film presents a nuanced view of sexual passion … The God that Failed: A Meditation on Sexual Passion in Splendor in the GrassRead more
