Beers & Books CCXXVIII – E.T.A. Hoffmann

There is nothing
more marvellous or madder
than real life.

E.T.A. Hoffmann (24 January 1776 – 25 June 1822)

The Sandman

Mademoiselle de Scuderi

Razor-sharp insight

It is hard for me to listen to a perpetually nose-grabbing fast talker, but easy to recommend reading this article by Slavoj Žižek in the Guardian: Pacifism is the wrong response to the war in Ukraine.

Beers & Books CCXXVII – Lafcadio Hearn

But what is after all the happiness of mere power?
There is a greater happiness possible
than to be lord of heaven and earth;
that is the happiness of being truly loved.

Lafcadio Hearn (17 June 1850 – 26 September 1904)

And here, one of his remarkable articles as a young reporter: Gaffeted.

Beers & Books CCXXVI – Bloomsday

June 16th, Bloomsday.
But which one?
The 118th!
Well, but had "Ulysses" not been published
in 1922, thus one hundred years ago,
there would not be any.
Therefore rather the 100th.
Whereas Flann O'Brien
after the umpteenth pint of stout
might prattle:
It's the 68th.

James Joyce (2 February 1882 – 13 January 1941)

Ulysses

Leopold Bloom

Bloomsday

Beers & Books CCXXV – Giovanni Boccaccio

Giovanni Boccaccio wondered in the middle of the 14th century "that women were so little regarded" and in response wrote a collection of witty portraits of strong-willed, influential, sometimes dangerous women.

Until his death in 1375, Boccaccio repeatedly revised his work "De mulieribus claris", a collection of over 100 portraits of famous women. Charmingly and with witty wit, he presents strong women such as Minerva, the goddess of wisdom, the prophetess Carmenta, the painter Thamaris, the orator Hortensia and Proba, the poetess. They are not always virtuous, certainly not saintly, but what they all have in common is that they prevailed in the world of men through their bravery, powers of the mind and perseverance - and so these impressive stories are still of great relevance today. For this edition, the most beautiful texts have been selected and newly translated and illustrated with the woodcuts of the first German edition (1473).   

"While farmers
generally allow one rooster for ten hens,
ten men are scarcely sufficient
to service one woman."

Giovanni Boccaccio (16 June 1313 – 21 December 1375)

Saturday Night Music – Barbara

 
Barbara (9 June 1930 – 24 November 1997