Randomness

Sex and the Surrealists

The Pevear-Volokhonsky translation phenomenon is profiled. Hooray! They are almost done translating "The Double." I'm still holding out hope that they will eventually move away from translating things that have already appeared in English (Does the world really need another translation of War and Peace or Chekhov novellas?) and start doing some truly ground-breaking work. Please, please, please.

Stalin and the Movies

Reagan in Brief I was in first grade when he was elected. We had a mock vote at school with pretend voting booths and everything on election day. Reagan won by a landslide at my school, although I'm proud to say that I didn't vote for him. That puzzled just about everyone I knew. I feel vindicated, though. When in doubt, trust a first-grader. I wonder what they're saying about Stephen Harper?

Back-up Plans My personal back-up plan is to teach at a CEGEP or some swanky private school, even though I'd rather be a jewelry designer.

Strindberg and Helium (via Maud Newton)