My dear sir, your letter reached me just a few days ago. I want to thank you for the deep and loving trust it revealed. I can do no more. I cannot comment on the style of your verses; critical intent is too far removed from my nature. There is nothing that manages to influence a work of art less than critical words. They always result in more or less unfortunate misunderstandings. Things are not as easily understood nor as expressible as people usually would like us to believe. Most happenings are beyond expression; they exist where a word has never intruded. Even more inexpressible are works of art; mysterious entities they are, whose lives, compared to our fleeting ones, endure.
Archive for the ‘Reviews’ Category
Rilke: Love Letters to us All
In Reviews on February 14, 2010 at 8:35 pmA Modern Tailor for the Immodern Gentleman
In Reviews on January 24, 2010 at 5:00 pmAn anachronist, we might say, is a person who does not fit the modern world. This is accurate, but metaphorical. Yet there is an important sense in which the modern world–mass produced for mythical “average people”–literally does not fit. This problem shows up in many domains, but nowhere is it felt more personally than in the case of clothing. The Anachronist wrote previously about the benefits of tailoring, and now, dear reader, he will share with you his first experience with budget bespoke. Read the rest of this entry »
Ladies and Gentleman, Mr. Johnny Hartman
In Reviews on January 8, 2010 at 3:42 pmFor fans of vocal jazz–the dark, smokey kind that curls around you on a winter evening–there is nothing better than Johnny Hartman. His name may be unfamiliar to some, but Hartman was one of the great ballad singers of the 20th century. He had a truly beautiful voice, and this was accentuated by the way he used it. His clear articulation and rich tone simply fill up a room. Read the rest of this entry »
Review of a Parker Safety Razor
In Reviews on January 3, 2010 at 9:50 pmRecall, dear reader, the sordid tale of the modern safety razor. What usually goes by the name of “razor” today is nothing more than a cog in a profit-making machine that cares not for craftsmanship nor even for the art of shaving. There are many reasons to avoid modern safety razors, such as:
- they are ugly (not to mention déclassé)
- they cause razor bumps
- the cartridges are vastly overpriced and incompatible (Gillette Fusion cartridges cost $2.50-$3.50 per cartridge)
- the handles need to be replaced every few years when obsoleted by models with more blades, vibrators, and racing stripes