Moby Dick It sounds like rhyming slang ! But it isn’t, as far as I know. [Although moby is used in some circles to mean enormous.]About ten years ago I read somewhere that Moby Dick was the great American novel. So I bought a copy at the OXFAM bookshop on South Clerk Street, where IContinue reading “Through a glass darkly – 116”
Category Archives: Uncategorized
Through a glass darkly – 115
Advent It is Advent again. One of my favourite times of year. In church terms it is a time for looking back, to the Incarnation, the birth of Jesus Christ; but also for looking forward to the Eschaton, the Last Days. to Christ’s return. It is a season of anticipation, and a season of waiting.Continue reading “Through a glass darkly – 115”
Through a glass darkly – 114
Anti-Fascism in the English Public Schools 1933-’39 “ Often enough the public school system is attacked from the outside, but it is surely remarkable to find a boy of fifteen launching a critical magazine to mend the faults of his own and other schools … It will, I am assured, openly champion the forces ofContinue reading “Through a glass darkly – 114”
Through a glass darkly – 113
60 years ago: the killing of President Kennedy There was a programme on tv a few days ago about the shooting of President Kennedy. Which happened in Dallas, Texas, on November 22nd, 1963, exactly 60 years ago today. The official story is that Kennedy was shot by a lone gunman, Lee Harvey Oswald, a 24-yearContinue reading “Through a glass darkly – 113”
Through a glass darkly – 112
News from the Middle East We are very fortunate to live comfortably here in Edinburgh with a lovely view of Arthur’s Seat. But I find the nightly news broadcasts from the Middle East harrowing. Especially the contributions of Jeremy Bowen and Fergal Keane to theNews at Ten. There was a heartbreaking piece the other nightContinue reading “Through a glass darkly – 112”
Through a glass darkly – 111
Brussels RyanAir don’t make it easy for their customers. The only flight to Brussels from Edinburgh is at 7.00am, with check-in from 5.00am onwards. The taxi came at 5.10am. The driver had never been to Belgium. I found myself pompously delivering a mini-lecture; the country dates from 1830, and for the first hundred years theContinue reading “Through a glass darkly – 111”
Through a glass darkly – 110
A time capsule from the garage Mayfield Church [shortly to be reborn as Newington Trinity] are having a paperback sale in November. Which encouraged me to ferret around in the garage, where I found a couple of shelves of elderly paperbacks which had never made it onto the bookcases in the house. It is instructiveContinue reading “Through a glass darkly – 110”
Through a glass darkly – 109
Up North South Uist which is a three hour boat trip from Mallaig is not over-burdened with tourist attractions. And this year was a good year [a bad year ?] for midges which would discourage many people. There are magnificent, deserted beaches on the western side of the island, flanked by the machair, a distinctiveContinue reading “Through a glass darkly – 109”
Through a glass darkly – 108
Going North We started at Arisaig, on the Road to the Isles. It is full of memories. Susie and her family camped there each summer for about a decade, on Alasdhair MacDonald’s croft at Port Na Dorn. From what I gather the facilities were a bit primitive in those days, with a separate latrine tent.Continue reading “Through a glass darkly – 108”
Through a glass darkly – 107
It is Festival time here once again.Edinburgh has been swarming with tourists for the past month. And it takes ages coming back across town, across Princes Street and The Bridges on the bus. Just writing that makes me sound like a sour-tempered native. I escaped the crowds one morning to walk down the Water ofContinue reading “Through a glass darkly – 107”
Through a glass darkly 