Richard Topcliffe

Enjoying Alice Hogge's God's Secret Agent, if that's how you can describe reading about a fellow, Richard Topcliffe, who was Queen Elizabeth's personal priest-hunter and torturer. Rather lurid stuff, and it's the bit of British history that I've read about many times before. But Hogge's account is as engaging as it is well-documented, which is really saying something as this is reportedly only her first book. I look forward to reading whatever else she might have in store for us.

God's Secret Agents

Just started reading Hogge's book yesterday. Just the thing for these cold winter days and nights.

Woodrow Wilson

Finished reading Auchincloss' book. Most notable, in my opinion, were multiple references to Wilson's dream of establishing a league of nations and, especially in light of our own time, questions concerning his mental condition late into his second term.

Red Lentil Soup

Not usually a big fan of soup, but, looking for a way to add lentils to my diet, I fixed upon this recipe. It's now part of my regular rotation of dishes.

Family of Spies

Sound familiar? Nazis. ICE. What's the difference?

"One morning, soon after Otto arrived at his office, there was a knock on the door. Several men burst through and dragged him from his chair, hustling him into a black sedan without any explanation and speeding away." 

Patriotism

"More and more he [Mark Twain] doubted the ability of the American public to exercise independent judgment and believed that most people parroted what they heard from politicians and the press. Questioning what constituted true patriotism, he grew enraged by the expression 'Our country, right or wrong!' In his notebook, he commented: 'We have thrown away the most valuable asset we had:--the individual's right to oppose both flag & country when he . . . believed them to be in the wrong. We have thrown it away; & with it, all that was really respectable about that grotesque and laughable word, Patriotism.' In an unpublished essay, 'As Regards Patriotism,' he discussed the culture's frightening power to brainwash or bully people into their political beliefs and 'debase angels to men and lift men to angelship. And it can do any one of these miracles in a year -- even in six months.' -- Chernow, Mark Twain

What Is Wrong?

Reminded me of the puzzle I used to enjoy as a kid. Well, I guess I still enjoy it. :-)