Sean Curnyn

Cohen is an Old Testament poet who can comprehend the New Testament without great strain or contradiction. Continue Reading »

The poet Samuel Menashe (whose work been printed many times in the pages of First Things) died in his sleep on August 22nd, at the age of 85. As the obituaries and tributes have noted, he had been the recipient of the first “Neglected Masters Award” from the Poetry Foundation in 2004, with his New and Selected Poems then being published by the Library of America… . Continue Reading »

As goes Scripture, so goes country music: The great lines are reused forever. Just listen to the final song that Johnny Cash composed, titled “I Corinthians 15:55,” and the refrain, which goes like this: Oh death, where is thy sting?
Oh grave, where is thy victory? Oh life, you are a shining path… . Continue Reading »

The question uppermost on everyone’s mind has now been answered: What the heck would a Bob Dylan Christmas album even sound like? Although the actual album won’t be released until October 13th, a full tracklist, along with thirty-second audio samples, has now been revealed on Amazon UK. . . . . Continue Reading »

Recently Dan Cairns in the U.K. Times found listening to one of the songs from Paddy McAloon’s new album (recorded seventeen years ago but only released last week) to be a heartbreaking experience: “First, because, well, it’s so beautiful, it just is. Second, because you get such a clear sense of a supreme talent that you can’t help but mourn its subsequent concealment, and feel compassion for the concealer.” … Continue Reading »

I’ve been good for very little lately, distracted by an upper-respiratory-tract virus that conjures new symptoms with which to persecute me every day. This afternoon I found myself turning on the TV around the time that the memorial event for Michael Jackson was getting underway. I . . . . Continue Reading »

David Letterman’s sexually offensive jokes about Sarah Palin’s daughters (and herself) were distinctly bereft of class. Sarah Palin’s immediate acceptance of his apology was, on the other hand, quite classy. (Of course, Letterman didn’t apologize for the line comparing her . . . . Continue Reading »

The old Cole Porter song goes: Have you heard? It’s in the stars Next July we collide with Mars Well, did you evah? What a swell party this is! Well, it won’t happen next July—so far as anyone knows—but a study in the journal Nature suggests such a collision might well occur . . . . Continue Reading »

In Ireland, the recently-released Ryan Report was the product of nine years of investigation into child abuse which took place over many decades at industrial and reform schools, predominantly those run by the Christian Brothers, but also institutions run by the Sisters of Mercy and others. (The . . . . Continue Reading »

In Conway, Arkansas, Pvt. William Long was laid to rest today. (Previously: An Attack in Little Rock. ) From the Associated Press via KUAR : About 200 people packed into the Harlan Park Baptist Church for the service. Standing behind his son’s open, flag-draped casket, Long’s father, . . . . Continue Reading »