1. The Bookshelf as Memory Theater What concerns me about the literary apocalypse that everybody now expects—the at least partial elimination of paper books in favor of digital alternatives—is not chiefly the books themselves, but the bookshelf. My fear is for the eclectic, personal . . . . Continue Reading »
What are the cool kids reading after Harry Potter? Well, okay, the “cool kids” never read anything, so it is better to ask: What are the future leaders of America reading after Harry Potter? One answer to this question is a series on Olympus starring one Percy Jackson, son of Poseidon . . . . Continue Reading »
I was bored with Hawking’s statement about God before he even made it, but this zinger from Richard Lea at The Guardian is worth sharing. Reminding us that Hawking has far outsold his fellow scientists who have tried their hand at trade books precisely because of “his willingness to . . . . Continue Reading »
The Economist carries two stories that may or may not be related to each other. First, in a story about beer consumption in Asia, we find a nifty map showing the levels of beer-drinking per capita for several countries around the world. Second, in an article on Europe’s irreligious, there is a . . . . Continue Reading »
The always compelling Christopher Hitchens has a terrific piece out in Vanity Fair ( “Unanswerable Prayers” ) about being an atheist with serious cancer, who is the subject of prayers. And that got me to thinking, should believers tell atheists that they are praying for . . . . Continue Reading »
In today’s second “On the Square” article, Catholic Persecution, Muslim Acceptance , Georgetown’s Chester Gillis tells the story of the prejudice Catholics suffered in America from the early settlements till at least World War II, as a cautionary tale about prejudice against . . . . Continue Reading »
In a long posting at Public Discourse, ” The Mosque’s Lesson in Loyalty ,” Carson Holloway provides helpful analysis of the legitimate human impulse to love one’s own. Beginning with family and clan, radiating outward to neighborhood, community, and nation, we have a native impulse toward . . . . Continue Reading »
This isn’t a post about faith versus atheism—a topic that is not within SHS’s jurisdiction. It is a post about how to best show compassion to people who are seriously ill.I bring this up because of a fascinating article by one of my favorite writers, Christopher Hitchens—oh, . . . . Continue Reading »
Those who get a thrill from pondering the Mayan prediction that the world will end in 2012 don’t know what the Mayans thought, writes David Hart in the “On the Square” article for today. After explaining why — which is quite interesting in itself — he examines what this . . . . Continue Reading »
[Note: Every Friday on First Thoughts we host a discussion about some aspect of popular culture. Have a suggestion for a topic? Send them to me at jcarter@firstthings.com] You know how every September some blogger writes a post explaining why we celebrate Labor Day? Yeah, we’re not gonna do . . . . Continue Reading »
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