The Shape of Sicilian Water
From Metternich to Montalbano–reflections on Italy and Sicily, slightly revised. The photo of the writer was taken at the Casa di Pirandello in front of the famous playwright’s statue/
Author: Thomas Fleming
Under the Shadow
This is a slightly revised version of an essay (published about 9 years ago) inspired by a re-reading of Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451. I had earlier exchanged letters with the author and published his brief introduction to a re-edition of his masterpiece.
Pius IX, Conclusion
When the revolution broke out again in 1848, Pius IX had been Pope for only two years. He had spent those two years well, reforming the government of the papal states especially the criminal justice system, rooting out corruption, imposing stricter discipline on the clergy.
Greek I.32: The Optative Mood
Ancient Greek has four moods/modes. Like Latin, Italian, French, and Modern Greek, it has indicative for statements and questions of fact, imperative for commands, subjunctive to express uncertainty or probability, and Optative
Pope Pius IX, Part I
This is a revised version of a talk given to a group of high school history teachers in Louisiana in 2007.: Pius IX, an almost forgotten “great man”
The Best Revenge: Ragù alla Clemenza
For several decades I have been doing variations on Italian meat sauce. I was initially inspired by watching The Godfather, the scene where the family and allies are hunkered down and Peter Clemenza (played by Richard Castellano) shows Michael how they made meat sauce in prison.
Acting Naturally: The Biggest Fools That Ever Hit the Big Time, Week I
Here is your chance to nominate and vote for the Biggest Big-Time Fools of the Week
Plain Talk
The demonstrations, in Minneapolis and other cities, against the enforcement of US immigration law are a vivid illustration of what the American people, in their childish pursuit of what they imagine to be human right, have become.
Misery and Gin, conclusion
Simplifying ideologies drain the life out of most of us, and any form of subjectivism leads quickly to relativism, and thus indifference. From “You say potahto, I say potayto,” the descent to every erotic eccentric’s defense, “Don’t knock it until you’ve tried it” is rapid.
