tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7110021746423342105.comments2024-03-13T12:03:25.797-07:00The Mike Robbins blogMike Robbinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14121103308562630665noreply@blogger.comBlogger105125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7110021746423342105.post-42726781488683107562024-03-13T10:54:33.650-07:002024-03-13T10:54:33.650-07:00Beautifully told. Beautifully told. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7110021746423342105.post-74430336582060889952024-01-29T08:49:04.405-08:002024-01-29T08:49:04.405-08:00Thank you Jackie.Thank you Jackie.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7110021746423342105.post-85391399406202738082024-01-29T07:13:48.830-08:002024-01-29T07:13:48.830-08:00Wow, I almost cried. That's a great piece.Wow, I almost cried. That's a great piece. Jackie Brooknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7110021746423342105.post-645109033862273792023-11-11T14:22:39.761-08:002023-11-11T14:22:39.761-08:00Lovely story, Mike! Thank you for sharing it.Lovely story, Mike! Thank you for sharing it.Stephanie Jnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7110021746423342105.post-48645887542898690312023-08-19T00:21:13.049-07:002023-08-19T00:21:13.049-07:00I thoroughly enjoyed reading your blog post about ...I thoroughly enjoyed reading your blog post about the focus on bikes and their significance in urban environments. It's refreshing to see discussions that promote sustainable transportation options like biking. Your insights on the cultural shift towards bike-friendly cities and the positive impact on health and the environment are both enlightening and inspiring. Keep up the great work in advocating for a greener and more active urban lifestyle!<br />Regards - <a href="https://www.cashforunwantedcars.com.au/" rel="nofollow">cash for unwanted cars brisbane</a>Kelly Byrneshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10026982478973288480noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7110021746423342105.post-62611584929059946662023-04-13T13:54:41.537-07:002023-04-13T13:54:41.537-07:00Interesting story. Enjoyed reading it. Interesting story. Enjoyed reading it. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7110021746423342105.post-21248189797051998332023-02-16T05:09:26.317-08:002023-02-16T05:09:26.317-08:00That's fascinating, James! I'm glad there&...That's fascinating, James! I'm glad there's a marker there. I guess people who live locally do know where it is; I wonder if people come looking for it now and then.Mike Robbinshttps://mikerobbinsnyc.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7110021746423342105.post-31409356427343185012023-02-15T07:56:54.275-08:002023-02-15T07:56:54.275-08:00A very interesting story, Mike, about the history ...A very interesting story, Mike, about the history of my new home province! I will share this post on my own blog.Susan Toyhttps://islandeditions.wordpress.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7110021746423342105.post-66860237457163299502022-07-31T05:13:36.059-07:002022-07-31T05:13:36.059-07:00Excellent article and I agree with most of what yo...Excellent article and I agree with most of what you say but for me the queen will always be Josephine Tey. I don't think any of these four has written anything better than Brat Farrar or The Franchise Affair Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7110021746423342105.post-72062599252299336262022-01-24T13:23:59.363-08:002022-01-24T13:23:59.363-08:00In Harrogate Agatha Christie stayed at The Old Swa...In Harrogate Agatha Christie stayed at The Old Swan Hotel, where you can still stay today if you would like to. Great post. I'm a huge crime fiction fan. Nicky Reisshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07409857304770649251noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7110021746423342105.post-62173885978107302152021-11-10T07:14:02.465-08:002021-11-10T07:14:02.465-08:00I actually did think that the authors paid too lit...I actually did think that the authors paid too little attention to China. But there is an ambiguity about that example, in any case; is it a product of authoritarian and extractive institutions - or are they absent from the key sectors of the economy where enterprise has prospered?<br /><br />On the tribalism and cohesion question, this is a valid point because the authors have little to say about the nature of the nation-state and how it contributes to success and failure. It could be argued that England took shape as the first nation-state under Elizabeth I and that this was a springboard for the Industrial Revolution. (I wouldn't buy that argument. But it could be argued.) It may be that Putnam's views on associationism and social capital are more relevant here than national identity as such. Though a lack of such identity could certainly be a negative factor if it causes instability, itself a big obstacle to investment and enterprise.Mike Robbinshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14121103308562630665noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7110021746423342105.post-87549038690687898852021-10-06T05:24:59.227-07:002021-10-06T05:24:59.227-07:00Lewis' manuscript diaries are interesting, in ...Lewis' manuscript diaries are interesting, in that they're written day-to-day. His ones for Catalonia show how far he strayed from the truth in Voices of the Old Sea. It's a pity no-one's seen fit to publish them. Sarahhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16813718386859575975noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7110021746423342105.post-16886312883310045332021-10-05T11:48:28.181-07:002021-10-05T11:48:28.181-07:00I wondered about the witch-burning story; as I wro...I wondered about the witch-burning story; as I wrote here, I can find no trace of the incident and someone, somewhere would certainly have written of it or mentioned - after all, it is within living memory. I wondered in fact whether Lewis had even gone to Marco do Canavases, but I think he probably did, on the basis of some rumour or other; found nothing; and them embellished it.Mike Robbinshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14121103308562630665noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7110021746423342105.post-45686192748515348712021-10-05T11:26:50.350-07:002021-10-05T11:26:50.350-07:00The problem with Norman Lewis is that most of what...The problem with Norman Lewis is that most of what he wrote wasn't exactly true or accurate. His biographer Julian Evans does a really good job in parsing this. So the witch burning, not true at all. His book on Tossa de Mar, Voices of the Old Sea, largely a mixture of his adventures in, and observations of, Italy, France, Spain, and South America, all mixed up into one narrative. He's a great writer, but very little of what he wrote can be verified. His Naples '44 book is widely seen as grossly inaccurate by Italian historians. Fine practitioner of prose, but little he wrote can be relied upon.Sarahhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16813718386859575975noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7110021746423342105.post-49598049570103294722021-02-14T03:19:02.126-08:002021-02-14T03:19:02.126-08:00Hi Karen,
Great to hear that you are so interested...Hi Karen,<br />Great to hear that you are so interested in the matter. I can strongly recommend to you getting a copy of "my year before the mast", written by Annette Brock Davies. I have read almost every book about the grain races and Annette's was one of my favorites. Greetings, Andreas, Kiel, Germany.Andreas Koepkehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06058796462212416355noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7110021746423342105.post-18557176826887869052021-01-30T01:11:25.842-08:002021-01-30T01:11:25.842-08:00Fascinating, and terribly sadFascinating, and terribly sadAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08105331521081227150noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7110021746423342105.post-19273113359542123862021-01-28T03:23:52.235-08:002021-01-28T03:23:52.235-08:00Wonderfully written, Mike. I have tears in my eyes...Wonderfully written, Mike. I have tears in my eyes. Nicky Reisshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07409857304770649251noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7110021746423342105.post-89583278455433617862020-10-23T14:37:56.159-07:002020-10-23T14:37:56.159-07:00Mike your blog is always good, this however is exc...Mike your blog is always good, this however is excellent Sadly the lies are winning.....<br />today my barber told me told me that the head of doctors in Europe (not sure who that might be) had said covid didn't really matter that much...its tough to know where to start with that especially with a man wielding scissors Patrichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15938586312705445186noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7110021746423342105.post-89456905634598256742020-08-22T18:36:00.719-07:002020-08-22T18:36:00.719-07:00Brilliant review Mike, for a book that I was hesit...Brilliant review Mike, for a book that I was hesitant to read. I'm rather converted after this! You made several accurate points. In regards to the English speaking world and the continental philosophers what is often is called pretentious and hysterical for me it was the comfort zone! <br />I have loved Zizek for a long time...since I read The Metastases of Enjoyment actually but I see his weaknesses just fine. He is not a thinker for panels and discourses. He functions 'best' in solo flamboyant appearances where he can be the showman. I think he favours provocation and immediacy at the expense of depth. His views on refugees and empathy as a mere trend, (like many others, sadly) is nothing to revere, as you say. I guess the book's value is to start a conversation. I will come back to you on that!<br />By the way, how beautiful and poignant your description of the current NY way of being!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7110021746423342105.post-25407956043913786762020-05-27T01:08:28.210-07:002020-05-27T01:08:28.210-07:00Thank you so much for this! Reading both Stet and ...Thank you so much for this! Reading both Stet and Instead of s Letter. She is a very wise and strangely soothing writer.Debbie Robsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17453962964046964250noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7110021746423342105.post-84091003888559535742020-05-04T07:09:18.011-07:002020-05-04T07:09:18.011-07:00A delightful blog post Mike, and lovely to see you...A delightful blog post Mike, and lovely to see your memories of earlier days. CliveCloiffhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14292857276363329865noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7110021746423342105.post-43654087650211108432020-04-29T07:15:18.857-07:002020-04-29T07:15:18.857-07:00Very neat review. I think the author is creating c...Very neat review. I think the author is creating contrasts between communism and barbarism for dramatic effect; I think the pandemic offers declining social democrats (not quite the same as liberals) a huge opportunity to mitigate between the worst effects of markets and the loss of individual liberties. State action but with accountability.<br />Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16659357999704637370noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7110021746423342105.post-18252009163571134422020-04-29T05:49:03.098-07:002020-04-29T05:49:03.098-07:00Thanks so much for this Mike. It is a really inter...Thanks so much for this Mike. It is a really interesting review, and the NY stuff framing it is just right.Cloiffhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14292857276363329865noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7110021746423342105.post-45356208164098385332020-04-26T20:44:06.862-07:002020-04-26T20:44:06.862-07:00Thanks for writing this, Mike! I've downloaded...Thanks for writing this, Mike! I've downloaded the two Jack London books and will look into Villiers's and Newby's writings. I do admire that woman who stowed away! I'd always wanted to sail around the Horn in a tall ship, but I fear my sailing days are behind me now.Karen (Elizabeth)https://elizabethkrallphotos.wordpress.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7110021746423342105.post-21715358486751680352020-04-26T20:27:20.937-07:002020-04-26T20:27:20.937-07:00Sounds like an interesting book, though to be hone...Sounds like an interesting book, though to be honest I found your first-hand accounts about life in NYC right now more interesting. :) Karen (Elizabeth)https://elizabethkrallphotos.wordpress.com/noreply@blogger.com