Visited the Grande Mosquée de Paris today. Spiritual and gorgeous.

Rereading William Gardner Smith’s The Stone Face past couple of days and thinking about Aimé Césaire’s “Discourse on Colonialism” and Lillian Smith. @adamshatz.bsky.social @kerileighmerritt.bsky.social

Read Aimé Césaire’s Discours sur le colonialisme for project. If you haven’t read it, do so now. “A civilization that chooses to close its eyes to its most crucial problems is a sick civilization.” @tlecaque.bsky.social @ardenthistorian.bsky.social interminablerambling.medium.com/are-we-willi...

Took an eight mile hike today around Auvers-Sur-Oise and visited Vincent and Theo’s graves.

How Does Music Create A New Outlook? Punk in Northern Ireland During The Troubles Stiff Little Finger’s “Alternative Ulster” single cover Ever since I discovered punk during my formative years, I have gravitated towards its political and social commentary, specifically the ways that it succinctly…

One of the things I have been very interested in as I've gone to various museums during my time in Paris are the self-portraits I have seen by photographers. @jamellebouie.net medium.com/@interminabl...

Last week, I went to Église Saint-Germain-des-Prés, which is directly opposite Les Deux Magots where James Baldwin wrote. Sitting there, I thought of Baldwin. @esglaude.bsky.social @andrecarrington.bsky.social @blacktopkid.bsky.social interminablerambling.medium.com/communing-wi...

The Palliative Nature of Music in Louise Kennedy’s “Trespasses” Early in Louise Kennedy’s Trespasses, Gerry Devlin asks Cushla to accompany him to a friend’s house in Belfast for a party. On their way to the house, they encounter a checkpoint manned by young British soldiers. The young soldiers,…

Well, getting ready for the fireworks tonight.

A few years ago, I communed with James Baldwin in St Paul de Vence. Now, I am communing with him in Paris. @americanstudier.bsky.social @bradleyonishi.bsky.social interminablerambling.medium.com/communing-wi...

Last week, I went to Église Saint-Germain-des-Prés, which is directly opposite Les Deux Magots where James Baldwin wrote. Sitting there, I thought of Baldwin. @esglaude.bsky.social @andrecarrington.bsky.social @blacktopkid.bsky.social interminablerambling.medium.com/communing-wi...

Sickening and un-American. Watch authoritarianism work.

Looking back over, for current project, some things I wrote about William Gardner Smith’s “The Stone Face,” and reminded of how powerful and important this novel is. @adamshatz.bsky.social @nyrb-imprints.bsky.social interminablerambling.medium.com/come-die-wit...

What I love about going to museums is discovering new artists. Last week, I went to the Musée de l’Orangerie and discovered the work of Chaïm Soutine, someone I had never heard of until that moment. His work reminds me so much of Nikolai Astrup. interminablerambling.medium.com/upon-discove...

What I love about going to museums is discovering new artists. Last week, I went to the Musée de l’Orangerie and discovered the work of Chaïm Soutine, someone I had never heard of until that moment. His work reminds me so much of Nikolai Astrup. interminablerambling.medium.com/upon-discove...

Yesterday, visited Église Saint-Germain-des-Prés. When I first visited Paris in 2019, I went to Les Deux Magots, where James Baldwin wrote, and I didn't realize that the oldest church in Paris, dating back to the 550s, was right across the street. @esglaude.bsky.social @blacktopkid.bsky.social 1/

Yesterday, visited Église Saint-Germain-des-Prés. When I first visited Paris in 2019, I went to Les Deux Magots, where James Baldwin wrote, and I didn't realize that the oldest church in Paris, dating back to the 550s, was right across the street. @esglaude.bsky.social @blacktopkid.bsky.social 1/

What makes us love our dogs so much? I've been away from them a little over two weeks, and I miss them dearly. medium.com/@interminabl...

I just finished Albert Camus' "The Plague," an allegory of the Nazi occupation of France and fascism. Dr. Rieux's last words to the reader really hit home right now.

Why do we lve our dogs so much? I know why I do, b/c they love unconditionally. @markhamillofficial.bsky.social @kevinmkruse.bsky.social @katiephang.bsky.social @thetattooedprof.bsky.social

Two weeks before I left for France we got a new dog, Mico, & since I've been away, I've been missing Mico and Bergen a lot, When I FaceTime @yallaintrightco.bsky.social or see dogs walking around Paris, I miss them more. So, why do we love dogs so much? @weratedogs.com medium.com/@interminabl...

Just here to post this again like I do every year, not only because Douglass was one of the founding philosophers of American liberty but because I am so moved by the kids Frederick Douglass’ descendants deliver “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July”

I went to Montparnasse Cemetery today and found Alfred Dreyfus’ and Chäim Soutine’s graves, along with some others.

One of the reasons I love Paris is I discover new artists. I had never heard of Chäim Soutine before. He was part of the early twentieth century movements and died during Nazi occupation in 1943. His work reminds me so much of Nikolai Astrup.

Identity in Contested Space: The Troubles and the Invisible Border Syllabus Rob Youngston/Focus Features/Courtesy Everett Collection Near the end of Kenneth Branagh’s Belfast (2021), a coming-of-age story set at the start of The Troubles in Belfast, the nine-year-old protagonist Buddy talks with…

Wanna see some pics from my first week in Paris? Of course you do! I will have more, trust me. medium.com/@interminabl...

Good morning from the Medici Fountain!

Oh nothing just KING OF ASHES at the New Obama Library in the Obama Center!

The Power of Literature and Education in Our Lives Whenever I teach an early American literature survey course, I know that most students didn’t choose to take the course because they wanted to read American literature before 1865. Most students took the course because it filled their general…

LAST DAY! Special discount ON ILLMATIC CONSEQUENCES. #BOOKSky

Watching @lastweektonight.com recent on voting rights & redistricting & reminded of this quote from MLK about whites & the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Jeff Landry needs to read more King, but doubt that'll happen. interminablerambling.medium.com/martin-luthe...

Today was pretty chill, but did go see organist Baptiste-Florian Marle-Ouvrard perform at Église Saint-Eustache de Paris. They have organ concerts all over the city, it appears, on Sunday nights and at other times. Some, like this one, are free.

Wanna know some of the books I’ve been reading and enjoying so far this year? Well, in my recent post I write about some of them. @jancarsonwrites.bsky.social @brunoredondo.bsky.social @tomtaylormade.bsky.social interminablerambling.medium.com/what-have-i-...

Starting in 2030, all public school students in Texas will be required to read passages from the Bible in class

Today and tomorrow only, preorder LIVE LAUGH LOVE for 25% off at B&N. If JESUS AND JOHN WAYNE made you want to throw it across the room, this one’s worse. And more important. Once you see it, you won’t be able to unsee it.

At Gibert, and look who I see on the wall and on the shelf. @blacktopkid.bsky.social

Today, went to Montmarte to see the Sacre Coeur and some street art.

This is only my fourth day in Paris, with about 176 more days to go. I’ve already lost track of time and space. interminablerambling.medium.com/life-continu...

Happy to share my contribution - an essay on Elizabeth Freeman - and the entire NYTimes Magazine Visions of America project, in print July 4. Freeman’s bequest to us was the struggle for liberty, and that started with family. Read and please comment. We’re reading! www.nytimes.com/interactive/...

Night y’all! Sunset over the River Seine!

What Does Writing Mean for Students? Kim Gordon by Burak Gingi Every year, as the spring semester comes to a close, I think about some of the things I have tried to teach students over the course of the semester and academic year. As a composition teacher, my main goal is to help students become…

Wow! Iran left a thank you note in their locker room thanking LA for its hospitality during the World Cup. Be sure you read the last line: “May peace, respect, and friendship prevail among all nations.” (Source: Reuters)

Didn’t plan to go into Notre Dame today, but when the line is short, couldn’t pass it up.

I picked up The Olive Tree zine in Belfast a few weeks ago, and it epitomizes the collaborative nature of art and protest within its pages. interminablerambling.medium.com/if-we-must-l...

This week, @yallaintrightco.bsky.social & I take a look at "Christian" energy drinks & disciover a whole array of "Christian" products. Shout out to @eliotetc.bsky.social & @rickyftw.bsky.social for pointing us in this direction for this episode. It's a doozy! podcasts.apple.com/fr/podcast/w...

This week, @yallaintrightco.bsky.social & I take a look at "Christian" energy drinks & disciover a whole array of "Christian" products. Shout out to @eliotetc.bsky.social & @rickyftw.bsky.social for pointing us in this direction for this episode. It's a doozy! podcasts.apple.com/fr/podcast/w...

Some Pedagogical Changes in My Teaching Over the Past Twenty-Five Years Whenever I think about my, at this point, quarter century of teaching at both the high school and university level, I contemplate how I even became a teacher. As I’ve written about before, barely graduated with my…

Thanks for covering this important issue. @pauldjupe.bsky.social and I have been collecting data on support for repealing the 19th, and I was surprised to see the idea has gained traction. We've published some early results here: religioninpublic.blog/2025/10/21/t...

In Gladiator, Gracchus says, “I think [Commodus] knows what Rome is. Rome is the mob. Conjure magic for them, and they’ll be distracted. Take away their freedom, and still, they’ll roar.” Some reflections on this past weekend. @eliotetc.bsky.social interminablerambling.medium.com/dont-get-dis...

It's taken me a while to get to Knocked Loose, but seeing @rickyftw.bsky.social wearing their shirt a lot and hearing others talk about them, I thought it was about time to dive in. Digging "Hive Mind." www.youtube.com/watch?v=hBn7...