The Sad Story of Henry

This is really the sad story of vanity gone wrong. Henry’s extreme narcissism backfires:

Ringo Starr narrates The Sad Story of Henry

 

Sometimes It's True

“Everybody always talking ‘bout how everything was always better before we born.  But I think them just say that to make them feel like them know better things than us.”

– Staceyann Chin in her memoir, The Other Side of Paradise

Hang if You Can Hang

After Jaspers had gone, Lilian asked, “Can you really do something for him?”

“Find out tomorrow,” Hall said.

“Why tomorrow?”

“Why not tomorrow?”

“Because you’ve left Mr. Jaspers and me hanging, and that’s not nice.”

“No it is not, “Hal admitted. “But it is extremely life-like. I have observed in my travels that life is precisely the state of hanging. The moral is, you must enjoy everything while hanging, because hanging is all you’ll ever be able to do.”

“Oh dear, that’s too deep for me.”

“Then go type a letter, or whatever it is you think you’re supposed to do.”

-       From Trip Out by Robert Sheckley

The Spiral Staircase

I did not speak of my old life to anybody, and most people assumed that I had, therefore, simply put the past behind me.

...

We should probably all pause to confront our past form time to time, because it changes its meaning as our circumstances alter. Reviewing my own story has made me marvel at the way it all turned out. I am now glad that after all I did not simply “begin the world.” Something more interesting happened instead – at least, I think.

--From Karen Armstrong's book about life after leaving the convent.

Bibliotheque Nationale de France

Book lover's dream

Courtesy Peter's Paris

I think I had a physical reaction to this picture the first time I saw it.

The National Library of France (Bibilothèque nationale de France – “BnF”) has its origins from the 14th century, then Royal. Since 1537 there is an obligation, still in force, that a copy of all printed matters must be deposited. 

Simple Stakes A Claim

"'Then he walked off, mad with me for not being proud of him for being proud of himself for keeping me out of decent schools all these years where I should of been going all the time until he let me in. But I see nothing for me to proud of in going where I ought to have been. Do you?'

'Most decent people feel that great victories have been won,' I said.

'Do you mean to say then that I ain't decent?' asked Simple

'I don't know what to say about you,' I said

'Did I ask you to say anything?' asked Simple"

--from "Great but Late" by Langston Hughes from the Simple Stakes A Claim collection