Meet the Working Class

It's hard to make ends meet.

The Buddha in the Attic

"For three days a cold wind blew down from the mountains without stopping. Clouds of dust rose up from the fields and the bare branches of the trees thrashed against an empty gray sky. Gravestones toppled over in our cemeteries. Barn floors flew open. Tin roofs rattled. Favorite dogs ran away. A Chinese laundryman was found unconscious and bleeding on the waterfront and left behind for dead. They mistook him for one of us. A barn was set on fire in a remote island valley and the stench of dead cattle lingered downwind for days."

~~ from The Buddha in the Attic by Julie Otsuka

damp, drizzly November in my soul

“Whenever I find myself growing grim about the mouth; whenever it is a damp, drizzly [January 6] in my soul; whenever I find myself involuntarily pausing before coffin warehouses, and bringing up the rear of every funeral I meet; and especially whenever my hypos get such an upper hand of me, that it requires a strong moral principle to prevent me from deliberately stepping into the street, and methodically knocking people's hats off—then, I account it high time to get to sea as soon as I can. This is my substitute for pistol and ball. With a philosophical flourish Cato throws himself upon his sword; I quietly take to the ship.”

~~ [mostly] from Moby Dick by Herman Melville

the mention

I can't say I haven't had my moments.

Fifteen Beautiful Rare Bibles

The article includes Marc Chagall, and in the comments, there's a mention of Salvador Dali.

'Tis the season

Merry Christmas!

82

 He would have been 82 today.

The Gandhi was inspired by a trade unionist.

I learned this today.

the Pruf is in the Yiddish

I've read previously about the Bellow-Rosenfeld J. Alfred.

100,000 books

"In November, the ghetto library went beyond the figure of a hundred thousand books distributed to readers. Because of this, the library is organizing a big cultural morning recital, which will take place in the Ghetto Theater on Sunday, the 13th of this month, at noon. On the program: Opening by G. Yashunski, welcome from the ghetto chief, writers, scientific circles, teachers, and the Youth Club. Dr. Ts. Feldman will speak on 'The Book and Martyrdom,' then a lecture by H. Kruk, '100,000 Books in the Ghetto.' The second part will be a concert of words and music.

"The finale: distribution of gift books to the first reader in the ghetto and the youngest reader of the library."

~~ from The Last Days of the Jerusalem of Lithuania: Chronicles from the Vilna Ghetto and the Camps, 1939—1944 by Herman Kruk