UPDATED (1/2/019): Meir Shalev: Easily One Of The Greatest Novelists

English, Human Accomplishment, Intelligence, Israel, Literature, Pop-Culture

I’ve been reading two classic novels by Meir Shalev in Hebrew, in the hope of reviving my extant Hebrew reading skills.

The one completed some time ago was Roman Rusi (“A Russian Novel,” translated), which was changed to The Blue Mountain. A lot hangs on the translation, naturally, but having read “Roman Rusi” (aka “The Blue Mountain“) both in English and Hebrew, I can say Hillel Halkin’s translation of that book was superb.

Shalev, for the richness of his descriptions and the depth of the depictions and characters (down to the animals), is up there with the greatest writers. Nabokov of the Israelis? Maybe, but Shalev doesn’t have Nabokov’s prurient preoccupied with decadence.

Even finer than “The Blue Mountain” is “As A Few Days,” which is currently tearing at my heart. Read it (and my non-fiction books, of course). It also goes by the title “Four Meals” or “The Loves of Judith.”

UPDATED (1/2/019):

Amos Oz was not a good writer, Tom Segev. He had nothing on Agnon, of whom he was madly jealous, or on Meir Shalev, a literary giant. I recently completed Oz’ latest door-stopper in Hebrew: undisciplined, cumbersome, narcissistic. Absolutely no literary finesse.

MORE.

UPDATED (7/27): Why’s POTUS Lashing Out At Sessions NOW? A Theory …

Donald Trump, Family, Government, Justice, Law, Russia

I was critical of Jeff Sessions early this year because he couldn’t stop groveling for nothing.

Why is it so hard for Jeff Sessions to say this: “Senators meet foreign diplomats all the the time. Establishment members are lying when they say they don’t meet with Russian diplomats. (And that includes Republican sleeper cells like Jason Chaffetz, Kevin McCarthy, Rob Portman and Barbara Comstock.)

The recusal was of a piece with this servile demeanor typically assumed by Republicans.

Via the Wall Street Journal:

Mr. Trump blamed Mr. Sessions’s recusal on the Russia probe as the reason the Justice Department named Robert Mueller as special counsel in charge of the investigation. Mr. Mueller’s appointment came after Mr. Trump fired former FBI Director James Comey, who had been overseeing the investigation.

However, President Trump had said nothing at the time. And Sessions has since proceeded to be one of the few cabinet nominees to do things consistent with Donald Trump’s campaign promises.

I’ve watched Trump closely now for close to 2 years. I believe that for him, like for most parents, it’s kids before country. And since POTUS has brought those kids of his into the affairs of the country, the anger over their perceived mistreatment is spilling over into the affairs of state.

This interview with the Wall Street Journal was given in the presence of … Ivanka Trump. Today, husband Jared Kushner got quizzed again, for the second day, by Robert Mueller, special counsel in charge of the investigation into the affair that never was: Russia.

My guess? Ivanka has been bitching to dad non-stop about her poor girlie Jared, who  underwent the Third Degree.

“An honest public servant can’t become rich in politics,” admonished Harry Truman. While Ivanka was already rich when she pressured dad to include her in his administration; the First Daughter did expect that she and family would be revered, not treated like common criminals.

And what Ivanka wants, Ivanka gets.  I think Trump has revved up his bitching at poor Sessions, suddenly, because Ivanka is bitching at the president for allowing Sessions to compromise the sainted Jared Kushner.

Just a theory.

UPDATE (7/27): Are we hoping too much for a method in the attack Sessions madness?

UPDATED (7/25): Republicans Or Democrats: Who’s More Tiresomely PC?

Conservatism, Democrats, Free Speech, Left-Liberalism And Progressivisim, libertarianism, Logic, Political Correctness, Reason, Republicans

Conservatives habitually engage in this asinine, “No, Democrats are the sexist and racist party blah, blah; we’re the good party, party of Lincoln.” “No, liberals project onto us vices they’re guilty of and we’re free of; they do what they say we do.”

Such group thinkers all.

Any libertarian worth his salt hates this thought-crime policing on both sides. Who cares who’s sexist? Who cares if you have impolitic and impolite thoughts? The more improper thinking is expressed out loud; the more we break down barriers to politically risque thinking erected by both parties. (For instance, what I said in “THE WAR ON TRUMP: The Big Picture for Conservatives, Libertarians & Liberals” was verboten in conservative circles.)

Here Mike Cernovich rejoices, via a retweet, in the GOP nominating members of so-called marginalized identity groups. If you’re all about merit and individualism, not identity, why the hell do you care? Why partake in this idiotic, Democratic dance?

There’s no difference in modus operandi between the parties. Both window dress and virtue signal and accuse each other of not doing these enough.

Another incident sees Cernovich scold the awful Ana Navarro (we have a dossier on her: http://barelyablog.com/?s=Ana+Navarro) for being nasty about Jared Kushner. Why? Navarro is right. Why is Cernovich loving on Kushner?

Kushner looks and sound like a boy in transition.

From my, “What Ivanka Wants, Ivanka Gets”:

The man’s a mouse. … The poor man looks low T—like he might one day go the way of Bruce Jenner, now Caitlyn Jenner. (I love LGBTQ, so long as they come in peace.)

Not Jared’s fault. However, Jared’s bloody bad for the country, as well. But conservatives, being part of one tribe, must defend this nincompoop, rather than rejoice that the boring Ana Navarro is being bad, breaking with political propriety. Next, cons will force Navarro to apologize to the transgender Jared.

UPDATE (7/25): THREAD ON FACEBOOK.

Both these good people (Democrats like Gabbard and Webb) are in my book as must cabinet picks for Trump. The days that I imagined prez had the good sense to follow his promise and ignore the Manhattan La Familia are GONE.

Does Liberal Political Masochism Have A Sexual Component?

Left-Liberalism And Progressivisim, Pop-Culture, Race, Religion, Sex

“On my knees for refugees” is a sign sported by the two insipid people in the tweet shared below.

Does this liberal political masochism have a sexual component? Look at these two liberal dolts. Their faces are lit up in kind of delirium. Sexual, maybe?

Prostrating themselves to The Other is almost a sexual experience for liberals; it appears to give them—and not to be indelicate—a kind of a rush.

An idea I expressed in “Are Liberals Turned-On By Turning The Other (Gluteus Maximus) Cheek?”