Category Archives: All

Last Sunday, I took a rare outing beyond Rome, fifteen miles southeast to Ariccia, a historic small town in the Alban Hills, close to the picturesque volcanic lakes of Albano and Nemi. Contiguous to the larger Albano Laziale and a … Continue reading →

Over the years, there have been periods in my life when I’ve grown tired of reading, shocking as it may sound. I can’t find anything I want to read, and a lot on offer frankly bores me. When I lived … Continue reading →

There’s something about James Joyce. Once you get into him, he becomes addictive, grabs you, inspires in you some obsessive devotion, a kind of fanaticism dedicated to the man and his works, a worship. When F. Scott Fitzgerald first met … Continue reading →

Three years ago, on New Year’s Day 2023, I published a blog post about the avant-garde movement DADA and what it might mean for us today. It struck me that the essay is worth another airing, so please forgive the … Continue reading →

I don’t usually get invited to these things. I’m standing in the delightful grounds of Rome’s Villa Wolkonsky, the British Ambassador’s residence, a stone’s throw away from the Basilica San Giovanni in Laterano, full of imposter syndrome. It’s a gorgeous … Continue reading →

Almost two-centuries after its opening night, Gogol’s five-act satirical play, The Government Inspector, continues to create a stir each time it airs anew, seemingly no matter where. Maybe because corruption and self-serving double-talk aren’t just familiar features of nineteenth-century Russia … Continue reading →