Goosebumps in a department store: the conquest of a materialist temple
A few years ago, I was staying with my wonderful godparents, Jim & Sallie, at their home in Philadelphia. We had a spare mo, one afternoon, and they took me to see the phenomenon that is the Wanamaker organ in what is now Macy’s. It is the largest pipe organ in the world and is […]
For the sheer pleasure of it: evocative prose
I love some poetry – but I have to say that sometimes I find that it has been too refined, too worried at, too precious. That’s not to deny its beauty or power, of course. But still… Good prose, on the other hand, … especially if it occurs in surprising places… I find mesmerising. I […]
On Boar’s hill
Last week, I had the joy of a 24 hour-get-together with some old friends at a place just outside Oxford – at Boar’s Hill in fact. It was a place of many happy memories when I worked after graduating in Oxford – and came out to the hill for the odd picnic. It is the […]
Q enters the Wikio Literature blog rankings!
Well this is all a bit weird. But I’ve been contacted by the lovely people at Wikio to give me a sneak preview of the new November rankings for blogs on literature. And Q has entered the rankings at 14th. Which is a surprise to say the least. Certainly wasn’t aiming for this – but it’s […]
Lauren Booth’s conversion to Islam: a symptomatically western testimony?
Lauren Booth is Cherie Blair’s half-sister, and therefore Tony Blair’s half-sister-in-law. She is a journalist – and in the last few years, she has become a Muslim. So it was fascinating to read her account of her conversion to Islam in yesterday’s Guardian. She describes how her experience of meeting people in the Middle East […]
Where the ghost in the machine? Fritz Kahn’s Industrial Palace
Fritz Kahn was a remarkable man – a scientist, gynaecologist, artist, polymath – and eventually a Jewish refugee to the USA from Nazi Germany. He produced a series of extraordinary images in which he portrayed the human body as a machine. This is his most celebrated picture, Man as an Industrial Palace (from 1927). Its […]
Glimmers of hope after the Albanian Blood Feud tragedy
Having blogged a few weeks back about the tragedy of Tani Prroj, it seems that all kinds of things have been happening. It has made waves. Out of that terrible evil have come glimmers of good and redemption. A big rally against Blood-feuds took place the other day in Tirana, organised by VUSH (the Albanian […]
Q marks the spot – Treasure Map 26 (November 2010)
Sacred Treasure I only heard about this talk this week but listened to it immediately – Tim Keller on The Significance of JRR Tolkien – it’s fascinating. (It’s free but suggests making a donation to the great work of IAM). Texts are musical – Peter Leithart brilliantly unpacks the need to understand melodic lines and […]
Experiments in black and white in Norfolk
We celebrated 5th November en famille early – and here was a jammy shot from above of everyone watching a rocket head out. Yesterday we visited Langley Abbey – a family-run farm built up around a pre-Reformation Abbey, dissolved by Hank 8. There’s now a cafe and you can wander round the remaining buildings and ruins. Lovely. […]
Autumnal Clouds, Silhouettes & Reflections
Been in Norfolk for children’s half term – have had some beautiful skies. I love big skies… Here are a few…
Istanbul at night and other photographic highlights
Was in Istanbul last week doing some Langham training each evening. Which meant that I never got back to my B&B until quite late. Which also meant that I was able to pass some of the great sights after dark and when there were very few people around. Wonderful. Here are a few snaps. Top: […]
Avoiding the Keller challenge? Steve Turner’s poetic exposure of our inaction
Having had a bit of a Keller-fest on the last few postings, it struck me as rather fitting to conclude with this piercing and poignant little number from the inimitable Steve Turner. It picks up the themes of Jesus’ parable of the Sheep and the Goats, which is a text Keller picks up on in his […]
