Sunday, February 01, 2004



When asked about the genesis of The Name of the Rose, Umberto Eco famously remarked, I desired to poison a (politician).

My Love Affair With Sydney: Machiavelli meets schadenfreude
Moving to a new place, whether it's to the next town or a whole ocean away, is like starting a new romance. At first everything is wonderful. You only notice the best things about the other person and everyone is on their best behavior. Sure, there are some little quirks about them, but you consider them charming...
It’s all there in Dostoyevsky’s little novel The Gambler: the guy isn’t fully alive until he’s on the verge of falling into the abyss. I was acting out my grief in a way that made me feel alive.

· So glad it brought me out of my cave