Ambrose Bierce, The Devil’s Dictionary First published in 1906 as The Cynic’s Word Book, Bierce’s classic remains a defining document … Continue reading Remembering Bitter Bierce

How do you spell “r-e-l-i-e-f”? With a venerable four-letter word: Try Yelling, "F*ck!" from Funny Or Die An old English … Continue reading The Power of the Word

Profuse insincere apologies to Monty Python.   I’m an English prof and I’m okay, I work all night and sleep … Continue reading P.S. I’m an English Prof

In his May 18th Rolling Stone article “R.I.P., GOP: How Trump Is Killing the Republican Party,” Matt Taibbi writes about … Continue reading I’m a Lumberjack

How is that for an attention-grabbing title line? Discussing Shelley’s “Ozymandias” with my online English students, I was reminded of … Continue reading Poetic Interlude: Of Love, Immortality, and Putrefaction

Ted Cruz’s running mate is swallowed by the earth and Cruz doesn’t even notice: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lvppFZB0v2c Well, that’s what Carly Fiorina … Continue reading The Omen