Tag Archives: pandemic

Story Power

Posted on March 17, 2021 by JMN

There is one form of power that has fascinated me ever since I was a girl… the power of storytelling. In this May, 2019 essay, novelist Elena Ferrante writes that the “Decameron” by Giovanni Boccaccio (1313-1375) made a great impression … Continue reading →

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The Humble Art

Posted on March 13, 2021 by JMN

I support the premise, aspirationally, that translation “involves being a writer,” to quote this article. The premise piggybacks on something I took on board long ago — that the first asset of a capable translator is to write well in … Continue reading →

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Hello, World

Posted on November 3, 2020 by JMN

I’m going into my 9th month of shielding in the Untied States looking forward to a beautiful South Texas winter. I take comfort from the life of the mind — reading, painting, music. I’m grateful for my roof, patio, pets, … Continue reading →

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Protecting the Male

Posted on October 18, 2020 by JMN

(c) 2020 JMN

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‘Horrific Surrealism’

Posted on August 5, 2020 by JMN

Behrouz Boochani wrote his book with desperate means from imprisonment in a brutal Australian camp for migrants. A collaborator from outside who helped assemble the book terms it a work of “horrific surrealism.” Boochani’s book challenges readers to acknowledge that … Continue reading →

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Food Notes 2

Posted on April 3, 2020 by JMN

America’s 2.5 million farmworkers are among the groups most at risk of contracting the coronavirus. And if they are at risk, our food supply may be too. Picture yourself waking up in a decrepit, single-wide trailer packed with a dozen … Continue reading →

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Food Notes 1

Posted on April 3, 2020 by JMN

California produces a third of the nation’s vegetables and two-thirds of its fruits and nuts… The United States relies on foreign suppliers for almost 20 percent of its food… The United States relies on foreign suppliers for 80 percent of … Continue reading →

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