Dale Estey's Blog
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Jun.18.2013
Kafka's first novel has a new translation and embarks upon its own voyage into the new world. Though it is not really new - it is the same old world of men and hopelessness, and it's the same old world since humans decided to live with other humans. A laff a minute, of course - if you happen to be...
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Jun.16.2013
My own father never ascribed any importance to Father's Day (nor Mother's Day, neither). He classed both as being foolish and a commercial cash grab against the gullible. Buy our cards; buy our flowers; buy our candy; buy our presents: buy buy buy.
He had, I would say, little fondness,...
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Jun.14.2013
This article contains links to the scariest horror stories of the year, thanks to the Bram Stoker Awards ( http://www.horror.org/blog/?p=3952 ).
And, as a kindness on my part, I will supply a link to the scariest short story I ever encountered. ( http://gaslight.mtroyal.ca/owhistle.htm)...
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Jun.13.2013
This review of a new biography of Kafka by Reiner Stach is a perfect encapsulation of many facets of Kafka's life and beliefs. Every sentence rings true. [DE]
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Defining Franz Kafka Proves a Kafkaesque Dilemma
Reiner Stach's Bio Addresses...
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Jun.12.2013
Books are crafted as books. Movies are crafted as movies. The two art forms do not equate. The two art forms are not mix & match. One does not adapt a book verbatim to a movie. One balances the weight of beautiful prose on the wingtip of graceful motion. It is a wonder that it ever happens...
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Jun.11.2013
An internet writing group to which I belong recently had a lengthy discussion about the pitfalls of using recognized names and places in fiction. I generally say, except for the potential publicity from being sued, why take the chance. I say this even though I have swum in these waters in an...
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Jun.10.2013
Of course we live in Kafka's world - he lived in it himself. [DE]
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Our Surveillance Society: What Orwell And Kafka Might Say
NPR
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Kafka's Binocular Vision
Image collection by everybody can have its uses. The sharing of images of the Boston Marathon helped law...
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Jun.09.2013
Although the first line of this review is almost totally in error, it is information about Kafka and not about the performance itself. Poor Franz was not the miserable person so oft depicted, nor did he feel he had such a miserable life. And though his father would, indeed, win no "Fine...
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Jun.08.2013
I have recently been given a wee bottle of Absinthe called DIABLE VERT, or, Green Devil. It is from Barcelona. It is delightfully green and promises 70% proof. I will await some evening when I do not have to function for awhile before embarking on a taste or two. I...
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Jun.07.2013
Well, I am hoping that he is right about this. He seems to have his feet in both camps, which gives a balanced perspective. Traditional publishers do have to keep abreast of the times, but I do not see why they can not just invest in, and absorb unto themselves, the possibilities of eBooks and...
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Jun.06.2013
Kafka liked children - and children liked him. He had a high old time with his nephews and nieces. He felt comfortable with them. Often, many of Kafka's shorter pieces are classed as parables, and parables are supposed to teach children. So, kiddies everywhere, here are some illustrations to...
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Jun.05.2013
Two quick answers to this - no & no. Kafka had more heterosexual encounters than most writers can shake their quill at.
I thought that the most pointless literary criticism I would read about Kafka was a Marxist Interpretation - as if Kafka could adhere to any political agenda...
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Jun.04.2013
Quite frankly, I can not beat this: [DE]
Colette had a creative ritual of plucking the fleas from Souci, her French bulldog, until she was ready to write.
http://www.vetmed.vt.edu/education/Curriculum/VM8054/HISTO%20CASEBOOK/FLEA%20DERMATITIS/DERMATITISDISCUSS.htm
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Jun.03.2013
Do you remember when books were made of pages and the pages were made of paper? Flip flip flip. Now paper is on its way to more permanence and more uses, while books become a jumble of airy nothing. [DE]
http://depositphotos.com/2510339/stock-photo-Old-paper.html...
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May.31.2013
Slavish as I am to Kafka, and wishing nothing more than more exposure for him into the current culture, I was no fan of Soderberg's first Kafka movie, Kafka.
Although I would prefer a biographical take, I did not mind the blend Soderberg made of both Kafka's actual life and his written work...
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About Dale
I owe my life to Hitler, though I never met the man. My father was paid to stop Hitler, so there is no conflict of interest. I was given a thunk on the back o' the head by God when I was fifteen, and within a week began to write. I haven't stopped. My first...
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