Footnotes to a Conversation, September 18, 2023
“The most dangerous worldview is the view of those who have never looked at the world.” – Alexander Von Humboldt
Firefighters & Artists
On the night of 29-30 December 1940, more than 100,000 bombs were dropped on London, England, causing widespread fires and destroying many buildings. Some firefighters not only fought the blazes but captured the fires’ impact in works of art. [The Guardian]
Insufferably Bright Constable Meets Charlady cum Criminal Mastermind
A Shot in the Dark by Lynne Truss is absurd, madcap comedy involving zany, over-the-top characters. In 1950s Brighton, a string of robberies leads to murder and mayhem. Inspector Steine believes in law and order, best achieved by turning a blind eye to crime. Sergeant Brunswick is lovesick, while Constable Twitten is unbearably aware of his superior intelligence. This is a silly, fun read for days when the world seems far too serious. And, yes, the punctuation is impeccable, as only to be expected from the author of Eat, Shoots & Leaves. [Lynne Truss]
Multilingual Benefits
If you have an important decision to make and you speak another language, you’ll make a more detached, flexible, and objective decision by switching to your alternate language as “people employ more careful and deliberative thinking when using their foreign language.” Speaking more than one language may also increase your tolerance for new ideas and enhance your creative thinking. [The Guardian]
Footnotes to a Conversation is a weekly Monday feature covering an assortment of topics that I’ve come across in the preceding week – books, art, travel, food, and whatever else strikes my fancy. I also post occasional articles on other dates, including frequent book reviews and travel tales.
If you share my love of nature, check out EcoFriendly West, an online publication encouraging environmental initiatives in Western Canada, and Nature Companion, a free nature app for Canada’s four western provinces.