Emily Wilson's 2017 translation of The Odyssey was a very different read for me. I had read a couple of versions of The Odyssey in my younger life. But her fresh translation of Homer came highly recommended, and I decided to give it a try. The destination was the same, but the journey was quite different. …
Continue reading Decoding the Odyssey: a fresh look at an old saga
The azaleas, daffodils and hyacinths are blooming; Passover and Easter celebrate rebirth. Spring blooms, however, are evanescent. We look for more lasting signs of hope, especially in the chaotic political world around us. Dare we see this as such a sign? Harvard University has straightened its institutional backbone and is standing up to Donald Trump. …
Continue reading Spring and a growing handful of stand-ups bring hope
Safekeep, a debut novel by Yael van der Wouden, won the 2024 Booker Prize, and the award was well deserved. Set in the Netherlands in 1961, it focuses on Isabel, the only one of three siblings caring for the big old house in which she grew up. Brother Hendrick has moved on to a gay …
On April 2, the Massachusetts legislature heard testimony on a bill giving suffering people in the last six months of their lives the legal option of self-administered, doctor-prescribed medicine for a more gentle passing. The fight for this right has been going on for more than a decade on Beacon Hill. It's well past time …
Continue reading Don’t let end-of-life options bill die again
For Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey, her high spirits and steely dedication are a year-round demeanor. The former co-captain of Harvard University's women's basketball team and a starter on a professional team in Austria applies the competitive drive and shrewd strategic sense to everything she does in government. We saw those qualities when, as Attorney General, …
Continue reading March Madness and Maura Healey’s full-court press
Marjorie Arons-Barron 