Ashley Vaught | Erstwhile Flâneur, Philosopher

Read, Watched by Ashley Vaught

Pleasures in Reading: Edgar Lee Master’s “Spoon River Anthology”

From the "Spoon River Anthology" by Edgar Lee Masters, excerpts and commentary on the experience of its reading

2022-11-10
On Literature, Books Idle Reflections Reading Journal

Odious October 2022: Reading, Watching

Started reading W.G. Sebald, for the first time. Who turned me to "The Hunter Gracchus," by Dr. K. Also, Edgar Lee Master’s "Spoon River Anthology" … okay, perhaps not odious

2022-11-02
Monthly Reading, Viewing Report

Tyrannical Imagination: Henry James’ “An International Episode”

A passage from Henry James’ novel "An International Episode" displays the tyranny of the imagination

2022-10-29
On Literature, Books Reading Journal

Suburban Micro-Aggressions: Shirley Jackson’s short story “Flower Garden”

Shirley Jackson’s "Flower Garden" will mystify readers expecting horror, but civil discord is in no short supply

2022-10-18
On Literature, Books

Saturnine September 2022: Reading, Viewing

Greatest hits of September: "Lord of the Rings," "We Are the Best!" (2013), "The Hunt" (1966)—and I finished James Joyce’s "Ulysses"!

2022-10-03
Monthly Reading, Viewing Report

August-alia 2022: Reading, Watching

Birthday months are great for watching Antonioni trilogies, Premingers’ “In Harm’s Way,” reading “The Haunting of Hill House” and “The Shawl.”

2022-09-03
Monthly Reading, Viewing Report

2 Missing Details in Richard Linklater’s Epic Before Trilogy

The Before Trilogy is an elegant, conversational set of romantic films, notably missing some important details.

2022-08-24
On Film, Movies, Cinema Viewing Journal

Strikingly Read, Viewed: July 2022

Mostly mountainbiked during July, enjoyed the refreshing waters of Lake Willoughby Vermont, but also read Shirley Jackson’s “We Have Always Lived in the Castle,” José Saramago’s “The Double,” and Richard Linklater’s “Before Trilogy”

2022-08-07
Monthly Reading, Viewing Report

Peter Weir’s “The Plumber” (1979) Leaves Uncertain

In 1979 one of Peter Weir’s early films, "The Plumber," saw theatrical release. Little indicated his future.

2022-07-23
Viewing Journal On Film, Movies, Cinema

Heatedly Read, Watched: Boring June 2022

Heatedly read and viewed during June 2022, including José Rizal’s "Noli Me Tangere," Don Siegel’s "The Lineup" (1958), and "Wanda" (1975)

2022-07-02
Monthly Reading, Viewing Report

“The Mandalorian” Still Stinks in Season 2

A second season has not improved Disney’s popular streaming series "The Mandalorian"

2022-06-26
Confessions of a Bad Movie Watcher

Powerful May Reading, Viewing: 2022 edition

May reading and viewing of Ashley Vaught in 2022. Best of: "One Crazy Summer" by Rita Williams-Garcia, "Dubliners", and "Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy" by Ryusuke Hamaguchi