Ashley Vaught | Erstwhile Flâneur, Philosopher

‘Tis Short Story Month

During this lovely autumn month I will read a new short story each day and then write a brief post about the story. A different author each day.

2020-10-02
On Literature, Books Short Story Month

George Saunders’ “CivilWarLand in Bad Decline”

George Saunders’ short story collection, CivilWarLand in Bad Decline, was born in a minimum security prison in central Pennysylvania

2020-09-17
Reading Journal On Literature, Books

August 2020: Read, Viewed

During the hot days of August my tremendous appetite to read was momentarily sated by more Tolstoy (eternally), James Baldwin, and even a little G.K. Chesterton.

2020-09-12
Monthly Reading, Viewing Report

Reading Slowly: “War and Peace”

Why reading slowly, especially War and Peace, should be practiced with solicitude, so as to fully appreciate the journey reading is.

2020-08-09
On Literature, Books Faves

Read Viewed Consumed 2020-07

The books and films that I read and viewed during the month of July 2020, including The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp, Brief Encounter, and others.

2020-08-02
Monthly Reading, Viewing Report

Hither hocus pocus?

On the phrase “hocus pocus,” from Marina Warner’s essay “Spellbound” on the book Drawing Down The Moon

2020-07-19
On Ideas, Concepts, Intuitions

The Genius of Ozu’s “Good Morning” (1959)

Children in Good Morning protest social mores because they fail to appreciate the rules governing the relations of families and neighbors.

2020-07-14
Faves On Film, Movies, Cinema Viewing Journal

Read Viewed Consumed 2020-06

George Floyd was killed | among twenty snowy mountains | the only moving thing was the eye of the blackbird | what I read was this

2020-07-05
Monthly Reading, Viewing Report

What is a flâneur?

An explanation of the cryptic subtitle of my site, namely, that I am an erstwhile flâneur.

2020-06-28
Faves On Ideas, Concepts, Intuitions

Is Writing About Bad Movies a Waste?

In which I performatively answer the question with reference to an episode of The Mandalorian, whether one should write about bad movies/televisions shows.