Monthly Archives: June 2017

Book Review: The Story Of Yiddish

Posted on June 21, 2017 by nathanalbright

The Story Of Yiddish:  How A Mish-Mosh Of Languages Saved The Jews, by Neal Karlen My own relationship with Judaism and the Jewish culture have long been deeply ambivalent and complicated.  Belonging from birth to an religious tradition that has … Continue reading →

Posted in American History, Book Reviews, History | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Book Review: By Hook Or By Crook

Posted on June 21, 2017 by nathanalbright

By Hook Or By Crook:  A Journey In Search Of English, by David Crystal As someone who greatly enjoys reading about the origins and the tortured history of the English language [1] and languages in general, I found this book … Continue reading →

Posted in Book Reviews, History | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Juneteenth: A Case Study In Acceptable Holidays

Posted on June 20, 2017 by nathanalbright

One of the more obscure holidays on the American calendar is that of Juneteenth, celebrated on June 19th, the day the Emancipation Proclamation became known in Texas.  Given that I have a somewhat critical attitude towards the celebration of many … Continue reading →

Posted in American Civil War, American History, History, Musings | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

Book Review: Inventing English

Posted on June 20, 2017 by nathanalbright

Inventing English:  A Portable History Of The Language, by Seth Lerer Fond readers of this blog, at least those who pay attention to my book reviews, will likely note that I am fond of reading about linguistics for fun [1]. … Continue reading →

Posted in Book Reviews, History | Tagged , , | 6 Comments

Book Review: Language Matters

Posted on June 20, 2017 by nathanalbright

Language Matters:  A Guide To Everyday Questions About Language, by Donna Jo Napoli and Vera Lee-Schoenfeld As someone who reads a fair amount of material concerning the practical implications for linguistics [1], even if I am generally far more interested … Continue reading →

Posted in Book Reviews, History | Tagged , | 2 Comments

How I Profitably Spent My Father’s Day

Posted on June 19, 2017 by nathanalbright

Given the complicated personal history I bring to Father’s Day [1], I tend not to make a great many plans for today.  It so happens though that I received an invitation to go over with some friends and I figured … Continue reading →

Posted in Musings | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Book Review: Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation

Posted on June 19, 2017 by nathanalbright

Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation:  The End Of Slavery In America, by Allen C. Guelzo Wading into the argument of Lincoln’s Emancipation proclamation, noted Lincoln scholar Allen Guelzo [1] seeks to place this most notable and prosaic of Lincoln’s pronouncements into a … Continue reading →

Posted in American Civil War, American History, Book Reviews, History | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Book Review: Emancipating Lincoln

Posted on June 19, 2017 by nathanalbright

Emancipating Lincoln:  The Proclamation In Text, Context, And Memory, by Harold Holzer I feel it necessary to freely own that there was a lot that I simply did not like about this book.  Although in the past I have been … Continue reading →

Posted in American Civil War, American History, Book Reviews, History | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

The Magnificat Of Mary

Posted on June 18, 2017 by nathanalbright

[Note:  This is the prepared text for a sermonette given on June 17, 2017 at the United Church of God congregation in Hood River, Oregon.] I promised you all last Sabbath when you visited Portland that I would have a … Continue reading →

Posted in Bible, Biblical History, Christianity, Church of God, History, Maternal Lines, Music History, Musings, Psalms, Sermonettes | Tagged | 5 Comments

Book Review: When General Grant Expelled The Jews

Posted on June 18, 2017 by nathanalbright

When General Grant Expelled The Jews, by Jonathan D. Sarna If you are familiar with the writings of this author at all, you have some idea that this is a book about Jewish history in America.  My only knowledge of … Continue reading →

Posted in American Civil War, American History, History, Military History | Tagged , , | 4 Comments