This is wonderful. I have spent half my life studying literature (.history the other half) mainly of Russia and Poland. This was one of the most engaging, well-put together essay I have read. I could see and hear what you described and got a sense of the ebb and flow of life—sometimes difficult sometimes delightful I’m sorry if I am a pompous ass, but I really was enchanted.
Thank you for this comment; it is high praise indeed. I confess that I've been disappointed that only one other person has commented on this post. I worked hard on it for a long time. So it is very gratifying when somebody writes to tell me that it has touched them the way it has touched you, as I hoped it would.
And please, no talk of you being a pompous ass. There is nothing pompous or asinine about telling a writer that their work moved you, or including a little introduction about yourself when you do.
I enjoy all your writing, political and otherwise. I shall read this next essay very soon (today). Please forgive typos when I comment—in my enthusiasm I tend to err on the keyboard or not notice I have been auto-corrected.
I could not have imagined life in desert conditions, but your essay really gave me a feeling for it. The poor goat, your neighbors, the mother, the beasties in the food, all made a real impression. I could see it all.
So many thanks for all your work. I am surprised and sorry more people didn’t respond. They may be nervous because you are a well-known person. I was fortunate to be trained with some of “the best and the brightest”, so I am not easily dissuaded from speaking out. I ate lunch on many occasions with Andrew Sullivan in my dining hall where I was a Resident Tutor. I got heckled for my pro-Choice beliefs. Having been chief of the Oxford Union when he was an undergraduate, he is a fierce debater. But perhaps not a fair one. I chastised him for criticizing Kamala Harris. He said she had failed to say why she was running for President, or what she planned for America’s future. To my mind those are questions which will almost always result in vapid answers, and are not important in the larger scheme of things. I asked if he was parsing Trump’s speeches as carefully. He indicated he was. He knows better than to be spreading any doubts at this juncture. He said he could not vote for Trump, though I gather he likes Vance (?). I think he is showboating. I find Vance repugnant. He would be so much worse than Trump.
F-ing excellent.
Thank you.
This is wonderful. I have spent half my life studying literature (.history the other half) mainly of Russia and Poland. This was one of the most engaging, well-put together essay I have read. I could see and hear what you described and got a sense of the ebb and flow of life—sometimes difficult sometimes delightful I’m sorry if I am a pompous ass, but I really was enchanted.
Alexandra,
Thank you for this comment; it is high praise indeed. I confess that I've been disappointed that only one other person has commented on this post. I worked hard on it for a long time. So it is very gratifying when somebody writes to tell me that it has touched them the way it has touched you, as I hoped it would.
And please, no talk of you being a pompous ass. There is nothing pompous or asinine about telling a writer that their work moved you, or including a little introduction about yourself when you do.
I do hope you'll read at least one of my other essays that touch on my time in Fanaye — I suggest starting with The Dark Side of the Hut: https://open.substack.com/pub/johnsundman/p/the-dark-side-of-the-hut-50-years?r=38b5x&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
Kind regards, and thanks again,
jrs
I enjoy all your writing, political and otherwise. I shall read this next essay very soon (today). Please forgive typos when I comment—in my enthusiasm I tend to err on the keyboard or not notice I have been auto-corrected.
I could not have imagined life in desert conditions, but your essay really gave me a feeling for it. The poor goat, your neighbors, the mother, the beasties in the food, all made a real impression. I could see it all.
So many thanks for all your work. I am surprised and sorry more people didn’t respond. They may be nervous because you are a well-known person. I was fortunate to be trained with some of “the best and the brightest”, so I am not easily dissuaded from speaking out. I ate lunch on many occasions with Andrew Sullivan in my dining hall where I was a Resident Tutor. I got heckled for my pro-Choice beliefs. Having been chief of the Oxford Union when he was an undergraduate, he is a fierce debater. But perhaps not a fair one. I chastised him for criticizing Kamala Harris. He said she had failed to say why she was running for President, or what she planned for America’s future. To my mind those are questions which will almost always result in vapid answers, and are not important in the larger scheme of things. I asked if he was parsing Trump’s speeches as carefully. He indicated he was. He knows better than to be spreading any doubts at this juncture. He said he could not vote for Trump, though I gather he likes Vance (?). I think he is showboating. I find Vance repugnant. He would be so much worse than Trump.
Anyway, I look forward to more desert.