Backward Mutters

  • Review: Robert Frost’s Poems

    Robert Frost’s Poems by Robert Frost My rating: 5 of 5 stars I’ve been familiar with Frost’s poetry–I’ve read or sung a good bit of it from High School to Randall Thompson’s setting of Frost’s poetry to music, Frostiana. In a seminar class we read “Home Burial”. The professor shared…

  • Review: The Kite Runner

    The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini My rating: 4 of 5 stars A review on the back cover calls this book a “no frills, no nonsense, just hard sparse prose…”. The narrative is plot based rather than language based. By that I mean, the story propels you forward rather than…

  • Review: The Horse and His Boy

    The Horse and His Boy by C.S. Lewis My rating: 5 of 5 stars One of my favorites in the Narniad. Very mercurial. View all my reviews

  • "…loved I not honor more."

    To Lucasta, Going to the Wars 1Tell me not (Sweet) I am unkind,That from the NunneryOf thy chaste breast, and quiet mind,To War and Arms I flee. 2True, a new Mistress now I chase,The first Foe in the Field;And with a stronger Faith embraceA Sword, a Horse, a Shield. 3Yet…

  • 150th Anniversary of "The Late Unpleasantness"

    Regimental Colors of the 61st Ohio Volunteers   In recognition of the start of the greatest trial the United States has faced, I want to acknowledge my ancestors who served their country in this war. My great-great-great grandfather Samuel Leet Fite who served in Company C of the 66th Indiana Infantry. My…