Invention of self

“Life is other than what we write.“ André Breton, Nadja (1928) Friday 7 March 2025 Landschlacht, Schweiz Above: Landschlacht, Canton Thurgau, Switzerland Literature is both a mirror and a chisel: One reflecting the world as it is. The other carving out the world as it could be. This blog may not be literature, but the… Continue reading Invention of self

Child heroes

Thursday 18 April 2023 (continued) Eskişehir, Türkiye “With those children, Winston thought, that wretched woman (Mrs. Parsons) must lead a life of terror. Another year, two years, and they would be watching her night and day for symptoms of unorthodoxy. Nearly all children nowadays were horrible. What was worst of all was that by means… Continue reading Child heroes

Canada Slim and the Author’s Apartment 3: The Diplomat

Landschlacht, Switzerland, Tuesday 8 September 2020 It must be difficult for followers of this first of two blogs to remain faithful and patient with the Chronicles of Canada Slim as they are not as often written as those of Building Everest.       To those who are new to the Chronicles, these posts are… Continue reading Canada Slim and the Author’s Apartment 3: The Diplomat

Canada Slim and the Family of Mann

Landschlacht, Switzerland, 12 August 2018 Perhaps I should have been recovering from yesterday’s Street Parade in Zürich, at present the most attended techno-parade in the world. Officially it is a demonstration for freedom, love and tolerance attended by up to one million people. In reality it has all the character of a popular festival, despite… Continue reading Canada Slim and the Family of Mann

The walk of life

“They do the walk. They do the walk of life.” (Dire Straits, “Walk of Life”, Brothers in Arms) “Our neighbourhoods aren´t all that hostile… I have a thousand times more often encountered friends passing by, a sought-for book in a store window, compliments and greetings from my loquacious neighbours, architectural delights, posters for music and… Continue reading The walk of life