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HOME RANGE: Notes on Literature, Nature, Working Dogs, History, Martial Arts, Other Obsessions and Sundry Annoyances by Henry Chappell

A Few Words in Favor of Literary Conservatives

A few weeks back, in Financial Times, Janan Ganesh put in a few good words for literary conservatives – an endangered species nowadays. Being a man of conservative sensibility myself, and a novelist, I read the column with surprise and satisfaction. Here’s Ganesh:

“A dark view of humans, a certain resignation to the imperfectibility of things, is what marks literature out from the idealistic arts. We expect actors and musicians to be left-liberal. When Meryl Streep uses an awards podium as a bully pulpit, and Lily Allen tweets against Brexit, they are doing what entertainers always do. Visual artists, too, at least in the 20th century and since, subvert political authority, organised religion and commerce."

Read the whole thing.

Update: The Financial Times website won't let me simply copy and paste a link to the column, and I'm too lazy to figure out a work-around. But you can google "literary conservatives" and "financial times" and get to the column.
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Come one, come all!

If you'll be in the Cleburne, Texas area this coming Thursday, I'd love to see you. I've got your talk, your books, and, most importantly, a bunch of Wyman Meinzer's photos to show you. I'll always have a soft spot for small town libraries. My thanks to Tina Dunham, Amy Graham, and the other great folks with the Cleburne Public Library.

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