We’re All Traveling Through the Dark
Many of the outstanding poets of the late 20th century were deeply troubled men and women. William Stafford was refreshingly normal, and from all I’ve read, a good and decent man. There is always ambiguity at the heart of his poems, the presence of something uncanny. Stafford’s writing is spare, stripped down to the fewest and simplest words needed to convey meaning.
Traveling Through the Dark evokes the uncanny way that mundane moments suddenly become weighted with significance. We are confronted with decisions that are ours alone to make, that must be made, and yet the light we have is inadequate for us to be sure we’re seeing clearly and choosing wisely. This brief, simple poem has much to say. Close your eyes and listen for it.
- Jack Jr.
The Long Ships
Do you have any books that you love, but aren’t particularly well known? There are several books on that list for me, and one of them is The Long Ships. Written by Swedish author Frans Bengtsson, The Long Ships follows the adventure of a viking named Red Orm. It has the adventure you would expect from a viking novel, and I personally really enjoy watching Red Orm take part in historical battles and interact with kings and warriors from the past.
It is also very funny, which might not be something you would expect from an historical Swedish viking novel. But it is! I’m reading it now for the second time and it’s better than I remember. If The Long Ships sounds like a bit of a slog, it is quite the opposite. It isn’t a particularly famous book in the US, but maybe we can change that.
- Jack III
I read The Long Ships a few years ago and it is delightful - your brother James recommended it to me, Jack III. As soon as I read it I sent it as a gift to an old friend - he and I had read many of the same books over the years. A week later I got this note: "Devoured The Long Ships. I can't remember the last time I was this entertained. How did we miss this?"