David J. Goodwin
Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays!
Wishing a wonderful Christmas and holiday season to all my readers. Treasure this time of year. I’ll be taking a short break from blogging to partake in the festivities. See you in 2019!
Re-Encountering Ebenezer: A Holiday Read
This time of year, I always try to read a work by Charles Dickens. I associate his Victorian novels with chilly days and early nights. Recently, I reread A Christmas Carol, one of the more beloved and adapted pieces of English literature.
Winslow Homer’s Atlantic Home
This past October, my wife and I shared a wonderful vacation in Portland, Maine. Not surprising to anyone acquainted with us, we visited several historic homes. The American artist Winslow Homer lived and worked in Maine for nearly thirty years. His studio was a must-see. Coincidentally, we signed up for the final tour of the…
A Diet of Books & Art
For the next several months, I’ll be spending a large amount of my leisure time at the New York Public Library. Why? I’m diving deep into a topic which I hope to shape into my next book.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Wishing my readers a wonderful Thanksgiving. I hope that you’ll be sharing a delicious meal with friends and family. On “Black Friday,” forgo the shopping. Continue to partake in the simple joys of hearth and home. Spend a day on the elements of life truly deserving thanks.
A Maine Dispatch
In late October, my wife and I traveled to Portland, Maine for a much anticipated vacation. Colleagues and friends told us great things about the city. Besides, shouldn’t one visit New England in autumn? Portland’s concentration and quality of creative businesses and arts institutions delighted and impressed us. Bookstores, cafes, restaurants, quirky shops, museums–Portland has…
Washington Irving & The Legend of Jersey City
On October 25, 2018, I participated in a Halloween event at the Apple Tree House in Jersey City, New Jersey. The program was entitled “Washington Irving & The Legend of Jersey City.” The Jersey City Office of Cultural Affairs and the Jersey City Landmarks Conservancy served as hosts, and the New Jersey Council for the…
A Halloween Classic
Every October, I celebrate the Halloween season by reading a collection or two of ghost stories. I fell in love with such tales during my childhood. Recently, I happened upon an excellent documentary on the author H. P. Lovecraft. In this film, John Carpenter, famous for directing Halloween and other genre classics, recollected first encountering…
Autumn Intermission
Due to looming deadlines and two public events scheduled for next week, I’ll be taking a short sabbatical from my blog. I aim to return before October’s end.
Christopher Columbus & Washington Irving
The current historic interpretation and understanding of Christopher Columbus stands as complicated. To put it mildly. Controversy aside, Christopher Columbus figured prominently in the formation of a uniquely American cultural identity. This seems to be forgotten today amid our debates over identity politics and historical grievances. Proof: Washington Irving, the writer with whom I’ve been…