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Tom Fasano

Tom Fasano

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Peter Rugg, or the Missing Man

Tom FasanoBooks1


From among his few short stories, William Austin’s fame rests primarily with one, “Peter Rugg, or the Missing Man,” which became immensely popular and a favorite of Hawthorne and Longfellow. Austin incorporates legends of the Wandering Jew and the Flying Dutchman into a New England setting, much as [[Washington Irving]] had done with Knickerbocker materials in “Rip Van Winkle.”

The storytelling method is sophisticated in that Austin recounts Rugg’s situation by means of one narrative nested within another. The frame storyteller is Jonathan Dunwell, who presents events that transpire chiefly during 1820, although there is a distortion of time that heightens the sense of the supernatural.

After spending a stormy night with friends in Concord, Rugg and his young daughter, Jenny, fail to reach Boston and are cursed thereafter to travel continuously in an antiquated carriage (even by 1820 standards) and become precursors of storms (like the older Flying Dutchman).

Originally published on September 10, 1824, in the New England Galaxy in the form of a letter to the editor but carrying the title “Some Account of Peter Rugg, the Missing Man, Late of Boston, New England, in a Letter to Mr. Herman Krauff,” it was signed “Jonathan Dunwell,” about whom nothing was known. For the next seventeen years, the true author, a local attorney named William Austin, concealed his identity.

This collection of great American short stories contains over thirty of the finest ever penned by American writers from Washington Irving to F. Scott Fitzgerald.

Ralph Waldo Emerson: Self-Reliance and Other Essays

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Three of the essays in this collection (“History,” “Self-Reliance,” “The Over-soul”) sprang from the 1836 lectures on the philosophy of history Emerson delivered at the Boston Masonic Temple.

“History” really isn’t about history but how to convert the burden of the past into a survival kit for the future. “The fact narrated must correspond to something in me to be credible or intelligible.” Emerson believed that history could not be ignored, but for it to have currency we must imagine ourselves in it. “We . . . must become Greeks, Romans, Turks, priest and king, martyr and executioner, must fasten images to some reality in our experience, or we shall learn nothing rightly.”

Emerson’s essay on the unalienated human being, “Self-Reliance,” the essay for which he is most remembered, is a synthesis of the self-rule of classical stoicism, the bildung of Goethe, the ideas of Schleiermacher, the knotty musings of Kant — translated into a coherent, accessible English. “Nothing is at last sacred but the integrity of your own mind.” But it is not a mandate for selfishness. It recommends self-reliance as a starting point — not as a goal. A better society will come about only as an association of fulfilled individuals. Whereas “Self-Reliance” emphasizes the individual, “The Over-soul” focuses on the common mind. “Self-Reliance affirms individualism; “The Over-soul affirms “that great nature in which we rest,” a nature variously described as “a common nature,” “the great heart of nature,” “the common heart,” and “the great, universal mind.” The link between these two essays is Emerson’s idea that the power of the individual is the power of our common nature.

Nothing is at last sacred but the integrity of your own mind.

Also in this collection is “The Poet,” the finest piece ever penned about literature as a process, a form of expression as fundamental as any basic drive — like sex — but also one of the main purposes of human life. Poetry is not a skill or a trade, but a reflection of the human spirit, the inner fire: “For we are not pans and barrows, nor even porters of the fire and torch bearers, but children of the fire, made of it.”

The last essay in this collection is “The Divinity School Address,” given July 15, 1838, to the senior class of the Harvard Divinity School. Emerson had not been invited by the officers of the school, but by the senior class. What he delivered that evening was so objectionable to the clergy that nearly thirty years passed before he was invited to speak again at Harvard. Emerson’s address was both an attack on formal historical Christianity and a proposition of a personal religious consciousness, a sort of declaration of the divinity of the human. Emerson ended his talk with advice that asked a lot of the young graduates: “Let me admonish you to go alone; to refuse the good models . . . and to love God without mediator or veil.” The address would be Emerson’s last face-off with organized religion, though he would remain a deeply religious and spiritual man throughout his life.

Genesis of “The Dead” by James Joyce

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For “The Dead” James Joyce drew upon an incident in Galway in 1903. There a young man named Michael (“Sonny”) Bodkin was courting Nora Barnacle (Joyce’s eventual wife), but he had tuberculosis and was soon bedridden. When Nora resolved to leave Galway for Dublin, the boy stole out of his sickbed and in the rain under an apple tree sang to Nora . Later, in Dublin, Nora learned that Bodkin was dead. When Nora first met Joyce, as she told her sister, what attracted her to him was his resemblance to “Sonny” Bodkin.

Apparently, Joyce was jealous of the dead suitor and grilled Nora ceaselessly about him. What bothered him was that her heart was still moved by the recollection of the boy’s love for her. This notion of a man in rivalry with a dead boy lying in a cemetery appears to be the genesis of Joyce’s most famous story.

Besides basing his story only on this incident, Joyce borrowed heavily from the ending of a book which is hardly read anymore, George Moore’s Vain Fortune. In that book a young bridal couple learn that a young woman whom the groom jilted has committed suicide. Both are tormented, and the bride asks her husband not to kiss her. She falls off to sleep, their marriage unconsummated, and the husband stares out the window at “the melancholy greyness of the dawn.” In that instant he realizes that his life is a failure and that his wife lacks the passion of the girl who killed herself. He does, however, achieve a sort of redemption through his agony: a resolution to try to make his wife happy. This is clearly the situation from which Joyce adroitly lifted: the dead lover who comes between the living lovers, the husband’s realization of his failure, his acceptance of mediocrity, the resolve to be at least sympathetic — it all came from this other book. Nonetheless, Joyce rarefies the story by having it arise not from the suicide of a former love but from the simple memory of the young love itself.

John Dos Passos — Three Soldiers

Tom FasanoBooks, Novelists2

The defining moment in the life of John Dos Passos came between August 16 and 20, 1917, when he experienced combat firsthand as an ambulance driver in France at the Battle of Verdun. Three days later he wrote to his friend Rumsey Marvin:

The war is utter damn nonsense—a vast cancer fed by lies and self seeking malignity on the part of those who don’t do the fighting.

Of all the things in this world a government is the thing least worth fighting for.

None of the poor devils whose mangled dirty bodies I take to the hospital in my ambulance really give a damn about any of the aims of this ridiculous affair.

Before his wartime experiences, Dos Passos had only intellectualized his feelings of rebellion nurtured at Harvard, and later embellished during his bohemian days in Greenwich Village with its political radicals such as John Reed. These were heady days for someone who wanted to work in the arts. Dos Passos saw the Armory Show, which introduced Americans to the work of Picasso and Matisse; he attended performances of the Ballets Russes; and he was deeply affected by the literary radicalism of the poets Ezra Pound and T.S. Eliot.

He had become a pacifistic, but knew that for a young man hoping to be a writer, he must experience the war firsthand. He volunteered for an ambulance unit and shipped to France on June 20, 1917. Near the end of July he joined a section of drivers headed toward the front. What he saw there was, he wrote in one of his journal entries, “horror . . . so piled up on horror that there can be no more. How damned ridiculous it all is! . . . All the cant and hypocrisy . . . all the vestiges of the old truth now putrid and false infect the air, choke you worse than German gas — the ministers from their damn smug pulpits, the business men — the heroics about war — my country right or wrong — Oh infinities of them!”

Mountain Interval by Robert Frost (1916)

Tom FasanoBooks, Poets5

The first edition of Robert Frost’s third collection of poems, Mountain Interval, was published in 1916 by Henry Holt and Company and was dedicated “To you who least need reminding that before this interval of the South Branch under black mountains, there was another interval, the Upper at Plymouth, where we walked in spring beyond the covered bridge; but that the first interval of all was the old farm, our brook interval, so called by the man we had it from in sale.” The “you” Frost refers to is his wife, Elinore, to whom he dedicated most of his books. The “South Branch” is the Frosts’ farm in Franconia, New Hampshire. The “Upper at Plymouth” is a reference to their time spent together in Plymouth, New Hampshire. “The first interval” is another reference to time spent together, this time in Derry, New Hampshire. And the brook is Hyla Brook, by Frost’s farm in Derry, which provided the title of one of the poems in this volume. According to Jay Parini in his biography of Robert Frost, Robert Frost: A Life (1999), an interval is a “New England dialect term for land in a valley.” Therefore “mountain interval” provides a double meaning, suggesting a “pause in a journey as well as a dip in the landscape” (278). “The Road Not Taken” opens the volume and perhaps makes reference to this “mountain interval.”

Initially the collection did not sell as many copies as Frost’s previous collection, North of Boston, probably because his publisher rushed the book into print. Nevertheless, it contains some of Frost’s best-known and most celebrated poems, such as “The Road Not Taken,” “Birches,” and “Out, Out—.” Frost wrote the majority of the poems during his stay in England; whereas he wrote a few before leaving for Europe and reworked them for book publication, such as “Birches” and “Putting in the Seed.”

Naturally, Frost was disappointed by the book’s lack of sales, but it was to be expected of a third volume following so quickly on the heels of two previous collections, A Boy’s Will and North of Boston. Despite the book’s abysmal sales figures, most scholars agree that it was a seminal book in the history of modern poetry, virtually on the basis of “The Road Not Taken” and “Birches.”

Is your local Barnes & Noble closing down?

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Is Barnes and Noble doomed to Borders’ fate?

Borders’ liquidation this summer should have been Barnes & Noble’s grand opportunity to grab a sizable market share, just as the warehouse book-selling superstores benefited in the past when they ruthlessly forced countless smaller and independent bookstores to board up and call it quits.

But something isn’t quite right at Barnes & Noble. Call it bad zeitgeist or whatever you want, but the vibe is all wrong. A quick check of our local store this weekend revealed aisle upon aisle, indeed entire sections of the store, stocked with non-book items, junk we’d never have seen a few years ago. One would’ve thought that putting out their own proprietary eReader (Nook) should have kept Barnes & Noble in the game, but a price-slashing war with Amazon is exposing the retailer’s financial shortcomings.

These times, they are a-changing, and Barnes & Noble can kiss their glory days goodbye.

The bookseller just emerged from another dreadful quarter. Take the Nook and its digital downloads out of the equation and the stark reality is that sales actually fell by 11% at its superstores. Unlike Amazon, which has a habit of always turning a profit, Barnes & Noble posted another wider-than-expected deficit.

Losing money and market share is a recurring theme at their superstores, and stacks of the Steve Jobs biography at a 30% markdown isn’t going to staunch the bleeding. Barnes & Noble has missed Wall Street’s profit targets in each of the past six quarters, and industry analysts see nothing but losses for all of fiscal 2012.

We’re now heading into the Christmas season, by far the most profitable part of the year for booksellers, but with so many consumers purchasing gifts cheaper online (including books), how many will be crowding the registers at your local Barnes & Noble? For the real book lover in your family, wouldn’t a Kindle make a more attractive gift? Forget the Nook. Kindle owns the eReader market.

Spontaneous Human Combustion: Fact or Fiction?

Tom FasanoScience5

Spontaneous human combustion (SHC) is a concept that has fascinated and puzzled people for centuries. The idea that a human body can suddenly burst into flames without an external source of ignition has intrigued and terrified people, appearing in both literature and alleged real-life cases. But is there any scientific basis to this phenomenon, or is it simply a myth? In this blog post, we will delve into the history, science, and mysteries surrounding SHC to separate fact from fiction.

The first known accounts of SHC date back to the 17th century, with a Danish anatomy expert describing a case from the late 14th century involving a knight called Polonus Vorstius who drank wine before bursting into flames. However, it was in the 19th century that SHC gained widespread attention, largely due to its inclusion in Charles Dickens’ novel “Bleak House.” In the novel, the character Mr. Krook, an alcoholic junk merchant, spontaneously combusts, leaving behind only a heap of ashes and a greasy coating on the walls and ceiling. Dickens defended his use of SHC by citing several real-life cases and medical opinions that supported the phenomenon.

Today, the scientific community has largely dismissed the idea of SHC as a genuine phenomenon. The human body, composed mostly of water, is not easily ignited, and the possibility of SHC occurring naturally seems remote. Proposed causes of SHC, such as bacteria, static electricity, obesity, and stress, have not been scientifically proven. While early explanations relied on outdated medical theories, modern forensic science has provided a more plausible theory known as the “wick effect.” This theory suggests that clothing or blankets can soak up melted fat from a burning body, acting like a candle wick and allowing the body to smolder for an extended period. This effect can result in the near-complete incineration of the body while leaving the surroundings relatively undamaged.

Despite the skepticism, there have been numerous reported cases of SHC throughout history. One notable example is the case of Matilda Rooney, a woman from Seneca, Illinois, who burst into flames on Christmas Eve in 1885, with her body being completely incinerated except for her feet. The fire also claimed the life of her husband, Patrick, who suffocated from the fumes. Investigators found no evidence of foul play or an external source of ignition, leading to speculation that SHC was the cause. More recently, in 2010, an Irish coroner attributed the death of 76-year-old Michael Faherty to spontaneous combustion, as his body was badly burned while the surrounding area remained largely undamaged.

While the idea of spontaneously bursting into flames captures the imagination, the scientific consensus is that SHC is extremely unlikely. The “wick effect” provides a more plausible explanation for many of the reported cases, with an external source of ignition often going undetected or destroyed by the fire. However, with a lack of concrete evidence, the mysteries surrounding SHC continue to intrigue and leave room for speculation.

“To Be or Not to Be”: The Significance of Shakespeare’s Most Famous Soliloquy

Tom FasanoTheater4

“To be or not to be” is a line known the world over. It is the first line of a soliloquy spoken by Prince Hamlet in William Shakespeare’s play Hamlet. This famous speech continues to intrigue scholars, students, and readers centuries after it was written.

Hamlet is one of Shakespeare’s most well-known tragedies, written between 1599 and 1601. The play centres on Prince Hamlet, who is grieving the murder of his father. At the start of the play, Hamlet is visited by his father’s ghost, who reveals that he was murdered by Hamlet’s uncle, Claudius. Claudius has now inherited the throne and married Gertrude, Hamlet’s mother.

Hamlet is initially determined to avenge his father’s death, but his contemplative nature leads him to waver between immediate action and reluctant inaction, rage, and despair. This internal conflict sets the stage for the famous “To be or not to be” soliloquy, which occurs in Act 3, Scene 1, often referred to as the “`nunnery scene”.

In the soliloquy, Hamlet contemplates life, death, and suicide. He weighs the pain and unfairness of life against the unknown alternative, which might be worse. Hamlet compares death to a peaceful sleep, a consummation devoutly to be wished:

“To die: to sleep; / No more; and by a sleep to say we end / The heart-ache and the thousand natural shocks / That flesh is heir to, ’tis a consummation / Devoutly to be wish’d.”

However, he acknowledges the uncertainty of what comes after death, including the possibility of an afterlife, which could be even more miserable than life:

“To die, to sleep; / To sleep: perchance to dream—ay, there’s the rub: / For in that sleep of death what dreams may come, / When we have shuffled off this mortal coil, / Must give us pause.”

This uncertainty is what ultimately gives Hamlet pause when considering suicide. He recognises that the fear of the unknown after death is what keeps people bearing the burdens of life:

“But that the dread of something after death, / The undiscovered country from whose bourn / No traveller returns, puzzles the will / And makes us rather bear those ills we have / Than fly to others that we know not of?”

The “To be or not to be” soliloquy is a profound exploration of existential questions and the human condition. Hamlet grapples with the choice between life and death, the known and the unknown, and the struggle between action and inaction. This internal conflict is universal and timeless, which is why the soliloquy continues to resonate with audiences today.

The soliloquy is also a key moment in the play as it reveals Hamlet’s psychological makeup and his struggle with the moral question at the heart of the play: whether it is right for him to avenge his father’s death by killing Claudius. Hamlet’s obsession with life and death is not just about his own existence but also about the potential consequences of his actions. The soliloquy highlights Hamlet’s intelligence and his attempts to grapple with a difficult decision.

And of course the soliloquy is significant for its language and literary devices. Shakespeare uses metaphors, metonyms, repetition, and anadiplosis to create a powerful and imaginative speech. The opening line, with its balance and structure, is especially memorable and has entered the collective consciousness.

“To be or not to be” is more than just a memorable line. It is a profound exploration of life, death, and the human condition. The soliloquy reveals Hamlet’s character and the complex moral questions at the heart of the play. Through its language and themes, the soliloquy continues to capture the imagination of audiences and scholars, ensuring its enduring legacy in literature and popular culture.

The 7 Worst Parasitic Worms

Tom FasanoScience2

The world of parasitic worms is both fascinating and horrifying. These uninvited guests can wreak havoc on their hosts, causing pain, discomfort, and even death. Here’s a list of seven parasitic worms that are particularly notorious for their impact on humans and other organisms.

1. Guinea Worm (Dracunculus medinensis)

The Guinea worm, also known as “dragon worm,” is a spaghetti-like parasite that infects its hosts through contaminated water sources. The female worm can grow up to a meter long and emerges from the skin, usually on the legs or feet, causing a burning pain. The only way to remove the worm is to gradually wrap it around a stick, a process that inspired the design of the caduceus, the symbol of the medical profession.

2. Tapeworms (Taenia solium)

Tapeworms are flatworms that infect humans through the ingestion of eggs or larvae, often found in undercooked meat or contaminated food. They attach themselves to the intestinal wall and can also burrow into muscles, skin, eyes, or the brain, causing cysticercosis, a serious condition that can lead to death.

3. Pinworms (Enterobius vermicularis)

Pinworms are common intestinal parasites, especially in children. They cause itching around the anal opening as the female pinworms lay their eggs during sleep. The eggs are then accidentally ingested, perpetuating the cycle of infection.

4. Heartworms (Dirofilaria immitis)

Heartworms are foot-long worms transmitted by mosquitoes. They can live in the hearts of dogs and cats for five to seven years, causing cardiovascular blockages. They have also been found in various parts of the human body, including the brain, eyes, lungs, and testicles.

5. Nematodes (Ascaris lumbricoides)

Nematodes are large intestinal worms transmitted through the ingestion of eggs, usually from contaminated soil or feces. They are characterized by a mouth surrounded by three lips and are estimated to infect over a billion people worldwide, causing tens of thousands of deaths each year.

6. Whipworms (Trichuris trichiura)

Whipworms are tiny, measuring about four centimeters in length, but they are highly prolific, with mature females laying thousands of eggs daily in the colons of infected individuals. Close to a billion people are infected with whipworms, which can cause discomfort and health issues.

7. Australian Paralysis Tick (Ixodes holocyclus)

Although not a worm, this tick deserves a mention due to its devastating impact. The Australian paralysis tick secretes a neurotoxin that causes paralysis, and if it affects the lungs, it can lead to death from respiratory failure. There is currently no antivenom for this tick’s toxin.

These parasitic worms highlight the diverse and insidious ways in which certain organisms exploit their hosts, causing discomfort, illness, and sometimes even death. They serve as a reminder of the ongoing battle against parasitic infections and the importance of public health initiatives to control and eradicate these unwelcome guests.

© 2024 Tom Fasano

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