…and so far so good; the critics are full of praise for my book, Scrittori di fronte al male: Riflessioni su letteratura e politica. Writing in the popular political blog Minitrue, Ottavina Reale applauds the book for its graceful writing and solid scholarship, while over at Left Avventimenti, a weekly magazine with a circulation of well over 10,000, the cultural critic Filippo La Porta calls the collection “admirable” and singles out, in particular, my essay on Ignazio Silone for its “magisterial” character. You’ll find both reviews by clicking here and here.

The Wilson Quarterly was kind enough to ask me to review a major new biography of the Norwegian writer Knut Hamsun (1859–1952), which you will find here. There is no question about Hamsun’s being a pivotal figure in modern literature; but given his odious political sympathies and his abysmal conduct during the Nazi occupation of Norway during the Second World War, it is troubling, to say the least, to see his reputation being rehabilitated on the grounds of his literary genius.

I’m delighted to report that I’ve been elected to the Board of Trustees of Shimer College, a small, independent, four-year liberal arts college located just minutes from downtown Chicago. Now in its 157th year, Shimer’s academic programs feature an interdisciplinary core curriculum originally designed by Robert M. Hutchins of the University of Chicago and grounded in the Great Books tradition. With small classes, a dedicated teaching faculty, and a dynamic new President, Thomas K. Lindsay, Shimer offers an exciting and enduring educational experience for students and a great philanthropic cause, for those who believe in the value of the classics, to support. For more information, or to make a financial contribution to help support Shimer’s important educational mission, click here.