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Jan Baughman and Gilles d'Aymery
Sorry, not much about Nelson Mandela in this issue of Swans... He's been all over the news for a week or two, and will remain until the story moves on. But if you want to hear about a truly exceptional cultural man, then please read the tribute Peter Byrne wrote about André Schiffrin. Schiffrin may not have made the big news, but culturally he'll be more important than Mandela for generations to come. And of course, we are a bit limited because this is the time when we publish our year-end reviews, an old Swans tradition. Sadly, Raju Peddada is not a part of it, not because he has abandoned the ship, but he has been given a great opportunity to work with a major cable distributor to write and produce a documentary anthology about the India of his childhood. It's a hell of a lot of work, and unfortunately he cannot do everything at this time, but he'll be back with stories to share. Our French contingent, having decided that an English publication was not the best venue for their French writing, has taken a leave of absence. And good old Manuel García, Jr., you'll see from his review, intends not to write any longer. So it goes: yin and yang, good news and bad, but on the good side of the coin, just read the immensely sensitive piece by Glenn Reed; the general view of Peter Byrne with an Italian gist; and Guido Monte and his students, who touchingly confront what they see day after day, which is war. Then you may want to read Gilles d'Aymery because he has a good aperçu of the entire year -- not a banner year for the masses, but a typical Grand Cru for the few. Jan Baughman will enlighten you on the myriad political scandals that provided distractions throughout the year, and our dear friend from Japan, Kazue Daikoku, relates what's happening in her beloved country. It was a year of delusions of progress for Harvey Whitney, Jr., revelations for Paul Buhle, and socialist inspiration for Michael Barker, while Jonah Raskin was extremely touched by the unnecessary and uncalled for killing of a Latino boy. We'll let Manuel García speak for himself, and conclude this edition with some sage advice from Michael DeLang. As always, we'll be back in two weeks with our Infamous Predictions™ and best wishes for the New Year.
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Peter Byrne: The Death Of A Bookman, André Schiffrin 1935-2013
A look back on the rich life and work of the most important independent publisher of our ages, André Schiffrin. More...
Glenn Reed: 2013 Brings To Mind A T.S. Eliot Poem
2013 reminds the author of a well-known T.S. Eliot poem. More...
Peter Byrne: A Year Of Bitter Laughter And Loathing
2013 was another tough year, and in Italy, the best way to cope was to ignore the rest of the universe and follow their own political circus. More...
Guido Monte & His Students: War again 2013
The students of Guido Monte search for words of war from journals, books, and their hearts... with a thoughtful picture of Pippo Zimmardi. More...
Gilles d'Aymery: Not A Grand Cru
2013 was not a banner year for the author, the economy, President Obama, privacy, and the like, but it was another Grand Cru for the 1%. More...
Jan Baughman: 2013: Distractions And The Hubris Of Power
A look back at the myriad political scandals of 2013. More...
Kazue Daikoku: A Review Of 2013 In Japan
A look back at 2013 from Japan and her controversial prime minister, Shinzo Abe. More...
Harvey E. Whitney, Jr.: 2013 And Its Delusions Of Progress
2013 has been a year of both progress and stagnation, according to the author. More...
Paul Buhle: A Year Of Revelations
Despite, or because of, the disappointments with Obama, 2013 at least revealed where things stand. More...
Michael Barker: Socialist Inspiration
Why 2013 was a year of socialist inspiration. More...
Jonah Raskin: A Life And A Death In A California Town
2013 was the year that thirteen-year-old Andy Lopez Cruz was shot by a Santa Rosa sherrif, and the state rallied in support of the boy, much as people rallied for the Scottsboro defendants 80 years ago. More...
Manuel García, Jr.: A Personal Look Back From 2013
The author reflects on his ten years of writing commentaries for the Internet. More...
Advice from Michael DeLang on Harvey Whitney, Jr.s' The Two Fiefdoms Of Higher Education: agitate for higher wages but don't side with the profiteers. More...
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