The Owl of Minerva

17aug’25

Jericho Mosaic, the final book of The Jerusalem Quartet. A bit more procedural but still so delicate. I am so happy I came across Edward Whittemore’s work. 4/5

Tajar grumbled and shook his head and went shuffling off in his awkward gait. Nobody’s just finished, he thought. It doesn’t happen like that to a people. Doesn’t our own history prove it doesn’t? You can’t just humiliate a people and expect good to come from it. Anyway, nations don’t learn lessons the way a child does, history isn’t as simple as that. People learn to hide and survive or hate and survive or dream and survive, but the one thing they do is survive and not with acceptance in their hearts for those who humiliate them. A million more Arabs under Israeli rule? It’s impossible. It can’t be, it won’t work.

Edward Whittemore, Jericho Mosaic

Ghosting isn’t always cruelty; sometimes it’s collapse. But let’s be honest: silence isn’t clarity. It’s avoidance dressed up as boundary-setting. It doesn’t spare someone’s feelings, it just leaves them with unanswered questions and a story they have to finish alone.

Miski Omar, I’m not ignore your message

07aug’25

Chef’s Table: Legends “Jose Andres”. The season is maddly impressive and this episode in particular is impactful in so many ways! “Life starts at the edge of your comfort zone”, looking at a held-up photo sheet print from a book concept discussion – “Why this looks like basmati rice”.

Destiny, he murmured, my destiny. What a droll thing life is. This mysterious and merciless arrangement of logic for a futile purpose.

Edward Whittemore, Nile Shadows
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