Ameliorate – to grow better or less severe
“That private charity could only ameliorate conditions would be revealed to [Theodore Roosevelt Sr’s] son a generation later.”
Lion in the White House, Aida D. Donald
Month: February 2023 (Page 2 of 4)
I am home sick today, so I decided to grab this small book off my shelf. Poems of the Irish People is a pocket-sized compilation of Irish poetry printed by Fall River Press. I chose this for today as a break from my current, more intense readings. (Hey, I’m sick, so I really don’t feel like reading biography today.) I already finished part one, poems about The Land. Some of the poems hail the beauties of Ireland; others mourn the fact that the author may never see their fair land again. I’m about to start part two, The Lore. I’m looking forward to the poems of leprechauns and Fair Folk. The third part is The People. I’m not sure what poems await – possibly a few ballads about lost loves. I’ll let you know what I think when I’ve finished, and I’ll try to share a few poems with you later. Now, back to Ireland.
Ebullient – overflowing with enthusiasm, high spirits, etc; showing much exuberance or exhilaration
“[Roosevelt’s] ebullient and joyful persona entranced voters.”
from the introduction to Lion in the White House, Aida D. Donald
“The colonel [Roosevelt] was probably the best-known politician in the country, having been a military hero and in public life since the age of twenty-three. His ebullient personality, varied talents, war record, and reputation as a reformer – although a not wholly successful one – in an age of acute conservatism made him a popular figure.”
Lion in the White House, Aida D. Donald
'Tis said the pipe and lute that charm our ears
Derive their melody from rolling spheres;
But Faith, overpassing speculations bound
Can see what sweetens every jangled sound.
We, who are parts of Adam, heard with him
The song of angels and of seraphim.
Our memory, though dull and sad, retains
Some echo still of those unearthly strains.
Oh, music is the meat of all who love,
Music uplifts the soul to realms above.
The ashes glow, the latent fires increase;
We listen and are fed with joy and peace.
("Remembered Music" translated by R.A. Nicholson, Rumi, printed 2006)
Today, like every other day, we wake up empty and frightened. Don’t open the door to the study and begin reading. Take down a musical instrument.
A Quatrain by Rumi, Rumi, translated by Coleman Barks
Let the beauty we love be what we do. There are hundreds of ways to kneel and kiss the ground.
“He often put frogs under his hat, letting them leap out as he saluted friends on the street, dropped snakes in water glasses at the dinner table, and hid odd creatures in the icebox.”
Lion in the White House, Aida D. Donald
I wrote a few days ago that I was switching genres to read this biography of President Theodore Roosevelt. I’m only two chapters in, but I am thoroughly enjoying it. I don’t read a lot of biographies because I subconsciously deem them “boring”. I suppose if the subject is boring, then the book will be too. However, the subject of Theodore Roosevelt is anything but boring. I think that’s why I was drawn to this book.
I bought my hardcover copy on sale at Barnes and Noble with a gift card. In fact, I’m pretty sure it was one of the first gift cards my new boyfriend gave me. (That boyfriend has since become my husband.) I’m pretty sure I was trying to impress him by buying educational and historical books instead of the fiction I am usually drawn to.
I chose Lion in the White House because President Theodore Roosevelt is my favorite president. Though I never made a point to read his writings, or even to read about him, I knew that he had accomplished great things in his lifetime. I suppose you could say I have admired him at a distance. I am excited to read this little book to gain better insight into Roosevelt’s life. Already I have been impressed by how much he wrote at a young age. He kept a diary as he grew up, chronicling his illnesses, his love of nature, his family, and his travels. As a child, even during illnesses, he was quite the handful. He strove for excellence in his education, mastering college preparation in two years instead of the usual three. When he graduated Harvard, Roosevelt “ranked twenty-first in a class of 177.”
Lion in the White House: A Life of Theodore Roosevelt by Aida D. Donald has been “hailed as the best short biography of Theodore Roosevelt ever written”, according to the front flyleaf of the cover. “Avoiding the pitfalls of excessive detailing, Donald vividly portrays one of the most colorful and ambitious figures in American history.” I will keep you updated as I read, but I think I shall enjoy this biography.
Happy Saturday, my friends! Today, I want to show you my newest book. See that great volume sitting next to my records? That is my new (to me) Webster’s New Twentieth Century Dictionary Unabridged Second Edition. Isn’t it beautiful?!
My dad works at a few local elementary schools, and he saw the dictionary on a teacher’s shelf. He started telling her about me, and how much I love books and reading, and even about this blog. In turn, she told him how her grandfather had used this dictionary in college. It has a great history. Later that day, she flagged my dad down and said if I would really love the book then I could have it. She wanted it to belong to someone who would enjoy it. Now here it is, on display in my library. I will be writing some New Words posts today, and I intend to use my new dictionary for definitions.
If you ever read my blog, Ms. S, thank you so much for this lovely Webster’s Dictionary!
Cavalier – casual; lighthearted; showing a lack of proper concern
“Mancuso frowned at his chart, nervous at being forced to pilot the massive submarine in so cavalier a manner.”
The Hunt for Red October, Tom Clancy
Temporize – to be indecisive or evasive to gain time or delay acting; to treat or parley so as to gain time
“So,” he said, checking traffic on Pennsylvania Avenue before making a left turn.
“So, the meeting went exactly as I had predicted, and now we can be absolutely certain why they are kidnapping our men,” Arbatov replied.
“And that is, Comrade Ambassador?” the driver prompted. He did not let his irritation show. Only a few years before this Party hack would nor have dared temporize with a senior KGB officer.
A Senior KGB Officer and Ambassador Arbatov, The Hunt for Red October, Tom Clancy