Muriel Spark novels ranked

1. Loitering with Intent

2. Memento Mori

3. The Prime of Ms. Jean Brodie

4. The Only Problem

5. Girls of Slender Means

6. Symposium

7. The Bachelors

8. Territorial Rights

9. The Mandelbaum Gate

10. The Driver's Seat

11. Robinson

12. A Far Cry from Kensington

13. A Hothouse by the East River

14. Reality and Dreams

15. The Abbess of Crewe

16. Aiding and Abetting

17. The Finishing School

18. The Comforters

19. The Ballad of Peckham Rye

20. The Takeover

21. Do Not Disturb

22. The Public Image

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Favorite Album Every Year Since 1963

2026: Kacey Musgrave: Middle of Nowhere 2025: Clipse: Let God Sort Em Out 2024: Waxahachie: Tiger's Blood 2023: boygenius: The Record 2022: Miranda Lambert: Palomino 2021: Sierra Ferrell: Long Time Coming 2020: The Chicks: Gaslighter 2019: Miranda Lambert: Wildcard 2018: Kacey Musgraves: Golden Hour / First Aid Kit: Ruins (can't choose between these two) 2017: Pink: Beautiful Trauma 2016: Miranda Lambert: The Weight of These Wings 2015: Kacey Musgrave: Pageant Material 2014: Miranda Lambert: Platinum 2013: Kacey Musgrave: Same Trailer Different Park 2012: First Aid Kit: The Lion's Roar 2011: Miranda Lambert: Four the Record 2010: Gorillaz: Plastic Beach 2009: Lily Allen: It's Not Me, It's You 2008: Tift Merritt: Another Country 2007: Suzanne Vega: Beauty and Crime 2006: Lily Allen: Alright, Still 2005: B...

Running Journal

May 13, 2026 A few days ago I did my first half-marathon. I ran a 2:16:58, which is around what I expected to run. It was at the IRT again: great course and very well organized. It was a really cool experience, but I doubt I'll do that distance again. The last few miles were pretty unpleasant with my legs just turning to mush. Still, glad I did it. May 2, 2026 Did an 8k at IRT. Same place but different course than last summer. I finished at 40:31, which is a minute and a half better than I did last summer. Felt really good during this race. It was a perfect day out, too. Got first in my age group, but I was the only one. Still, I ran a good time. Splits were 8:08, so about 20 seconds faster per minute. I'm in good shape these days and curious what my next 5k time will be. April 11, 2026 Did 9 miles today, maybe more like 9.5. Thinking about a trying a half marathon in a month. March 29, 2026 Did the Fool's Run 5K right here in Kutztown. I was co...

Why The Chicks' Gaslighter was my favorite album of 2020

First, I love the (Dixie) Chicks and would have been happy with a mediocre new album after 14 years. At one point they were considering an album of Patty Griffin covers, which I would've been fine with. I'm tempted to say that I'd love anything with Natalie Maines singing on it, but somehow her solo album from a few years ago just didn't work. But the Chicks have been in my life for a long time. I vividly recall driving across the country by myself from Northern Virginia to New Mexico to attend grad school and playing Wide Open Spaces. It was the perfect song and album for that moment in my life. I remember listening to Fly in our tiny Albuquerque apartment after I got married. They came out with Home, their most traditional country album, when I was back in Virginia, but living down in the country this time. When I was at Kent State getting my PhD and becoming politically engaged for the first time in my life, I took the Bush comment controversy to heart. Of course the...

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