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

Comments

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

September 12, 2026 Did a five miler trail run at Leaser Lake not too far away from home. Beautiful course, but I don' t think I'll do a trail run again. I was afraid of turning an ankle the whole race. Got a 44:32 time with 8:54 splits. Fifth place out of only 23 people. Kind of sad that it was so small but great way to spend the morning. August 16, 2026 Did a four miler at Gring's Mill park in reading today. 34:44 was my time, which is 8:41 splits--not amazing. New distance but great race overall. I snagged third in my age group. 33 of 117 overall. 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. About 10 and a half minute mile splits. May 2, 2026 Did an...

Nanci Griffith 1953-2021

My two favorite musical artist are Nanci Griffith and Suzanne Vega (yes, I'm a little bit country and a little bit urban folk). When my wife told me a few days ago that Nanci had died, I didn't have to ask "Nanci who?" I wasn't surprised by her death. She had stopped performing years ago and I had heard rumors suggesting that she was in rough shape for a while now. Still, the news hit me hard. Prince's death, the only thing I can compare, was shocking because it was so sudden and unexpected. Both Nanci and Prince meant a lot to me during some of the formative years of my life, but Prince's death felt like something that effected everyone because he was so famous and so widely revered. Nanci, though she surely has many, many fans, always felt like she belonged to me more--not just because she wasn't quite as famous, but mainly because her songs themselves have such an intimacy to them. She can take you to places that feel so private, and you can relate...

Search This Blog