p-o-s-s-e-s-s-e-d-b-y-f-i-r-e:
- Gustave Doré, La danse du Sabbat. Illustration from History of Magic by Paul Christian, Paris, 1870
Abu Simbel is a historic site comprising two massive rock-cut temples in the village of Abu Simbel (Arabic: أبو سمبل), Aswan Governorate, Upper Egypt, near the border with Sudan. It is situated on the western bank of Lake Nasser, about 230 km (140 mi) southwest of Aswan (about 300 km (190 mi) by road).
The twin temples were originally carved out of the mountainside in the 13th century BC, during the 19th Dynasty reign of the Pharaoh Ramesses II. They serve as a lasting monument to the king Ramesses II. His wife Nefertari and children can be seen in smaller figures by his feet, considered to be of lesser importance and were not given the same position of scale. This commemorates his victory at the Battle of Kadesh. Their huge external rock relief figures have become iconic. [X]
It is the essence of evil. The anger that divides us. It is the terror that grows stronger when we try to hide. If they don’t stop him tonight, maybe we’ll find him tomorrow. Or next Halloween, when the sun sets and someone is alone.
Halloween Kills (2021) dir. David Gordon Green
The Forty-Seven Rōnin: The Vendetta in History
The story of the forty-seven samurai is a well-known tale not only in Japan but also around the world. There are many different versions but the plot always revolves around a group of warriors carrying out a vendetta in order to get revenge on the man they hold responsible for the death of their lord. In this book, John A. Tucker, Professor of History at East Carolina University, provides a very detailed account of the historical development of the story and discusses its cultural significance.
Books about samurai tend to fall into one of two categories. On the one hand, there are popular accounts that are easy to read but which tend to be rather superficial and reinforce stereotypical images. On the other hand, there are academic works that, while presenting deeper insights based on original research, are more difficult to read. This book definitely falls into the latter category. It is a work of outstanding scholarship but one that would be a challenge for anyone who is not a specialist in Japanese history.
The House On The Borderland, by William Hope Hodgson (Ace Books). From a second-hand bookshop in Nottingham.
