“A hill for magnitude, a mountain in virtue of its bold design.” — Robert Louis Stevenson regarding Arthur’s Seat Ceili ventured north from London this week on a field trip to Edinburgh. A highlight for her was a hike up the looming crag known as Arthur’s Seat, the site of ancient hill forts. In sympathy (and maybe a bit of envy) … [Read more...] about ‘A Mountain In Virtue’
Who’s Riding Old Harlequin Now?
Many moons ago, I sat mesmerized in the performing arts center in Elko, Nevada, as a woman recited Harry Harbord Morant’s poem, Who’s Riding Old Harlequin Now? The setting was the National Cowboy Poetry Gathering, and the Breaker’s work falls seamlessly into that tradition. The recitation was excellent, and it gave me chills to hear … [Read more...] about Who’s Riding Old Harlequin Now?
More From The Trapline — February 2020
Good news from the world of Frontier Partisan art: The estimable John-Seerey Lester will release a new book later this year titled Legendary Hunters and Explorers. This must land on the FP coffee table. Here’s a glimpse of its glories... * Marilyn and I have secured our tickets to see Corb Lund in Bend in April, as he tours in … [Read more...] about More From The Trapline — February 2020
The Weird Of Deadly Hollow
South Africa is haunted by ghosts: Ghosts of the million who died during the mfecane (The Crushing) when the rise of the Zulu Empire touched off a shockwave of indigenous warfare and migration from 1815 to 1840; ghosts of massacred Trekboers; ghosts of women and children who wasted away in British concentration camps during the Anglo Boer War of … [Read more...] about The Weird Of Deadly Hollow
Council On The Pedernales
The Pacific Northwest HQ of Frontier Partisans pulled up stakes and headed south for a few days last week to Austin, Texas. Music, Mexican food, barbecue, steak.... Oh, yes, and business. The trip was newspaper-related, but Marilyn stowed away and made the trek with me — and we took the opportunity for a council with the Southern Command under … [Read more...] about Council On The Pedernales
Robert Conrad — RIP
I raise a glass to his shade — and the shade of the ornery, cantankerous, brave and greedy French trapper he brought to life so vividly. Pasquinel, you magnificent bastard! … [Read more...] about Robert Conrad — RIP
Jack Absolute — Frontier Partisan
I recently introduced my friend Leith Easterling to the AMC series Turn: Washington’s Spies, which is streaming on Netflix. If you can get past the liberties (sorry) taken with some of the historical figures — Captain John Simcoe and Robert Rogers especially — it’s an entertaining drama depicting the activities of the Culper Ring in New York during … [Read more...] about Jack Absolute — Frontier Partisan
Bulala Taylor, Hard Man Of The Veld
His nickname meant “Killer” in the Zulu language, and he was proud of it, signing himself Alf Bulala Taylor. If you’ve seen the film Breaker Morant, the Intelligence Officer and Native Commissioner is played as a kind of sinister eminence by John Waters. Taylor was as responsible as any man for the killing spree that went down in the remote … [Read more...] about Bulala Taylor, Hard Man Of The Veld
Working The Trapline — February 2020
On February 12, I have the honor of leading a group discussion after a screening of Breaker Morant at Sisters Movie House. This is part of the Sisters Community Church Creativity, Culture & Faith series, an outreach program that invites members of the broader community to engage on thorny moral and ethical questions accessed through films. I … [Read more...] about Working The Trapline — February 2020
Lusty, Tumultuous Sagas
I woke up this morning thinking about old-school historical potboilers. Yeah, I know. But you all know by now that my mind functions this way... Actually, there’s a straightforward explanation for why I roused from my slumbers with visions of F. van Wyck Mason dancing through my head. I hit the pillow after scrolling through a Kindle series of … [Read more...] about Lusty, Tumultuous Sagas
