Friday, July 18, 2025
Known for its laid-back attitude and live-and-let-live lifestyle, the Venetian District of Belgrade brings the Adriatic spirit to Gallatin County.
 |
| The Venetian Distrct |
Wednesday, July 16, 2025
I enjoyed listening to Ron Chernow discuss his new biography of Mark Twain on the Ryen Russillo podcast. I haven't read the book, but I've been eyeing it over the past couple of months. I'd read a pretty scathing review of Mark Twain in The New York Times, which had put me off a bit, but I understand as well as anybody that a scathing review usually tells us more about the reviewer than the book.
It was interesting to learn about Twain's entrepreneurial side. It reminded me a bit of Rebecca Loncrain's biography of L. Frank Baum in some ways.
Tuesday, July 15, 2025
According to the Washington Post: "Trump backs Kyiv in War with Russia through Weapons and Threats to Moscow."
Not so different from what I suggested might happen in an interview with The Bozeman Yesterdaily News back in January.
 |
Saturday, July 12, 2025
A terror-free Turkey is great, depending on how the word 'terror' is defined.
If we're talking about the PKK laying down its arms, then super.
But if the word "terror" is expanded to include peaceful opposition, then I can't say I'm much of a fan.
Thursday, July 10
One thing I miss about living in Bozeman is the accessibility to bike trails. In Belgrade I ride my bike to the supermarket, liquor store, and various other downtown locales when the weather is in agreement. Beyond the downtown area of Belgrade, which is small, there isn't much else to attract me as a bike rider.
 |
| En route to Story Mill Park |
Tuesday, July 8, 2025
Overheard recently in downtown Belgrade:
"Four Corners is really growing fast!"
"I know! Soon they'll have to build a 5th Corner."
 |
Monday, July 7
It was a festive 4th of July in Belgrade. Belgrade has no municipal firework show, so instead people make their own.
 |
| There was a good turnout for "Cars on Broadway" |
Thursday, July 3, 2025
On Wednesday of last week I went to the first of this year's "Belgrade Summer Nights."
However, I am a bit disappointed that the organizers didn't come up with an alliterative name, as is their wont, for this event. This name has no alliterative allure. Where's the spirit that brought us (in alphabetical order), the Book Brigade, Christmas Convoy, and Fall Festival?
 |
| No "Sensational Summer Nights?" Why not? |
Is alliteration now out at the Belgrade Community Coalition?
Sunday, June 29, 2025
The paperback version of Red Star over the Black Sea: Nâzım Hikmet and his Generation has come out.
Yay!
Thursday, December 12, 2024
I can only imagine how eerie it must have been for the residents of Damascus to wake up this past week and find themselves finally rid of the Assads.
 |
| All smiles for now |
But it must be terrifying as well, at least for those who don't savor the idea of living under the rule of fighters who, until quite recently, were affiliated with ISIS and other extremist Sunni Muslim militias. So, while I doubt that there are very many Syrians who will miss the tyranny of Assad's rule, there are some who will definitely be sorry to see the secularism of Baath party rule come to an end.
Now that Assad has been overthrown, the jockeying for power begins.
Sunday, December 8, 2024
This past Thursday was our last day of classes at MSU, so there's been a lot going on. In the city of Belgrade, meanwhile, the Christmas Convoy rumbled through town last night.
The rumbling was so loud that I've barely been able to focus on the news. Russia, Romania, South Korea, Georgia--so much stuff going on. For my takes on the latest at home and abroad, see below.
Sunday, November 24, 2024
The snows of autumn are back.
 |
| Not so long ago, the evenings were still quite balmy |
I woke up this morning and headed out into the living room area. There room has a number of high windows so it gives me a good sense of what the weather is like on any particular day. I saw a bunch of snow falling and all of a sudden felt really energized.
It's nice to have some real snow again.
Saturday, August 10, 2024
This past May I finished my last class on a Thursday afternoon, then went to my department's end-of-year party. The next morning I got up at 3:30 am, showered, and left my place at about 4:30. As usual, I walked to the airport--it's about fifteen minutes door-to-door--and then flew out to Michigan to see my parents.
I spent a weekend in Ann Arbor before traveling out to Philadelphia for a week to do some research for a new project that I'm working on. The research in Philly could only be conducted in the first week of the month, while some other research I had planned in DC could only take place in the last week of May.
Thursday, May 23, 2024
Here is a video of a talk I gave (virtually) earlier this year at Bosphorus University's Nâzım Hikmet Kültür ve Sanat Araştırma Merkezi.
The talk is in English.
Thanks to everyone at the center for making this possible.
Saturday, January 27, 2024
As the only Lions fan in the lives of a number of people, I've been hearing from a lot of friends this week. Mostly, they're writing to tell me that they're pulling for my team in the playoffs, which I appreciate. There's always room for one more on the bandwagon.
Thursday, January 11, 2024
In case you're interested, I'll be giving an online talk about Nâzım Hikmet and my book Red Star over the Black Sea: Nâzım Hikmet and his Generation at an event organized by the Nâzım Hikmet Center at Bosphorus University.
The event takes place on January 15, which is the 122nd anniversary of what is typically considered Nâzım Hikmet's birthday (in fact, it seems he was born toward the end of 1901). Online admission is free and the talk begins at 8 am, Montana time (10 am Eastern US, and 6 pm in Turkey).
For more information, see below.
Monday, January 8, 2024
I was in Budapest recently, where I was constantly reminded of one of my favorite jazz musicians, Gabor Szabo.
