Postcard from Belgrade: the Venetian District

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
Explore its sun-drenched shoreline to discover a side of Belgrade you may not have seen before. 

Chernow on Mark Twain

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. 

Bastille Day

July 14, 2025

Vive (Georges) LaFrance! Vive le Detroit Drive!!

"Terör-Free" Türkiye

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. 

Trailz

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

Postcard from Belgrade: A 5th Corner?

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."

 

Gabor Szabo: Budapest

Monday, July 7, 2025

One of my faves:



Postcard from Belgrade: Festive Fourth

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"

Postcard from Belgrade: Belgrade Summer Nights

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? 

Red Star over the Black Sea: Paperback edition out

Sunday, June 29, 2025

The paperback version of Red Star over the Black Sea: Nâzım Hikmet and his Generation has come out. 

Yay!


The hardcover came out in July of 2023, and a Turkish edition is supposed to be in print within the next year or so. 

Below you can find links to reviews, podcasts, and online lectures related to the book. 

Assad's Fall and Russia's Stumble

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.

Kristmas Konvoy N & P: News from Belgrade and the World

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. 

Postcard from Belgrade: the Snows of Autumn

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.  

Shotz from Ireland

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. 

So, I had two weeks on my hands and decided to spend it traveling. From Philly I went up to NYC for a weekend, and  from there flew to Ireland, where I stayed for twelve days. 

It was a short trip, but a memorable one. 

Video of my (virtual) talk on Nâzım Hikmet at Bosphorus University

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.

The Sordid Reflections of a Detroit Lions Fan

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. 

I have to say that I'm experiencing something of a personality crisis right now. All my football-watching life, more or less, I've been cheering for a perennial NFL loser. It's definitely strange to  see the team doing so well. Part of me is genuinely optimistic and excited, but another side of me just hopes they don't manage to disgrace themselves somehow. 

Upcoming Online Talk for the Boğaziçi Üniversitesi Nâzım Hikmet Merkezi

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. 

Gabor Szabo in Budapest

Monday, January 8, 2024

I was in Budapest recently, where I was constantly reminded of one of my favorite jazz musicians, Gabor Szabo.