Blog
For 2005-2007, most of my non-science writing has been on the effect of totalitarianism and war on society, using Central Europe as the example. My focus is on Russian, German, Polish, Hungarian, and Czech films from this era and on memoirs or historical analysis of this period. The writing takes the form of book and movie reviews that draw on multiple sources and sometimes personal experiences. The blog reviews are here: SunnysideKitchen. It has lots of different stuff of varying quality and depth.Some of my more complete essays are:
Looking into the heart of Ivan: the WWII Red Army solider
Come and See
Film as a form of dissent: the Ear
Lives of Others
The year the Comrade Armies saved the Czechs
Stories (links under construction)
Graduate school was fodder for a number of essays on life in the field.- Bugs
- Life in the Woods with the Woodrats
- Postcards from the field This is a series of emails sent to a fellow grad student during my field seasons studying woodrats. File under grad student pathos.
- 1993 Progress Report My 4th year progress report written for my PhD advisor. Things looked bleak although by the end of 1993 things were looking up.
Outdoor misadventures were also a favorite topic:
- On Becoming an Ice Climber
- Good God! on Mt. Robson
- Suffering on the Kautz
- Frostbite
- The Polish Direct on Aconcagua
- Just Call Me Penis
Sadly, graduate days eventually end, but I found other, less risky, ways to amuse myself:
- The effect of dish and cutlery reduction on dishwashing behaviors in a multi-age household
- Northern Waters