Original fault
Despite Shûsaku Endo's doubts about the true Christianity of the Japanese, as expressed in the admirable "Silence," it also seems to me that Japona...
Category: Modern World
Forgive me, something will always remain…
In this brief reflection on forgiveness, I simply wanted to revisit the inadequacy of saying "sorry." Forgiving is sometimes extremely difficult...
What kind of death for the West?
It is becoming increasingly pleasant for me to hear these speeches from Westerners reveling in the death of Catholicism, the death of this old...
Book reviews about Japan
I just finished reading "The Samurai's Mask," an essay by Aude Fieschi (Philippe Picquier Publishers). It's an informative, well-written book that...
Emmanuel Todd or intellectual vulgarity
Emmanuel Todd was on France Culture the other morning to deliver his gospel. Emmanuel Todd is a prophet. He has the eloquence. He has the...
Tribute to Jean-Marie Domenach
Rereading notes I took years ago while reading Jean-Marie Domenach's *The Return of the Tragic*, I remember our meeting. I see him...
God's path leads through our humanity…
An extraordinary passage from Blessed Cardinal Newman: By sinning, by suffering, by correcting ourselves, by improving ourselves, we advance towards the truth...
The Breath of Tibhirine
It's an intelligent film. And by saying that, much has already been said. In an era where stupidity reigns supreme, making an intelligent film about...
Philia, agape and other little things…
The Greeks used three words to designate love: eros, carnal love; philia, friendship; and agape, amorous love.
The columnist's hatred
I've titled this article "The Hatred of the Columnist." The French columnist—because it truly is a French affliction—is as he is...
One more stopover…
Alvaro Mutis is a truly great writer and, what's more, one of my dearest friends. Since he hasn't published any books for a few years now, I...
What Mr. Ouine says in our time…
Monsieur Ouine, one of the greatest French novels of the 20th century, offers many answers to the modern world as it is. The few quotes that...
The virtues of boredom
In a short, acerbic book (On France, translated by Alain Paruit, L'Herne), Emil Cioran offered an answer to the French malaise. He explained how much he cared...
Notes on The Child of Pleasure
Notes on Gabriele D'Annunzio's *The Child of Pleasure*. P. 58. Between the Trinity obelisk and the Conception column, I suspended...