That said, this article compelled me to say something. I’ll keep it simple: This is one of the most thoughtful, genuine, and insightful commentaries on Of Human Bondage that I’ve ever read.

Well done, and thanks for posting these thoughts!

I’d like also to mention that ‘Another World’ featured in the MoMA’s recent applied design exhibit, alongside ‘The Sims’ and ‘Dwarf Fortress’ (amongst other games). Our star is rising!

But indeed, our opinions of what Voltaire would say today is of far less interest than what he actually said. What I’d really like to say addresses rather Vladimir and Mary. Voltaire’s works are both quite short and brilliant. They sparkle with wit and intelligence and amazing facts. He was amazingly well-read himself. Those books Michael cited are very good places to start, and it would be a terrible shame not to read them entirely – instead of just getting someone to provide ‘specific footnotes’ for you to quote. Really. I’m speaking from the heart here. Every hour I’ve spent reading Voltaire felt like a privilege. And many of the great minds of all ages have said the same. Do yourselves a favor and read a few of them yourselves!

David Kettler
Research Professor, Bard College

But check out Housman’s scholarly status….

The Kusturica film (I suppose it is “Underground”) is quickly dismissed here as obfuscating. It was also dismissed in France as “pro-Serbian.” I’d like to see a careful reading of the film that makes that argument in some detail.

There’s an intimation in the essay that “the tiger’s wife” is a reference to Ceca. I gather, however, that’s just a teaser.

Finally, it’s refreshing to read an account of the wars that lays the blame at the feet of those who perpetrated it variously and selfishly in Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia, and Kosovo and that excoriates facile outside evaluation of the wars as the product of historically violent peoples. Any reader of Andric’s “Bridge of the Drina” already knew this, but who has read that fine novel these days?