14 Comments
Jul 24, 2023Liked by Christopher Brown

Unrelated to everything but one tiny portion of the wide net you threw (as always), Miles Standish was the executor of my great-grandfather's to the nth removal will. A weird fact that always comes to mind when I hear Michael Stipe sing his name in "Begin the Begin."

Expand full comment
author

That's wild!

Expand full comment

Speaking of the original apocalyptic wasteland...

Dark Emu, by Bruce Pascoe, is a good read into why Australia looks the way it does now. And that's Sheep. The First Australians tended the land better, with prescribed burns and planting, which kept the scrub from taking over. Yams and native grasses that fight erosion were gobbled up by the invasive livestock. There are multiple colonist narratives that describe land looking like manicured English parks and forests that are overgrown with impenetrable scrub now.

Expand full comment
author

That sounds amazing, I will check it out—thanks!

Expand full comment
Jul 26, 2023Liked by Christopher Brown

Good luck with revisions!

Expand full comment
author

Thank you!

Expand full comment
Jul 23, 2023Liked by Christopher Brown

Chris - your discussion of the term wasteland brings to mind some of MacFarlane's points made in his book Landmarks which I'm sure you've purused. His book is a rich exploration and your approach to understanding our relationship to the world via the power of words (you are a lawyer!) is a delight. Catch you soon I hope.

Expand full comment
author

Thanks, James! I appreciate that very much, even though I don't think I am quite in Macfarlane's company.

Expand full comment
Jul 23, 2023Liked by Christopher Brown

Thank you!

Expand full comment
author

Thanks for reading!

Expand full comment
Jul 23, 2023Liked by Christopher Brown

as an amateur herstorian in n of massachusetts, loved this meeting with texas in MA :) i've read a little and written a bit on that mary mount, lovely to see the pictures and hear of your exploration

Expand full comment
author

Thank you! It's a really fascinating bit of history to study—would love to read what you wrote about it.

Expand full comment
Jul 23, 2023Liked by Christopher Brown

just a very short bit in the context of MA colonial gay history , my pleasure to share

https://fromwickedtowedded.com/2018/11/08/wickedness-not-to-bee-named/

Expand full comment
author

This is amazing! Thank you for sharing

Expand full comment