Monday

Jun. 24, 1996

June

by Mary Oliver

Monday 6/24

Today's Reading: "June" by Mary Oliver from WHITE PINE, published by Harcourt Brace & Company.

Today is the anniversary of the 1948 Berlin airlift, when the Soviet Union challenged the West's right of access to Berlin; a 321-day airlift resulted, bringing supplies to 2,250,000 people in Berlin.

It's the birthday of poet and children's author, John Ciardi, born in Boston in 1916.

Today is the birthday of Norman Cousins, editor of the SATURDAY REVIEW for 30 years beginning in 1940, born in Union City, New Jersey in 1915.

Composer Harry Partch, who invented his own musical scales and instruments, was born today in Oakland, California in 1901.

Pablo Picasso opened a show today at the Vollard gallery in Paris, 1901; because of the limited space, the paintings were hung from floor to ceiling.

Today is the anniversary of Custer's Last Stand in 1876, when General George Armstrong Custer led his 650 men into the valley of the Little Bighorn River, unaware that it harbored 4,500 fighting men.

American essayist and story writer, Amrose Gwinett Bierce, was born in Horse Cave Creek, Ohio in 1842; he went off to Mexico at the age of 71 and was never heard from again. From his book THE DEVIL'S DICTIONARY: "History -- An account mostly false, of events mostly unimportant, which are brought about by rulers mostly knaves, and soldiers mostly fools."

Be well, do good work, and keep in touch.®

 

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