Mark Whelan

Peace and Blessings to my Muslim Friends and Readers. As the Season of Lent draws to a close for many Christians, the Month of Ramadan has commenced. And while thousands of Orthodox Christians and Jews who identify as Ukrainian continue to flee the rubble and blood that was once their homes, a two-month ceasefire has been declared in Yemen, allowing thousands, if not, more, impoverished and…

Reviewing How to be an Antiracist

‘I am not, nor ever have been, in favour of bringing about in any way the social and political equality of the white and black races; that I am not, nor ever have been in favour of making voters of the free negroes, or jurors, or qualifying them to hold office, or having them marry with white people. I will say in addition that there is a physical difference between the white and black races…

JM Coetzee and the Problem of Sex

‘For a man of his age, fifty-two, divorced, he has, to his mind, solved the problem of sex rather well.’ To my mind, the opening sentence to JM Coetzee’s Booker Prize-winning Disgrace, remains profound. Later I will be publishing remarks on three opening statements to three of my favourite novels; one literary, the other two canonised as classics. But did the acknowledged master of allegory…

Sometimes it begins at four. Sometimes earlier, more often than in previous days. On other days at the more sedate hour of six. But on horrid days, at three pm. The morning ritual goes no further until he has had his coffee and cream. It is a weakness. But there is strength and sustenance to be absorbed from this first hour. No bowl of crushed oats nor a sliced banana. Three books provide the…

I have a confession to make. I was not born in the USA. But I am a son of the soil. And no, I was not conceived immaculately. Nevertheless, I suspect I may have been conceived in a low to middle class cabin on an ocean liner traveling along the South-east African coastline. It would go no further than the Durban port. I cannot truly be a water baby because, boyo, this baby cannot swim to save…

A Better Life for All?

1 A book project had been lying idle all these years. I thought it high time that I return to the earliest draft notes and resume my writing process in a more disciplined manner, modeling my literary actions along the lines of one of my masters, a Professor JM Coetzee who, in his eighties, no doubt spends his hours musing as a literary pensioner these days, penning the occasional letter and…

My Reading Process for Now

In memory of Jonathan Ball. After moving house earlier this year, I felt an urge to explain to you why I am reading in this manner. As I write this, I look behind my shoulder. There are no less than twelve books placed in an orderly fashion on my bed and my nightstand. No, no, no; that array has diminished somewhat since I originally began drafting My Reading Process for Now. So you see, having…

If I can recall, I first encountered reference being made to ‘the other’ during my first year of English Literature studies at varsity. I became accustomed to the notion that it was a generally accepted frame of reference for those who were different from me. Or to be more specific, the writer’s point of reference or point of view being narrated in the literary text. This was particularly…

Watching Human Rights, Zero Tolerance and Forgiveness

Dear Readers. I was not planning to write this story until Human Rights Day, 21 March 2021 came and went. There are reasons why I decided to put together an article on human rights. I have to tell you that for me personally, that day, here in Cape Town, started out quite blissfully. But to be quite honest with you, it ended in tragedy, somewhere near Manila. Much earlier that morning, I was…

I met her almost a year ago. A few days ago (or was it last week already?) she made herself visible across the social media networks in commemoration of transgenders’ day of visibility. President Joe Biden also acknowledged this important day. Sometimes it feels like history. But we are still here. Still together. I had questions, doubts, and so did she. Just over a month ago now after a…

What is the writer’s duty? I started pondering this question as far back as that epochal month of June 2020. But in recent days, I have been drawing some conclusions. I remember the reassurances given by our English literature masters, one Gareth Rossiter in particular, that told us that there are no right or wrong answers. All those years later, as I make new discoveries about my life as a…

God gives; God takes

Or does He? Do not get me wrong. I have no doubt that the ‘Lord giveth and the Lord taketh’. My motivation for this heading is this. Indeed, the Father in Heaven gives His children. What good dad wouldn’t? But if he is a good dad, he won’t be giving you every single thing that you ask for. He would much prefer to give you something that is well and truly good for you; heart, body and soul. And…

Now is not the time to rejoice. When misfortune or bad karma (as Samantha has quoted in recent days) visits a person who has been particularly malicious, devious, dishonest, abusive, harmful, and so on and so forth, now is not the time to rejoice. We need to live up to our own principles of being kind, decent, and most especially, Loving, to all and sundry, regardless. Let the judging and the…

Joker – As Magnificent Inter-text

It’s not a joke. Rare be it that I watch a film who knows how many times over. But you know what really makes me laugh is the manner in which writer-director Todd Phillips and actor Joaquin Phoenix have revolutionized the use of the inter-text. Who knows. How many times. I was mesmerized. Still am. Gothic (comic-book) genre on its knees. Pierrot & Auguste are celebrated. Myth of Sisyphus.…

The Power of Positive Thinking; Early Thoughts

In this blog article I will not be talking much. Indeed, just the other day, I began the drafting of an article entitled The Power of Positive Thinking. I think you will agree that in this day and age, we could all do with a healthy dose of it. And by the way, you do not need a medical examiner’s prescription for this. Nor, for that matter, do you need a prescription for healthy living and…