Delusions of Grandeur

Here’s something for "Perfection ", Peter. It’s a superbly spiritual passage from Mark Helprin, a writer whose fiction I love, though whose politics I loathe.  Life hands out challenges like that, doesn’t it? Beauty is found in the most unusual places. Had I known his politics before having read most of his books, I might never have picked up the first, Winter’s Tale (a delight of American magic realism).  This passage, however, comes from A Soldier of the Great War .  Oh, this man understands love and spirit, and beauty and passion. Oh, he does! For that, I forgive him writing speeches for Bush Jr.  lol — I think maybe you’re right after all: spirituality is independent of politics!

Alessandro is a wise old man, the titular soldier of the Great War, who has lived life with passion, vigour, and experienced the truest of loves. Nicolo…Nicolo is a boy on the cusp of manhood.