Bronte, Shaftesbury, Palat, Phelizon, Collingham, Wolin

I read Anne Bronte's Tenant of Windfell Hall, and what I liked about it was the subject matter, the story of a woman's marriage made intolerable by the husband's control and alcoholism. It struck me as very contemporary. I also read a biography of the 7th Earl of Shaftesbury, a great humanitarian who introduced legislation to reform the conditions for chimney sweeps, coal mining women and children, and the mentally ill. It was moving and inspiring, although he seems to have been unhappy himself. I also read Palat's book on Clausewitz, dating from 1919. I've read many books like this one, discussing the great strategist and the great strategies, but as usual for authors in this period, their thinking strikes me now as limited. I read with great pleasure Phelizon's Action strategique. This book was excellent, and there are a number of similarities in the theory. I don't agree on every point, but that takes nothing away from the value of the work. I'm quite excited to find such similarities at last, after 20 years of research by my self. I also read Elizabeth Collingham's Curry, a history of food in India. It was very interesting, and was full of information I didn't know. For example, tea came from China with the British to India, and it took some time for the Indians to cotton on. Most Indian restaurants are held by Syhlets, formerly river boatmen who were put out of work by the steamboats the British introduced to India. Finally I read Richard Wolin's Heidegger Controversy, which was really germane to an article I'm writing. The problem is that he takes for granted something I am arguing in my present draft. I look forward to taking up the cudgel again.