Elena Ferrante is the name used by the Italian author of many novels, including the four-volume work titled the Neapolitan Novels.  The Neapolitan Novels tell the life story of two perceptive and intelligent girls, born in Naples in 1944, who try to create lives for themselves within a violent and stultifying culture.  The series consists of My Brilliant Friend (2012), The Story of a New Name (2013), Those Who Leave And Those Who Stay (2014), and The Story of the Lost Child (2015), which was nominated for the Strega Prize, the most prestigious Italian literary award.  Ferrante holds that "books, once they are written, have no need of their authors.”  She has repeatedly argued that anonymity is a precondition for her work and that keeping her true name out of the spotlight is key to her writing process.  Despite being recognized as a novelist on an international scale, Ferrante has kept her identity secret since the 1992 publication of her first novel.  Speculation as to her true identity has been rife, and several theories, based on information Ferrante has given in interviews as well as analysis drawn from the content of her novels, have been put forth.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elena_Ferrante 

The House of the Library in Pompeii, first excavated in 1759 and again during the 1970s, is named after the possible existence of a private library in the building.  See striking illustrations at https://sites.google.com/site/ad79eruption/pompeii/regio-vi/reg-vi-ins-17/house-of-the-library 

Irish whiskey was one of the earliest distilled drinks in Europe, arising around the 12th century.  It is believed that Irish monks brought the technique of distilling perfumes back to Ireland from their travels to southern Europe around 1000 AD.  The Irish then modified this technique to obtain a drinkable spirit.  Although termed "whiskey", the spirit produced during this period would have differed from what is currently recognised as whiskey, as it would not have been aged, and was often flavoured with aromatic herbs such as mint, thyme, or anise.  The word 'whiskey' (or whisky) comes from the Irish uisce beatha, meaning water of life.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irish_whiskey 

30 Ways to Have Whiskey for Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner by Nora Landis-Shack  https://www.brit.co/whiskey-food-recipes/ 

Bourbon is a type of American whiskey, a barrel-aged distilled liquor made primarily from corn.  The name derives from the French Bourbon dynasty, although the precise inspiration is uncertain; contenders include Bourbon County in Kentucky and Bourbon Street in New Orleans, both of which are named after the dynasty.  The name "Bourbon" was not applied until the 1850s, and the Kentucky etymology was not advanced until the 1870s.  Bourbon has been distilled since the 18th century.  Bourbon was recognized in 1964 by the United States Congress as a "distinctive product of the United States".  Bourbon sold in the United States must be produced in the U.S. from at least 51% corn and stored in a new container of charred oak.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bourbon_whiskey

 

7 Wonderful Bourbon Recipes by Imma  https://www.africanbites.com/wonderful-bourbon-recipes/ 

Prosper Mérimée (1803–1870) was a French writer in the movement of Romanticism, and one of the pioneers of the novella, a short novel or long short story.  He was also a noted archaeologist and historian, and an important figure in the history of architectural preservation.  He is best known for his novella Carmen, which became the basis of Bizet's opera Carmen.  He learned Russian, a language for which he had great affection, and translated the work of several important Russian writers, including Pushkin and Gogol, into French.  From 1830 until 1860 he was the inspector of French historical monuments, and was responsible for the protection of many historic sites, including the medieval citadel of Carcassonne and the restoration of the façade of the cathedral of Notre-Dame de Paris.  Along with the writer George Sand, he discovered the series of tapestries called The Lady and the Unicorn, and arranged for their preservation.  He was instrumental in the creation of Musée national du Moyen Âge in Paris, where the tapestries now are displayed.  The official database of French monuments, the Base Mérimée, bears his name.  Read much more and see graphics at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prosper_M%C3%A9rim%C3%A9e 

Colorful Ukrainian Pysanky Eggs created by SomeBleu  https://www.jigidi.com/jigsaw-puzzle/d0sidc9v/colorful-ukrainian-pysanky-eggs/ 

Richard Howard, a Pulitzer Prize-winning poet celebrated for his exuberant monologues of historical figures and a prolific translator who helped introduce readers to a wide range of French literature, died at age 92 on March 31, 2022.  Over a 50-year period, Howard's poetry, essays and translations totaled well over 200 books and established him as a vital literary creator, commentator and interpreter.  He won the poetry Pulitzer in 1970 for "Untitled Subjects" and was a National Book Award finalist in 2008 for "Without Saying."  His translation of Charles Baudelaire's "Les Fleurs du Mal" won the National Book Award (then called the American Book Award) in 1983.   https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/magazines/panache/directors-say-bruce-williss-declining-health-was-apparent-for-some-time/articleshow/90603950.cms 

Nancy Lee Winston Milford (1938–March 29, 2022) was an American biographer.  Milford is best known for her book Zelda about F. Scott Fitzgerald's wife Zelda Fitzgerald.  The book started out as her master's thesis and was published to broad acclaim in 1970.  It was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Award, spent 29 weeks on The New York Times best-seller list, and has since been translated into 17 languages.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nancy_Milford

http://librariansmuse.blogspot.com  Issue 2516  April 4, 2022