Thanks, Adam, for highlighting the superb writing of E.B. White, which remains as relevant as ever. In rereading this essay after many years, I was once again struck by White's clever use of his departed dog, Fred, as a stand-in for nosy FBI agents snooping under the covers for subversives. A sublime form of ridicule, yet it is a terrifically serious subject--especially these days when authoritarian governments are on the resurgence.
Thanks, Adam, for highlighting the superb writing of E.B. White, which remains as relevant as ever. In rereading this essay after many years, I was once again struck by White's clever use of his departed dog, Fred, as a stand-in for nosy FBI agents snooping under the covers for subversives. A sublime form of ridicule, yet it is a terrifically serious subject--especially these days when authoritarian governments are on the resurgence.