Sunday, June 29, 2025

Secrets of the Champions: Park, Arnold, Wynter, Sell, Scott - Ivan Dunbar (1967)

 

                                                                   Saul Hallop, early 1920s Estonian Olympic lifter. 




It is a remarkable fact that many bodybuilders, some of them advanced trainers, still believe there is a mysterious secret that the champion bodybuilders employ to obtain their development. [Any obvious anabolic compound comments are not required owing to us all already knowing that. If you choose to avoid all manner of testosterone (etc.) compounds for the entirety of your life, there may be something here to take away nonetheless]. 

Often, particularly after a Universe trip, I have been confronted by bodybuilders who tell me there MUST be such a secret; otherwise the Universe winners could never reach such a standard. Nothing, it seems, will convince them that such development is obtained from the same exercises they practice themselves. Yet it is a fact. 

What many bodybuilders fail to appreciate is that they are looking at the finished product, perhaps the result of 10 to 15 years hard work; something for which there is no substitute. It's true that many of the 'champs' started with more than the average bodybuilder, but they all have one quality in common: 

the ability to work hard over a long period. 

Perhaps some of you may be interested, and surprised, to hear what some of these top men have to say about the "big secret." 


REG PARK





First ever three-time Mr. Universe winner. "If there is a secret, I wish someone had told me about it. No, this is nonsense. I know some of the lads feel there is some mysterious method, some magical course or exercises that will work miracles, but if there is, then I've been putting in a lot of unnecessary work for a very long time. 

"My advice to any bodybuilder, however disheartened, is to stay with it and NEVER give up. Stick to basic principles by employing a sensible overall program. If you need to specialize from time to time then do so, but never neglect the overall body parts. 

"I have always found these principles essential, particularly in my early days, and I still use them Nowadays I train every morning for one hour, more if the occasion warrants."


ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER


Last year's Universe sensation. Raising his shoulders in amazement. "What is this secret? Please tell me, I would like to know. I train seven days each week, no rest. Three to four hours each day. When I start I weigh 160 pounds, after one year 200 pounds. All I know is train, train, train. Eat plenty food, protein and wheat germ. Please tell me, what is this secret?" 


PAUL WYNTER



Twice Universe winner. "No secret, that I know about. I suppose it depends a great deal on what you start with, but the will to stick to training, regardless of setbacks, seems to be the most important asset of all. I think many fellows would improve more if they want for a better balanced physique, instead of 'plugging' their good parts.

"My training has mostly consisted of three to four sessions per week, using a basic exercise program. Before the Universe shows I did five or six per week. I think I trained harder than ever for the 1965 Universe, the one Reg won. I'm sure regular training over a period of time is more important than burning it up and then taking a long layoff." 


LEN SELL



Double Universe winner, now successfully doing 'full time' in his Walthamstow studio, and ever ready to a bit of 'crack'. "Nobody ever tells me anything. What is this secret? You mean to tell me I've been flogging myself all these years when some guy has a 'secret' on how to get a powerful physique. Seriously, though, I just don't think it can be done. 

"In spite of recent reports on help from certain drugs, I'm sure there is only one way to build a physique: HARD WORK, and sacrifice. Sacrifice of leisure time, holiday time and, when you come to think of it, considerable financial outlay.

"Training-wise, I'm sure the majority will benefit best from a planned overall program. Normally I would recommend three sessions per week, except before a contest, when extra work is essential. When I trained for the Universe it was eat, sleep and train. Being a working lad at the time I had little option. 

"Any advice? Yes, stay with it and keep plugging away. Time and perseverance can work wonders."  


LARRY SCOTT



Famous American champion and owner of the best arms I have ever seen. "All I know is I've been knocking myself out for years. At times it seemed pointless and often I got little reward for my efforts, and then suddenly I would improve a little and it all seemed worthwhile. 

"My advice to any bodybuilder -- keep at it, in the end it will prove worthwhile. If you really are determined you can move mountains." 


Enjoy Your Lifting! 




                                                                                     https://www.greysteel.org/   

If you haven't yet read "The Barbell Prescription" by Jonathon M. Sullivan and Andy Baker I'd recommend it highly. Once you get signed on to the GreySteel mailing list there's access to a great archive of newsletters aimed at over-50 lifters who train for strength. https://startingstrength.com/resources/forum/ also has some wonderfully applicable stuff for us old farts with big hearts in its forums. I signed on this weekend and man, there's sooooo much stuff there now.  



John Regier Claassen is an elder lifter who made my workout much more 
this afternoon. 

I thank you, Sir, and wish you the best.  

There's some great videos of this gentleman out there. What caught my eye was the one with this intro statement: 

"What's it like to train for your first powerlifting meet at 92?"

YEAH BUDDY! 










2012. 270 pages. 

If we're lucky, we can buy the ingredients and cook food from cultures around the planet. 

Crazy how we take that for granted at times, ain't it. 








1995. 24 minutes. 
The Ultimate Warrior Official Workout Video.
Strange, very strange
fun to watch! 
Need I say
"Schmoke it if ya got it."
I thought not. 



 














The Cartilage Mass Theory, Part Two - J.C. Hise (1948)

 


                                                                                                           Otto Arco



Note from Peary Rader: This is the second in a series by Mr. Hise telling of his new exercises and postural thoughts. Future issues will take the reader farther into the study as well as present proof of the effectiveness of this new science when applied in actual practice. 

Last issue we had Mr. Hise's preliminary discussion of his theories. This issue's installment begins with a description of the sixth of his developmental group of exercises or his new discovery that he calls "Symbolic Squats." In next issue we will give you a group of letters from a number of fellows who have used the symbolic squats telling of the success they have had and their methods of application. 

Part One is here:



                                                                                                          The Author  


(6) "Symbolic Squats" (without the squats!). Chas. Tiffin is one of our most eminent exercise explorers. Before the war he used to cartoon in Strength & Health. He is a lightweight with 44.5 inch chest, 27 inch hips and 28 waist. He is also covered with dueling scars. While going to school the president became annoyed at so much hospitalization and publicity of his "Three Musketeers are pupils" and made a ruling to expel all students who dueled at break of day in the park. 

As usual in such matters, the duelists transferred their wars to the campus and hallways and stairways. The favorite was seizing a stairway although the one holding the stairway needed shin guards which they seldom had. Castles had handrails on the right to help defend the stairways. 

Tiffin's observations of dueling are interesting. In one-hand dueling, a strong man's advantage was just stronger wrist and arm. In the earlier period of the Dynastic State supremacy (1450-1700), two-handed dueling was probably most common and likely came down from feudalism (1000-1450). Tiffin said in two-handed dueling, a strong man wins approximately 100% of the time. Tiffin was both the smallest (126 pounds) and strongest dueler. 

Chas. found that deserting the squat in breathing exercises caused his chest to grow more than Dinky Squats. A year later I found I was able to use the same with freedom from "oxygen jags" dizziness. If I remember correctly, he said that he had used as many as 150 breathing shoulder shrugs. Usually he used around 80. 

Innocents are requested to not go over 30 breathe-ups . . . till they have a long time experience in the exercise world. Blowing off CO2 increases alkalinity of blood -- usually about 7.45 PH -- it is CO2 in the blood that causes the heart to beat. To my amazement I doubt if anyone needs over 40 consecutive breathers and 20 to 30 are safe on any one and more useful than any other figure. 

It is my conclusion that these "breathers" strengthen the diaphragm more than any squat exercises -- that 1/2 squat exercises and flat back squat exercises strengthen the diaphragm more than other squats. The nervous frustration brought to good full squatters by flat back squatters cause them to throw it away. So one who insists on a squat with his breathers if an accomplished exerciser must choose 1/2 or "less" squats. 

If you will read "Best and Taylor's 4th edition, pages 300 to 303, "Physiological Basis of Medical Practice," you will find that in deep breathing that scalene lifts first rib -- and intercostali externi lift other front ribs attached to first rib. That diaphragm goes downward (on intake breath) till it rests on the viscera causing contraction of the abdominals, the diaphragm continues to lay on viscera and contract WHICH PUSHES UP THE LOWER RIBS assisting the upper rib inspirational muscles. Seemingly heavy squatters' breathers give the diaphragm a superior strengthening. This invigoration of the diaphragm has decided influence on the oxygen intake, heart circulation and nutrition. Unless one has overloaded his exercise regime, the only reasons that cause failure are inferior circulation, breathing and assimilation -- all of which are improved and corrected by

(1) straight spine
(2) strong diaphragm and rib breathing muscles. 


SPEED OF GROWTH

Stockies gain the fastest -- more connective tissue in intestines and cartilage masses on larger bones and ribs. Intermediates gain almost as well on proper exercise regime. The big eared, skinny demand 

(1) perfection of posture (they have the worst)
(2) perfection of breathing muscles and diaphragm usage. 

Skinnies have limited digestive ability from 

(1) very short small intestines
(2) deficiency of connective tissues of same short intestines. 

Any padding of bones with cartilage put connective tissues into the deficient intestines -- then the asthmatic changes into short gutted intermediate, and intermediates live as men -- when normalized. 

A skinny should gain around 10 pounds the first month he is in the "groove" vs. around 30 pounds for stockies and intermediates. They gain less in following months from 

(1) increase of abdominal tension reducing gains
(2) economics. 

In fact the mechanical balances of posture will bring "ignorant" gains to an end and one gains "with their brains" and controls weight the same way (like Grimek). 

The failure to gain of big eared skinnies is about 100 percent -- outside of health studios of the Eells caliber. I do not know of a single one who ever gained from reading magazines and trying all the super silly (for skinnies) exercises. 

The best way to treat big ears to gain rapidly is to exercise them 3 times a week and then roll them up in a straight jacket the rest of the time. No big ears can imagine what cool, calm, and collected is -- he blows apart in his silly senseless actions. 

There is no "best age" to train -- except on big ears it is to start on posture exercises in childhood! 75-year olds gain in a correct regime at about the same speed as 15-25 and 40-year olds. That is on  few and easy postural exercises. 


BREATHING EXERCISES 

All breathers -- all the kinds of squats -- and Tiffin breathers -- breathe just alike. All squatters should squat every 3rd breath on full lungs. 

The breathing is as follows: 

Take a bar that is well padded on the shoulders. Breathe in and out the mouth. Breathe as follows: 

Either before a mirror or where you can watch the shadow of the bar. Open the mouth -- make a face by shrugging the front of the neck and traps -- bar and shoulders are breathed up (shrugged) 2 inches -- breathe out rapidly and bar sinks 2 inches. Only in this way can you use an uplift of rear ribs. 

I call them Dinky squats because they are an insulting poundage and very hard on your self esteem!

In January 1946 I could use 20 x 340 pounds in ordinary heavy breathing squats -- but 20 x 60 pounds and 60 breaths nearly paralyzed my shoulders. By May 1946 my "dinky" record was 23 x 120 in 69 breaths. In April 47 it was 20 x 130 in 60 breaths. In July I assumed the Tiffin shoulder-neck shrugs and ran up to very heavy weights in 30 to 46 breaths -- 46 x  560. I did not breathe them up 2 inches tho. I only raise the bar about 1 inch. My dinky squat "gauge" doubled! I made 20 x 260 in 60 breaths. Saylor, a featherweight at Eells could readily do 10 x 140 in 60 breaths. 

Also, it forced bodyweight gains that I could not order away. 


CARTILAGE MASSING EXERCISES 

For Spinal Area:

(1) Neck -- Upper spine group -- Towel exercise and wrestlers bridge.

(2) Stiff legged deadlift rebounding from knee height by "dead hang" or "hopper." 

(3) Side press -- it also influences the liver and spleen.

(4) The deep knee bend. 

For the Ribs

(1) Round bench bent arm pullover is a permanent MUST. The center of force of this exercise is 1st and 2nd ribs and collar bones. Used with shoulder shrug breathers it is dominant in widening shoulders and upper chest. 

(2) Breathers (A) Squat family (B) Super heavy breathers -- no squat. These strengthen and improve usage of diaphragm and heart when spine is erect. 

The only other postural exercises are for the calf which has no significant cartilage increasing effect. The feet should be used in walking with the toes pointed straight ahead or they will suffer from sprains. The best shoes for feet are those with very thick leather soles, insteps and heels. 

When the abdominal muscles are used to the limit they prevent and destroy growth. On proper postured people they possess normal usage. A slump of spine drops the ribs and abdominals. Lifting ribs on a straight spine tightens abdominals and flattens waist. Strengthening the abdominals on a "hunchback" only makes him more hunchbacked. 

All exercises on "round bench" of "hump bench" are favorable to cartilage massing on sternum. 

Note from Peary Rader: This concludes the introduction to the new Hise theories of exercise. More will follow in the future, giving you concrete instruction and results to be expected. 


Enjoy Your Lifting! 

   






















Friday, June 27, 2025

The Cartilage Mass Theory, Part One - J.C. Hise (1948)


                                                                                                     The Author. 
                                                                             Big THANKS to Joe Roark for this photo! 



Note from Peary Rader: 

Our readers have asked for more articles by Hise and they will be pleased with this present one which will be presented in two parts. It will bring a new and revolutionary exercise Mr. Hise has discovered recently and with which he has had considerable success. After we have finished this article we will present letters from fellows who have followed Hise's teachings as his subjects of experiment. They are all loud in their praise of the new methods. 





I came to the Cartilage Mass Theory of Growth before I ever read of physiology, anatomy, or knew any anthropologists' opinion of same. I came to the conclusion from studies of body mechanics in "Health and Disease" and  by applying same to Grimek.

                                                       https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.268501/page/n1/mode/2up
                                                                  I believe this is the second edition of the book he refers to. 
                         
Grimek excelled all men because he possessed superior body mechanics and has the most cartilage mass. Ergo, to train properly one must have superior body mechanics (most erect body) an to acquire most cartilage volume. 

Later I learned that Prof. Bagomoletz, the Russian physiologist had classified cartilage as a member of reticulo-endothelium system (cell mfg. areas) and that its chief duty was creation of connective tissue and a friend, an anthropologist points out that the large cartilage compels large muscles. If this is true and I choose to believe it, all weight exercising men are innocent of it in writing or practice. 


Note: this part gets a little weird for some, and leads to possibly looking into antireticular cytoxic serum Bagomoletz (Bagomolets) first developed in 1936. The book "Red Miracle: The Story of Soviet Medicine" by Edward Podolsky has more info on  this  man's work. It can get weird, what with homogenized cadaver spleen and rib marrow, but if we stick to what Hise is referring to in this article it's not too much so. 




 The physiologists point out that a muscle is most efficient reacting against resistance. The muscles, when in good condition, will continuously contract, and then "lay out" to rest. 

The muscles are the heat creators in the body. It is this "tone" that keeps the body warm without shivering. In body types resistant to cold exposure and unfavorable environment it is greatest in (1) those stocky and of good body mechanics, (2) intermediate body types, and worst in (3) skinny, big eared types.

There is some merry how-dee-do over growing "internal muscles." Those who worry over this seem to think that "sit-ups" will fix it. As a matter of fact, it is the "abdominal tension" that brings growth to an end! 

The reason that "dwarfed waists" are plentiful now and were not known a few years back, was that no one knew in those days how to grow a large chest without a "normal waist."  Sandow possessed a most superior posture (avoided like poison by lifters and muscle men of today -- the nickname for the muscular marvels of the present day at the beach is "Hunchbacks of Notre Dame"). Of the present crop of muscle men, only Lauriano has a normal waist. Grimek calls it "the only honest waist in America."


One grows muscle -- size -- mass (whatever you choose to call it) by stimulating the cell manufacturing areas, called Reticulo-Endothelium System. Growth depends on mass of "connective tissues." It is the balance of the R.E. System that controls this. Members of the R.E. System are (1) cartilage, (2) bone marrow, (3) lymph nodes, (kuppher cells of liver, (5) spleen and superenal (adrenal) and hypophysal (pituitary glands). 

Their balance is important for if they are kept at a normal balance, exercise brings ready increase in size, or increase in strength. Any increase in endurance destroys ability to "grow" in size and strength. This is the reason why multiple exercises are so useless on men who have never learned to grow rapidly and at any time they choose. 

Men who have overloaded on endurance feats have to have long layoffs to "soften up" their R.E. balance which they soon destroy when they recommence their wrong methods of exercise. 

To keep from destroying this Reticulo-Endothelium balance, EXERCISES FOR GROWTH must be FEW and EASY. EXERCISES TO INCREASE STRENGTH must be FEW and HEAVY. It is true that those with a maximum R.E. system like Grimek can show amazing endurance feats if they have to -- but they instinctively avoid such regimes and performances. 

After a man learns to grow readily and rapidly he then adjusts his exercises to suit his taste. 

"Few and Easy" exercises are those that throw the load on the postural muscles. Postural muscles are "red muscles" used in mammals and birds for posture, but in man they are also used in motion. "White muscles" are used in motion. They demand great nerve expenditure. Postural muscles are racily [no idea what the word was supposed to be there before it went the printer] old and take one fourth or less nerve expenditure. 

Postural muscles are soleus in calf, thigh groups, spinal muscles, the chest, suspensory muscles from neck bones, sterno cleido mastoid and scalene which lifts first rib in every breath, and intercostali externi which lift other ribs up towards the first rib and abdominal muscles. 

Increase of tone is all of these but the abdominals forces cartilage massing on sternum, rib spinal joints, on spinal vertebrae, on dasher, on dancer, on sockets and their cartilage areas, as in throat region and growth and all muscle attachments to bones, forcing larger muscles. This increased postural tone affects bone marrow, lymph nodes, liver, spleen and endocrine glands. 

Increased tension in abdomen ends all this growth. (1) By pressing on lymph nodes, (2) reduction of nourishment, and  (3) effect on liver and spleen. 

Baptiste and Fay well know stimulative exercise but for various reasons have to keep their bodyweight near 150 or so pounds. They say they can gain a pound a day and I believe them. 


                                                                                               Full booklet here:
 

                                                                                                           Norman Fay

  
Postural exercises increase cartilage areas in the body. You may well imagine the astonishment of the men on our job as my voice changed from day to day! GIN (Geo. Irving Nathanson) noticed the same in his case before it showed on me. He has a taste for singing opera and I was amazed at such voice improvement for GIN is what I call "cartilage rich" and is said to sometimes show the Grimek Glow, which GIN considers is caused by "protein utilization" -- that is, a cell is composed of albumen in a mass of slight salt solution. The finer the size of the albumen particles, the more perfectly the cell functions. 

More on George Irving Nathanson here:     
















All men who are "cartilage rich" gain with great speed. Some men who are "cartilage rich" develop endurance from usage of many exercises and lose this speed of growth and strength and or size. 

"Stockies" of large bones (for the "pure fats" are round headed and tiny boned individuals) are all "cartilage rich," but if they postural unbalance they take on a lot of moisture (fat). It is humorous to listen to the publicity bull-shooters want to pitch the stage woo with "skinny" singers. The skinny singers (if and when they can sing) are cartilage rich pure intermediates. No great number of excellent female singers can duplicate the bodyweight of Hollywood stars and live. Neither do they have the beauty of their voices. A "Hollywood" (slenderizing) improvement(?) would ruin their voices. 


                                                                                                   EXERCISES 

Those who have never learned to gain weight should never use over 6 or 8 exercises per workout. Only two exercises should be kept: bent-arm round bench pullovers and some of the breathing group of the deep knee bend or squat. The rest of the 6 to 8 chosen exercises should be changed around from every month to six weeks. As soon as some of the latter refuse to show gain toss them away and grab a new set but always keep the first two mentioned. 

Do not exercise over three times a week on "growing exercises" and on strengthening exercises (as lifting) not over twice per week. 3 times in 2 weeks is often better. 


Must Exercises

For the neck and upper spine group, (1) towel exercise, (2) wrestlers bridge exercise. This group lifts the chest up where it belongs -- like Grimek, Stanko, Sandow. They are not called "hunchbacks" like many "popular" muscle men! 

This straight spine pulls the heart into normal position, with strength in scalene sterno cleido mastoid group. It lifts ribs off a battered heart and lifts diaphragm into high position where it assists (1) blood circulation, (2) breathing, (3) digestion. A "hunchback seldom has any use for a diaphragm. This straightening of the spine throws continuous tension on the abdominal muscles. One who has a normal balance of posture has no need of "incline boards" unless he wants to dwarf a normal waist -- which it seems to me is as silly as wanting to "dwarf" the chest or hips. 

The diaphragm does 60% of air intake in deep breathing. The costal muscles do 40% of the intake. Hunchbacks have little normal use of the diaphragm. 

The erectness of the spine and height of rib box has direct effect on longevity. Stockies with perfect mechanics have the greatest longevity. Intermediates have greatest average longevity and asthmatics no longevity. 

The second most important group is the "breather" group. Usually squats -- but Chas. Tiffin found that they are not ever compulsory. From Fred Howell: 

"One day Hise saw a young man, Charles Tiffin, put a light barbell across his shoulders and then do shrugging movements while taking deep breaths. Joe's inventive mind went to work and reasoned that maybe a heavy barbell would be better and increase chest size and improve posture. This was the start of the Hise Shrug." 

The breathers are 
(1) the Dinky Squat as written up by Bruno and Hise
here: 
and:

 -- used extensively in the health studio practice of Eells and Fay.  

(2) the Dinky squat in Splits. A discovery by me -- although Rader had discovered it in heavy squats two years before. The set of 20 squats is 60 breaths split into 3 or 4 groups with one minute rests with bar laying on rack. 

Sample: 8 squats in 24 breaths -- rest 1 minute then 7 x 21 breaths -- rest 1 minute then 5 x 15 breaths. This split group system is compulsory on weak, or exhausted-from-work men. It is also superior to a straight set of 20 reps with 60 breaths. 

Note: So many people seem to think they know Hise's work after reading a wee bit on the heavy 20-rep squat with labored, multiple breaths in the latter stages of the twenty, written by later authors with little or no explanation as to the reasoning behind them. There's so much more to it. 

Also, it saddens me to know of what led to his death, which is worth looking into and finding out if you don't yet know. All those years of work, study and experimentation destroyed at the hands of the medical profession. I for one know of many people, online and in person who have put their trust in doctors and come out of what should be a simple procedure with their health either ruined for good or for years. Be wary of those pharma-connected. 

(3) 10 "heavy" Dinky squats in 30-breath time. Repeat if you choose after 20 or 30 minute rest. This is being worked on in Health and Strength and they consider it superior to 20 consecutive squats, for reasons I will offer later. 

(4) Flat-backed squats -- these are compulsory on those with "long spines" -- short thigh bones or both. This style is intensely hated by all with normal spines and long thigh bones. 

(5) Half squats -- due to variation in thigh leverages many men prefer this style. Such men as Grimek, Abele, Terlazzo, etc., like full squats but such men as Terpak etc., prefer half or quarter squats. Terpak's answer to "how much can you squat with" was "Just as little as possible." Full squatters likewise "sneer" at half squatters because the latter have to be "learned." They are useful for chest-building reasons I'll explain later. 

(6) Symbolic squats (without the squats). 

To be continued next issue. These symbolic squats are Mr. Hise's latest and most sensational discovery. 

Note: I am fortunate enough to have that second part in front of me.
Until I can get it on here, a second look at this article by Arnold Spector
may be useful in your studies on Hise: 

I tells ya, Buddy, the more I learn about J.C. Hise and his methods, the more I realize I've only scratched the surface so far. It's very refreshing, relative to the "quick study" and "four hour bullshit" books some believe have worth. You are going nowhere . . . what is your hurry? Get in the deep end of something and study it till you're breathless. At least attempt to grow more than your muscles. Or not. 


Enjoy Your Lifting! 




"Trials of a Professional Weightlifter" 2019. 275 pages. 
By Mirek Korkowski.
I want to read this book but don't have access to it yet. 
There's a very small sample online, but don't judge a book by its 
sample. Or a film by its trailer. 
Refuse to fall for the "short and quick" approach to anything.
Avoid the hook, line, sinker, rod and reel of quick "learning" and study. 
Leave that to the tuna in your can, and look at where it got them buggers!  


"How did a smalltown kid from Poland become one of the most respected coaches in Canadian weightlifting? What did it take to develop the technical, physical, and psychological skills of a professional Olympic weightlifter? What were the key lessons? 

Mirek shares the details of his professional weightlifting journey to answer these questions. Backed by years of detailed record keeping, his book illustrates the amount of effort and commitment necessary to continuously improve results. Experimenting with various training methods, collaborating with other professional athletes, increasing capacity through education, and the differences they made. 

His experiences identify crucial elements of successful long term training plans. They reinforce the importance of training environment, technique efficiency, and strength training variety. Mirek also shares over 70 weeks of real weightlifting programming, created using the concepts presented. 

The possibilities are endless." 



May 2025. 200 pages. Libraries, William Marx tells us, are mental realities, and, conversely, our minds are libraries. We never read books apart from other texts. We take them from mental shelves filled with a variety of works that help us understand what we are reading. And yet the libraries in our mind are not always what they should be. The selection on our mental shelves -- often referred to as canon, heritage, patrimony, or tradition -- needs to be modified and expanded. Our tangible libraries should incorporate what Marx calls the dark matter of literature: the works that have been lost, that only exist in fragments, that have been repurposed by their authors, or were never written in the first place. Marx suggests methods for recovering this lost literature, but he also warns us that adding new titles to our libraries is not enough. We must adopt a new attitude, one that honors the diversity  and otherness of literary works. 

We must shed our preconceptions, and
                                      build within ourselves a mental world library. 

And I believe J.C. Hise would agree. 






"Adolph & Marlene" 1977. 84 minutes. When Hitler sees Marlene Dietrich in a movie, he falls in love with her. He persuades her to come back to Germany to be with him, but upon her arrival she constantly insults him until he eventually, on her command, bites the carpet to bits. This ain't "The Great Dictator." 














 

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