Wonderful writing as always. Thank you for keeping the American stories and myths alive!
Great insight and I share your hope that America can move forward toward beauty and style and build a connection to our past. Trump is right, beautiful buildings are inspirational and I hope he is successful in starting a trend in architecture.
America didn't get the opportunity to steep in our culture for hundreds or thousands of years like Italy, Norway, or the Far East before the world started changing rapidly and becoming global. Laura Ingalls died with linoleum kitchen floors in the same year Sputnik hit orbit. Maybe the great race forward supplies our strength, but the payment is our past?
You are making the good things last. Your family and friends must love the richness you bring to their lives.
You make an excellent point contrasting America's youth with other parts of the world being able to develop and nurture a particular culture. Yes! And look what we did with it. Maybe that's part of why we are caught between our past and always looking for the next story. We don't linger too much but we can still appreciate where we came from and how much work it took to get us here. Thank you! And thank you for the kind words.
Hi Jenna, there’s much to reflect on in your latest piece. I was especially struck by your insight into the erosion of cultural memory and the architecture that once gave it form. The demolition of the Glass House feels symbolic, not just the loss of a building, but of belief itself. When we dismantle the spaces that embodied our shared aspirations, we risk forgetting the stories that shaped them. And without those stories, we drift—data-rich, but meaning-poor.
Thank you for sharing such a unique perspective. Blessings, Mark
This is powerful insight, Mark. Thank you for sharing this. Comments like yours are the true gift and I’m always amazed at the depth of wisdom from readers and a grateful for it.
Jenna, your concept regarding America here is strikingly biblical, actually. For in Deuteronomy 4:9, the Israelites are commanded thusly: "“But watch out! Be careful never to forget what you yourself have seen. Do not let these memories escape from your mind as long as you live! And be sure to pass them on to your children and grandchildren." And as one continues to read through the entire Old Testament, the same stories are told in detail over and over again with the purpose of remembering how they got where they got to: because of the Lord their God. It's not an exact comparison, but nevertheless, the concept is the same in my mind. Thanks for keeping us aware.
Jeff, you never fail to bring more to my posts than I imagine. This gives me a lot to think about and certainly adds a layer of depth to what we should know — where our roots lie and are bound together. Thank you so much. I’m always grateful.
Thank you for digging deep in order to reflect on our brief American history. You stated it so well how we are all tied together with various common threads of the past. However, our history is not being taught. A generation has not heard our American story. Now it is the history of “today,”which is very sad. Please keep up the good work. Maybe we will all be part of a Renaissance like resurgence of common sense.
You're right about history not being taught, or even misrepresented. It's difficult to find one's place in the world, let alone figure out one's own path, if you don't understand where you came from. Thank you, Donald. You're always thoughtful with your comments and I hope we are on the brink of a common sense revival.
Well, you've done it again, Jenna. This essay of yours goes after a mighty big topic. I could easily see it swelling to something much bigger. We, America, were an interesting experiment in national freedom and personal freedom, which we may have squandered. I would bet you could write a dandy private eye novel like Chandler, Hammett, Spillane. It's in yer spare prose and unflinching eye for detail.
Portis is one of my favs- "Dog of the South" made me howl. Have you read any Max Evans? His novel, "The Rounders" will be buried with me so I can be assured of a laugh in the afterlife. Also, "The Big Outfit: Ranching on the Baca Float" by Robert Sharp. My family were ranchers and I gave my copy to my 96 year old uncle a few years back (when he was a spry 86). He read it and said, "Sonofabitch, I had no idee someone knew this stuff too."
Gosh, I'm certainly unworthy of such kindness Weston. Thank you. I always appreciate your sense of the world and your unique wisdom. And now I have two more books to add to my reading list -- right to the top! Maybe someday I'll get to that book. Thank you again.
If I were to try a novel it would fall in this crazy vein. Just like Dog of the South. I love big drama, stupidity, over the top love etc. “Count of Monte Cristo”, now there’s DRAMA! “Nostromo” by Joseph Conrad, big love, big drama with the Viola sisters, Linda and Giselle. Let me if you’ve read these.
I’m always torn between responding to what you’ve brought in these essays, concretely, and responding to your existential digging to exhume what’s true, and to blow off the dust that doesn’t matter much. You’re my favorite architectural-private investigator-type writer.
Jenna,
I really enjoyed this essay. I hope we can find our way back to shared pride and shared community.
Thank you, David. That is my hope too. I always appreciate your readership and your thoughts.
Wonderful writing as always. Thank you for keeping the American stories and myths alive!
Great insight and I share your hope that America can move forward toward beauty and style and build a connection to our past. Trump is right, beautiful buildings are inspirational and I hope he is successful in starting a trend in architecture.
America didn't get the opportunity to steep in our culture for hundreds or thousands of years like Italy, Norway, or the Far East before the world started changing rapidly and becoming global. Laura Ingalls died with linoleum kitchen floors in the same year Sputnik hit orbit. Maybe the great race forward supplies our strength, but the payment is our past?
You are making the good things last. Your family and friends must love the richness you bring to their lives.
You make an excellent point contrasting America's youth with other parts of the world being able to develop and nurture a particular culture. Yes! And look what we did with it. Maybe that's part of why we are caught between our past and always looking for the next story. We don't linger too much but we can still appreciate where we came from and how much work it took to get us here. Thank you! And thank you for the kind words.
A great column per usual. It made me think just how much American architecture was lost during the "Urban Renewal" phase of the 1960's.
Yes, I think before we knew what we lost (and were about to replace it with!). Thank you for reading and sharing your thoughts, Steve.
Hi Jenna, there’s much to reflect on in your latest piece. I was especially struck by your insight into the erosion of cultural memory and the architecture that once gave it form. The demolition of the Glass House feels symbolic, not just the loss of a building, but of belief itself. When we dismantle the spaces that embodied our shared aspirations, we risk forgetting the stories that shaped them. And without those stories, we drift—data-rich, but meaning-poor.
Thank you for sharing such a unique perspective. Blessings, Mark
This is powerful insight, Mark. Thank you for sharing this. Comments like yours are the true gift and I’m always amazed at the depth of wisdom from readers and a grateful for it.
Jenna, your concept regarding America here is strikingly biblical, actually. For in Deuteronomy 4:9, the Israelites are commanded thusly: "“But watch out! Be careful never to forget what you yourself have seen. Do not let these memories escape from your mind as long as you live! And be sure to pass them on to your children and grandchildren." And as one continues to read through the entire Old Testament, the same stories are told in detail over and over again with the purpose of remembering how they got where they got to: because of the Lord their God. It's not an exact comparison, but nevertheless, the concept is the same in my mind. Thanks for keeping us aware.
Jeff, you never fail to bring more to my posts than I imagine. This gives me a lot to think about and certainly adds a layer of depth to what we should know — where our roots lie and are bound together. Thank you so much. I’m always grateful.
I have this in my work email signature:
“Common Sense is genius dresses in its working clothes.”
~Emerson
Perfect!
Thank you for digging deep in order to reflect on our brief American history. You stated it so well how we are all tied together with various common threads of the past. However, our history is not being taught. A generation has not heard our American story. Now it is the history of “today,”which is very sad. Please keep up the good work. Maybe we will all be part of a Renaissance like resurgence of common sense.
You're right about history not being taught, or even misrepresented. It's difficult to find one's place in the world, let alone figure out one's own path, if you don't understand where you came from. Thank you, Donald. You're always thoughtful with your comments and I hope we are on the brink of a common sense revival.
Well, you've done it again, Jenna. This essay of yours goes after a mighty big topic. I could easily see it swelling to something much bigger. We, America, were an interesting experiment in national freedom and personal freedom, which we may have squandered. I would bet you could write a dandy private eye novel like Chandler, Hammett, Spillane. It's in yer spare prose and unflinching eye for detail.
Portis is one of my favs- "Dog of the South" made me howl. Have you read any Max Evans? His novel, "The Rounders" will be buried with me so I can be assured of a laugh in the afterlife. Also, "The Big Outfit: Ranching on the Baca Float" by Robert Sharp. My family were ranchers and I gave my copy to my 96 year old uncle a few years back (when he was a spry 86). He read it and said, "Sonofabitch, I had no idee someone knew this stuff too."
Gosh, I'm certainly unworthy of such kindness Weston. Thank you. I always appreciate your sense of the world and your unique wisdom. And now I have two more books to add to my reading list -- right to the top! Maybe someday I'll get to that book. Thank you again.
The Rounders is some profoundly funny stuff, with two of the biggest dopes in the world… and a very smart horse.
Sounds like my kind of story!
If I were to try a novel it would fall in this crazy vein. Just like Dog of the South. I love big drama, stupidity, over the top love etc. “Count of Monte Cristo”, now there’s DRAMA! “Nostromo” by Joseph Conrad, big love, big drama with the Viola sisters, Linda and Giselle. Let me if you’ve read these.
Go big or go home! I love Monte Cristo. It’s one of my favorites.
I’m always torn between responding to what you’ve brought in these essays, concretely, and responding to your existential digging to exhume what’s true, and to blow off the dust that doesn’t matter much. You’re my favorite architectural-private investigator-type writer.