Don MacDonald

Last month I gave a talk about my graphic novel, Machiavelli, and my reasons for writing about him. Thanks to everyone who attended TEDxBoston, who tweeted about it, and were otherwise supportive on your social media of choice. You guys are the best. I had a wonderful time, and the talk was the result of [...]

I am very excited to announce that I’ll be speaking at TEDx Boston next month. My presentation will be about how I’ve tried to address misconceptions about Machiavelli through my graphic novel. And how popular culture gets him wrong. So a TED talk about Machiavelli, graphic novels, and webcomics. What’s not to love? I really [...]

I’ll be at Arisia in Boston this weekend. Arisia is a general interest SF/fantasy/comics/anime convention. I’ll be talking about non-fiction comics on Friday, non-superhero comics on Sunday, and I’ll be giving a pen/ink/watercolor comics workshop on Sunday as well. I hope I’ll see you there! Here’s the full schedule. There’s a lot going on.

In case you didn’t notice (it’s kind of subtle up there on the menubar), I’ve added a links page* where I’ve highlighted eight artists whose work I enjoy. If you’re not there, or you know of someone you think I’d like that I’ve omitted, let me know in e-mail or via Twitter. I will be [...]

I decided to take a moment in between Chapters 7 and 8 to look back on the things I’ve posted this year, it being the holidays and all. I’d kind of like Chapter 8 not to fall into the black hole of the holidays, so I’ll be starting it next week. Then again, maybe I [...]

For your enjoyment, a panorama of pages 128 and 129, joined together by the magic of computers. Click on the image above to see it in its full widescreen glory. Enjoy your weekend!

Here’s another master study, about 40 minutes, a detail of HMS Duke from Nicolas Pocock’s Battle of the Saintes . See also my Parmigianino study from a couple of months back.

I am working on a linked list of the websites of artists and writers who I fell are worthy of your consideration. Since it’s not quite done yet, I want to draw your attention to John A. Walsh’s excellent Go Home Paddy right now, because he is in the last week of a successful Kickstarter [...]

By popular request, a new poster, with today’s daily affirmation from The Prince, chapter 18. Click on the image to get the full-size, printable picture.

The New Inquiry has a fascinating dialogue on the role of the reactionary in conservatism, featuring Corey Robin, author of The Reactionary Mind: Conservatism From Edmund Burke to Sarah Palin, and Daniel Larison, writer and editor at the American Conservative. Corey Robin’s thesis is that a central goal of conservatism is “to defend power and [...]