#Definitions

Words I come across and don’t know. From different sources.

Beirut (reference in Didion’s essays and U.S. discourse)

Annotations

[Geography] Capital of Lebanon, eastern Mediterranean coast.
[Historical Context]
- 1975–1990: Lebanese Civil War; Beirut became symbolic of sectarian conflict and foreign intervention.
- 1982: Israeli invasion; U.S. Marines deployed as peacekeepers.
- 1983: Marine barracks bombing killed 241

Truculence means a kind of aggressive defiance—being quick to fight, combative, or showing bitter hostility.

If someone is described as “truculent,” they’re not just angry, they’re ready to clash. It carries a sense of raw belligerence, like a stance that dares others to challenge them.

Examples:

A truculent teenager might snarl back at every parental