Monthly Archives: August 2013

Lagniappe

Posted on August 30, 2013 by

You don’t have to spend a lot of money on bookends.  Make your own.  Here are 23 that may interest you. _ _ _ Nick Offerman from Parks and Recreation recaps summer reading for lazy English students. _ _ _ … Continue reading →

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The Great Books Foundation

Posted on August 28, 2013 by

You probably don’t recognize the man on the Time magazine cover above.  His name is Mortimer J. Adler.  Adler, who was born in New York City in 1902, became a philosopher, educator, and author among other things.  He led a … Continue reading →

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Books about Books – Part 1

Posted on August 26, 2013 by

Looking for a good book to read?  Well, you’ve come to the right place, because I love books that are filled with reading recommendations.  In this, the first installment of “Books about Books,” I will focus on the so-called literary … Continue reading →

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Quiz of the Month – August 2013

Posted on August 23, 2013 by

All of the quotes below contain one or more sentences from the beginning of the first chapter of books you may be familiar with.  Can you name each book and its author?  You can find the answers on my Quiz … Continue reading →

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What Children Are Reading Now

Posted on August 21, 2013 by

You may not be surprised to know that high school students are not reading high school level books.  Some, in fact, are reading books on a fifth or sixth grade level.  They are also more interested in fantasy, science fiction, … Continue reading →

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A Brief Survey of the Short Story

Posted on August 19, 2013 by

The Guardian has been steadily adding to a series of fascinating articles that it began back in 2007.  The series is “A Brief Survey of the Short Story,” and at this point there are 51 entries – each one about … Continue reading →

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Quotes of Note

Posted on August 16, 2013 by

“There are two ways of creating a fictitious character; one, the more superficial, perhaps, is to take observed behavior and try to deduce from it the motives from which it springs.  The other is to take some passing mood of … Continue reading →

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Music Notes

Posted on August 14, 2013 by

Two of the greatest opera composers of all time were born 200 years ago this year.  It is fitting that one is Italian and the other German.  The two men are, of course, Giuseppe Verdi and Richard Wagner.  WQXR has … Continue reading →

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Readings I’ve Enjoyed – The Story of Civilization by Will Durant

Posted on August 12, 2013 by

Though you may never have heard of Will Durant, he is responsible for introducing millions of people to the pleasures of philosophy and history.  His 1926 book The Story of Philosophy has sold millions of copies, and his 50 year … Continue reading →

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The Pop History Dig

Posted on August 8, 2013 by

A few weeks ago I was channel surfing when I came across an interview that Brian Lamb, the man who started C-SPAN, did with someone named Jack Doyle.  Doyle, it turns out, has a website called The Pop History Dig … Continue reading →

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