September 29, 2011
If you’re looking to justify your second or sixth cup of coffee this morning, then my friend, you’re in luck. Today from Philly to Phoenix and St. Paul to San Antone java junkies are hoisting their ceramic mugs high in celebration of National Coffee Day. For the next twenty-four glorious hours, you can feel free […]
September 28, 2011
Czech multimillionaire Martin Roman and his wife decided to donate most of their estimated $30 million fortune to charity during their lifetimes because “no child is happy because he/she inherits a lot of money.” When the 42-year old businessman learned that Czech students scored below average in reading skills and comprehension, he got the idea to start Čtení pomáhá (Reading Helps), […]
September 28, 2011
At the risk of sounding extremely nerdy, here goes: EarlyWord is shining a spotlight on a book by the top jeopardy winner of all time, Ken Jennings. (link to NPR.) Maphead: Charting the Wide, Weird World of Geography Wonks discusses his pursuit of maps. (Part of his success on the show was due to his understanding of […]
September 25, 2011
I did a real double take recently. The CTA bus in my neighborhood showed photos of designer Karl Lagerfeld’s library as the backdrop for supermodel Coco Rocha and his new line for Macy’s called “Impulse.” (above) How did I recognize the bookcases? They were clearly from the same setting I saw in my Off the […]
September 23, 2011
The week of September 24th – October 1st is Banned Books Week. It made me think of a file of newspaper clippings we have here at the Evanston Library on the Evanston Citizens Committee for Decent Publications. The committee was formed in 1958 as the result of a petition with widespread support that was presented […]
September 22, 2011
A book that combines my love of history with my interest in cooking has to be investigated! Recipes Remembered: A Celebration of Survival tells the tale of Holocaust survivors through the use of recipes. I’ve read accounts of concentration camp prisoners who spoke to each other about food from home to […]
September 21, 2011
With a blink of an eye, the world has changed. Kindle, well known for its ease of use, has pushed public library’s downloadable books to a new level. With one click, a library book can now be sent via WiFi to be read on the device itself, or on a Kindle App. As an avid Kindle […]
September 21, 2011
This slightly tongue-in-cheek article in today’s Chicago Trib poses the question that’s been on everyone’s minds since the surge in eReader popularity: What the heck do you put on your bookshelves when all you have are downloaded eBooks? And that’s just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to how culture will change when […]
September 20, 2011
Is it gauche to ask an author to sign an old book, instead of purchasing a new one at the signing? I’m not sure where I come down on this, because it seems the writer should be thrilled to see a loyal reader. However, the purpose of a public appearance is also to sell new […]
September 20, 2011
The 2011 MacArthur Fellows have just been announced! Learn more about the winners and the award!
