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
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!
September 17, 2011
It’s always interesting for me to be both a hip hop enthusiast and a feminist. For obvious reasons, the two may seem totally incompatible, as much of hip hop carries some of the most noticeable expressions of sexism in music. However, there is no reason why one cannot appreciate a particular form of art while […]
September 16, 2011
The fall issue of Northwestern’s alumni magazine contains an excellent cover story about Amazingrace, the Evanston non-alcoholic coffeehouse and nightclub that began in the basement of Northwestern’s Scott Hall in 1971. After moving to Shanley Hall in the spring of 1972, the group enjoyed a reputation beyond Evanston and Northwestern for hosting folk singers. By […]
September 15, 2011
One of my pet peeves, which is shared by the author of this post, is how stores display holiday decorations months in advance. Does Labor Day truly signal the onslaught of Halloween and Christmas shopping? (Not to sound like a fuddy-duddy, but I also remember when December decor only appeared immediately after Thanksgiving.) […]
September 14, 2011
A few months ago the Oxford English Dictionary updated its new online edition with over 400 words to include slang and Internet abbreviations. A few of of the abbreviations added were OMG (Oh my God), LOL (Laughing Out Loud), TMI (Too Much Information), FYI (For your information) and BFF (best friends forever). The Oxford English Dictionary, […]
September 13, 2011
Popular fiction writer Omar Tyree is experimenting with self-publishing a serialized novel. He has total control over the content and how much material to produce.Ironically, the novel is about the publishing industry and is called Corrupted. ‘Nuff said. The second author to venture into publishing recently is chef Anthony Bourdain, author of Kitchen Confidential. He […]
