Many New Years resolutions concern ways of improving the self- smoke less, exercise more; spend less, conserve more. These are worthy goals, but always subjective in nature and often fall to the wayside as circumstances and attitudes change while the year takes shape. As long-time readers of this column are aware, I began a personal […] … learn more→

Barbara Ehrenreich’s Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America is one of the top ten most frequently challenged books of 2010- coming in at number 8- according to the American Library Association. The events portrayed in the non-fiction work take place between 1998 and 2000 and investigates the impact of the 1996 welfare […] … learn more→

Ernest Hemingway’s distinctive writing style influenced 20th-century fiction, as did his life of adventure and his public image. Hemingway wrote seven novels, six short story collections, and two non-fiction works between the 1920’s and the 1950’s, ultimately winning the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1954; three non-fiction works were also published posthumously. His works are […] … learn more→

Maya Angelou has done many things in her storied life and career; along the way she has inspired millions- both here in the United States and around the world. Her 1969 autobiography, “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings”, was nominated for a National Book Award. In 1972 she was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize […] … learn more→

It’s that time of year when our imaginations turn to images of ghosts and goblins, and our mouths water at thoughts of candy apples and chocolate. Regardless of the many religious and cultural references that influenced the modern Halloween tradition, it’s a beloved and fun-filled holiday for adults and children alike. Yet the subject is […] … learn more→

Censorship has a variety of points along its dark spectrum- from the outright removal of books to mere challenges; both fiction and non-fiction works are frequent targets of the flames of ignorance for various reasons. Sometimes a book comes along that, by virtue of being so controversial, causes lines to be drawn in the sand […] … learn more→

It’s October- a time for ghosts, goblins, and other things that go bump in the night. So what better way to get into the Halloween spirit than by showcasing the Children/Young Adult series “Goosebumps” by R.L. (Robert Lawrence) Stine.  Before being knocked out of first place by the story of a young wizard with an […] … learn more→

We all grew up with the lovable and lyrical children’s books by Theodor Seuss Geisel, otherwise known as the immortal Dr. Seuss. His imaginative characters and trisyllabic meter rhymes gave us classics like Green Eggs and Ham, The Cat in the Hat, and One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish. Before his fame as […] … learn more→