Book Expo America (BEA), the largest annual book trade fair in the U.S. will be held in New York City this year from May 27-29. More than 750 authors, hundreds of new titles, 1,000+ exhibitors, and four Author Stages, along with the Digital Discovery Zone (D2Z) provide by the International Digital Publishing Forum (IDPF) make this one of the best environments for networking, sourcing, and relationship building in the publishing industry in North America. The BEA website has details.
No, I’m not talking about Amazon, the publishing giant. I am talking about fearless women in the book industry. In Greek mythology, Amazon women were fierce warriors, strong and brave. In 2014, the real Amazon women were in the book business. While headlines were dominated by the seemingly intractable war between Internet giant Amazon and major publishing house Hachette (see my June 8, 2014 blog post, Burying the Hachette?), these women were insuring booklovers that the literary community would survive and thrive.
Across the country during the 1990s, we saw an alarming reduction in the number of independent bookstores, replaced by mega-merchants offering discounts and the convenience of shopping from home. That shift was captured in the movie, You’ve Got Mail. I wrote about it in my post, Guilty as Charged on March 10, 2013. It’s worth a look back.
Neighborhood independent bookstores are the cornerstones of the literary community. Libraries offer a repository of massive inventories of books but indie bookstores measure the pulse of what’s emerging in literary circles. They can do more to introduce readers to new authors through store appearances and social media, to support book clubs and expos, to host events where children not only handle books but can take them home as their very own. Neighborhood bookstores feed the senses and the spirit.
For self-published authors who may find big box booksellers have erected insurmountable barriers to inclusion on the bookshelf, local independent bookstores are often very welcoming. Considering that self-published books now represent around 50 percent of new titles each year, this means indie book stores may offer titles not found at chain stores and discounters.
The good news in Chicagoland (and I suspect elsewhere) is that independent bookstores are on an upward trajectory. What I find striking is the number of women behind the resurgence. They are either saving stores on the verge of closing by buying them or they are opening new stores. Perhaps there’s a link between the nurturing aspect of women’s lives as mother’s, teachers and counselors that motivates them. It’s just as likely these women see a business opportunity that is both intellectually and financially rewarding.
The culture of reading is in transition: what we read, how we read, where and when we read, how we access what we read. Owning a successful independent bookstore is no walk in the park. Sometimes the best man to get the job done is a woman. All I have to say to each of these real Amazon women is, “You go, girl!”
To see photos of the “20 Most Beautiful Bookstores in the World”, visit Flavor Wire.
Kudos to the Chicagoland women independent bookstore owners who are faithfully keeping the love of literature alive and well. They include Nina Barrett (Bookends and Beginnings), Stephanie Hochschild (Book Stall), Sarah Hollenbeck and Lynn Mooney (Women & Children First) , Teresa Kirschbraun (City Lit), Eleanor Thorn (Lake Forest Book Store) and Erica VanDam (RoscoeBooks). Of note, Bookends and Beginnings is at the same location that housed the legendary Bookman’s Alley – mentioned in my March 13, 2013 blog post Guilty as Charged.
When I attended the Chicago Book Expo on December 5th, I came across something called Polyphony H.S. I knew “polyphony” means “many voices” and I assumed “H.S.” stood for “High School” but I was not aware of such a school anywhere. When I stopped at their exhibit table, I realized that not all schools are housed in buildings. Schools are wherever we learn.
Celebrating its 10th year, Polyphony H.S. is an international student-run literary magazine for high school writers and editors. The non-profit company that publishes annually in August is based in Evanston, IL. The work that appears in Polyphony H.S. is professional quality, written and edited by high school students from public, private and home school throughout the English speaking world.
Just like their top-of-the-line adult counterparts, Polyphony H.S. awards cash prizes for excellence in poetry, fiction and creative non-fiction. The publication’s Advisory Board comprises A-list authors. Among them are Alex Kotlowitz, Chang-Rae-Lee, Stuart Dybek and Scott Turow.
While many high schools produce handsome and creative student publications, Polyphony H.S. elevates and expands the experience for students as authors and editors. Every author who submits a manuscript gets detailed feedback. Every student editor benefits from National Editor Training Workshops.
Alex Kotlowitz says Polyphony H.S. is “A Paris Review for the young. Daring. Provocative. Exhilarating.” For more information, visit the Polyphony H.S.website.
Authors and editors of any age benefit from reading good books. That’s true for young writers and editors as well as for adults. The Center for Children’s Books at the University of Illinois reviews around 1,000 new children’s titles annually. For the holidays, they produce a free Guide Book to Gift Books, with suggestions for young readers of every type. The list of about 300 titles is grouped in four categories based on age ranges and considers books published within the past three years. The free guide features concise and user-friendly notes to help with book selections for your favorite young readers.
Looking for a special holiday gift for your favorite booklover? Collector’s quality limited first editions of Romina Power’s moving memoir/biography, Searching for My Father, Tyrone Power are now available by email special order tyronepower.firstedition@gmail.com while quantities last. In film historian Matthew Hoffman’s book review/ of this handsomely produced book, he says it is “… a work of love that his fans will certainly love. Considering that Power himself was an avid collector of first edition books, this was a nice homage to him. Though it took years to see the light of day in this country, I can tell you that it’s been worth the wait. This is a beautifully written and compiled book for the global fans of Tyrone Power.”
Looking for a special holiday gift for your favorite booklover? Collector’s quality limited first editions of Romina Power’s moving memoir/biography, Searching for My Father, Tyrone Power are now available by special order tyronepower.firstedition@gmail.com while quantities last. In film historian Matthew Hoffman’s book review of this handsomely produced book, he says it is “… a work of love that his fans will certainly love. Considering that Power himself was an avid collector of first edition books, this was a nice homage to him. Though it took years to see the light of day in this country, I can tell you that it’s been worth the wait. This is a beautifully written and compiled book for the global fans of Tyrone Power.”
The third annual Chicago Book Expo will be held Saturday, December 6, 2014, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Columbia College Chicago, 1104 South Wabash. The centerpiece of the event will be an expo of Chicago area independent publishers and literary organizations on the first and eighth floors of the building. This will be an expansion of last year’s event, which was named by New City as one of the top five literary events of 2013. Come meet me and some of my colleagues at the two Off Campus Writers Workshop tables!
Collector’s quality limited first editions of Romina Power’s moving memoir/biography, Searching for My Father, Tyrone Power are now available. Please send an email to request a special order while quantities last. In film historian Matthew Hoffman’s book review of this handsomely produced book, he says it is “… a work of love that his fans will certainly love. Considering that Power himself was an avid collector of first edition books, this was a nice homage to him. Though it took years to see the light of day in this country, I can tell you that it’s been worth the wait. This is a beautifully written and compiled book for the global fans of Tyrone Power.”
The third annual Chicago Book Expo will be held Saturday, December 6, 2014, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Columbia College Chicago, 1104 South Wabash. The centerpiece of the event will be an expo of Chicago area independent publishers and literary organizations on the first and eight floors of the building. This will be an expansion of last year’s event, which was named by New City as one of the top five literary events of 2013.
This week’s Book●ed webcast re-broadcast (starting November 24th) features a perfect book to give yourself or someone you care about for the holidays. Author Sue Baugh talks about the incredible global journey she took while writing Echoes of Earth and the unexpected discoveries she made along the way. This show takes full advantage of our video format to share some of the spectacular photos from the book. You can catch the show on U-Stream this week and, as always, in the Book●ed Archives.
Collector’s quality limited first editions of Romina Power’s moving memoir/biography, Searching for My Father, Tyrone Power are now available. Please send an email to request a special order while quantities last. In film historian Matthew Hoffman’s book review of this handsomely produced book, he says it is “… a work of love that his fans will certainly love. Considering that Power himself was an avid collector of first edition books, this was a nice homage to him. Though it took years to see the light of day in this country, I can tell you that it’s been worth the wait. This is a beautifully written and compiled book for the global fans of Tyrone Power.”
This week’s Book●ed webcast re-broadcast (starting November 17th) continues my thought-provoking interview with David Murrary, co-author with Lt. Col. Mark Weber of the true, inspirational bestseller Tell My Sons. At the age of 41, Mark lost a valiant 3-year battle with cancer. He spent the last year of his life transforming his lifelong personal journals into a book with the David Murray’s skillful help. While Tell My Sons began as a legacy to Mark’s children, it took on a life of its own as an inspirational memoir with remarkable wisdom we can all apply to our own lives. David Murray shares the incredible backstory of this transformative book this week on U-Stream and, as always, in the Book●ed Archives.
The third annual Chicago Book Expo will be held Saturday, December 6, 2014, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Columbia College Chicago, 1104 South Wabash. The centerpiece of the event will be an expo of Chicago area independent publishers and literary organizations on the first and eight floors of the building. This will be an expansion of last year’s event, which was named by New City as one of the top five literary events of 2013.
I’m not off to see the wizard but from November 13th through the 17th, I will be in the land of wizardry: Hollywood. I’ll be there for the final events of a 7-month-long Centennial Celebration of screen legend Tyrone Power. This is also the final leg of promotional activity for the Centennial Limited Edition of Searching for My Father, Tyrone Power, written by his daughter, Romina Power. I’ve played a pivotal role with the book, most notably in the past year as editor, publishing supervisor and marketer.
In the past year, I’ve moved from writing about what it takes to produce and promote a book to actually doing it. I’m glad to say that what I’ve written holds true in the real world. Books are like a 3-legged stool. The legs represent: writing, publication and promotion. The stool will not stand and the book will not sell without all three legs sturdily in place.
Writing means the original work and good editing. Publication means production and distribution. Promotion means reader awareness from day one going forward. While writing might be a singular effort, one must partner along the way if success is to be achieved. I invite writers to read my past blogs for helpful information about taking a book from conception to celebration. You’ll find these posts by clicking the category: For Authors.
As every author knows, there is always an interesting story behind the story; how a book is conceived and born. The goal of Book●ed is to enhance books for readers by bringing the back story forward. That is what our webcast interviews do. Last year, I took a hiatus from the interviews to work on the Tyrone Power “project” (book and centennial events). Along the way, I’ve been asked to work on other book projects. I hope to return to the webcasts but until then, I will continue my blog posts and invite you to watch past shows in the Book●ed Archives.
This week’s Book●ed webcast re-broadcast (starting November 10th) will move and inspire you as you learn the moving true story of Lt. Col. Mark Weber, author of the bestseller Tell My Sons. At the age of 41, Mark lost a valiant 3-year battle with cancer. He spent the last year of his life transforming his lifelong personal journals into a book with the help of co-writer David Murray. While Tell My Sons began as a legacy to Mark’s children, it took on a life of its own as an inspirational memoir with remarkable wisdom we can all apply to our own lives. David Murray shares the incredible backstory of this transformative book this week on U-Stream and, as always, in the Book●ed Archives.
The third annual Chicago Book Expo will be held Saturday, December 6, 2014, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Columbia College Chicago, 1104 South Wabash. The centerpiece of the event will be an expo of Chicago area independent publishers and literary organizations on the first and eight floors of the building. This will be an expansion of last year’s event, which was named by New City as one of the top five literary events of 2013.
If you’re going to be in Los Angeles November 13th-15th, you have a last chance to join in the Centennial celebrations honoring movie legend Tyrone Power. Since May, celebrations have occurred around the U.S. to great response. For more information about events (and some photos of me with the Power children in Ohio), visit Movie Memories Foundation.
Collector’s quality limited first editions of Romina Power’s moving memoir/biography, Searching for My Father, Tyrone Power are now available. Please send an email to request a special order while quantities last. In film historian Matthew Hoffman’s book review of this handsomely produced book, he says it is “… a work of love that his fans will certainly love. Considering that Power himself was an avid collector of first edition books, this was a nice homage to him. Though it took years to see the light of day in this country, I can tell you that it’s been worth the wait. This is a beautifully written and compiled book for the global fans of Tyrone Power.”
If you’re going to be in Los Angeles November 13th-15th, you have a last chance to join in the Centennial celebrations honoring movie legend Tyrone Power. Since May, celebrations have occurred around the U.S. to great response. For more information about events (and some photos of me with the Power children in Ohio), visit Movie Memories Foundation.
Collector’s quality limited first editions of Romina Power’s moving memoir/biography, Searching for My Father, Tyrone Power are now available. Please send an email to request a special order while quantities last. In film historian Matthew Hoffman’s book review of this beautifully produced book, he says it is “… a work of love that his fans will certainly love. Considering that Power himself was an avid collector of first edition books, this was a nice homage to him. Though it took years to see the light of day in this country, I can tell you that it’s been worth the wait. This is a beautifully written and compiled book for the global fans of Tyrone Power.”
This week’s Book●ed webcast re-broadcast (starting November 3rd) will take your mind off politics as I talk with Shobha Sharma, editor of Bridges and Borders, a thoughtful anthology by women from various backgrounds, experiences and views of our world. You can catch the show on U-Stream and in the archives of the Book●ed website.
If you’re going to be in Los Angeles November 13th-15th, you have a last chance to join in the Centennial celebrations honoring movie legend Tyrone Power. Since May, celebrations have occurred around the U.S. to great response. For more information about events (and some photos of me with the Power children in Ohio), visit Movie Memories Foundation.
Collector’s quality limited first editions of Romina Power’s moving memoir/biography, Searching for My Father, Tyrone Power are now available. Please send an email to request a special order while quantities last. In film historian Matthew Hoffman’s book review of this beautifully produced book, he says it is “a work of love that his fans will certainly love. Considering that Power himself was an avid collector of first edition books, this was a nice homage to him. Though it took years to see the light of day in this country, I can tell you that it’s been worth the wait. This is a beautifully written and compiled book for the global fans of Tyrone Power.”
This week’s Book●ed webcast re-broadcast (starting October 27th) will thrill your funny bone as I jokingly spar with Al Zimbler, octogenarian author of several laugh-out-loud books, including Broadway at 77th. You can catch the show on U-Stream and in the archives of the Book●ed website.
Book●ed is delighted to rebroadcast its classic interviews and book reviews on UStream… because good books don’t have an expiration date. The shows continue to be accessible in the Book●ed Archives and book excerpts are also available on the website. This week’s re-broadcast (starting October 20th) is part two of my thought-provoking interview with transgender author Renee James, winner of several awards for her psycho-social thriller, Coming Out Can Be Murder.
Beginning October 13th, Book●ed is delighted to rebroadcast its classic interviews and book reviews on UStream … because good books don’t have an expiration date. The shows continue to be accessible in the Book●ed Archives and book excerpts are also available on the website. First up on the rebroadcasts is my thought-provoking interview with transgender author Renee James, winner of several awards for her psycho-social thriller, Coming Out Can Be Murder.
If you’re in or near Milwaukee on October 18th, come to the charming Charles Allis Art Museum for an evening celebrating the Centennial of movie legend Tyrone Power. Film historian Dale Kuntz will interview Tyrone Power’s daughter, actress Taryn Power Greendeer. The classic 1938 movie, Suez, will be shown. The moving memoir/biography Searching for My Father, Tyrone Power by international star Romina Power will be on sale. Refreshments will be served. Seating is limited and reservations are suggested.
17-year-old Malala Yousafzai was accorded the Nobel Peace Prize this past week, the youngest winner of the prestigious honor in the history of the award. The author of I am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban has inspired the world with her courageous spirit. Book●ed recognized Malala’s star trajectory in September 2013 when I posted Books Will Defeat Terrorism. Congratulations, Malala!
I keep several books on my nightstand. I read them at different times and for various reasons but I never read any of them in their entirety in one sitting. I suppose I could just keep an eReader on my nightstand and jump around from digital book to digital book. But I appreciate the printed page, the sight, smell, feel and heft of a traditional book in my hands. Because of my fondness for printed books, with covers and spines and pages I can turn, I have a collection of bookmarks to keep my place in each edition.
Bookmarks should be as carefully chosen as the books themselves. No dog-eared corners, paper clips or indiscriminate inserts for my books. My bookmarks are made of cloth or paper or leather or metal. Their designs may be geometrical or symbolic or illustrative. Some have messages, poems or quotes. Some have fringes or attached ribbons. Some of my bookmarks were given to me as gifts, which add to the pleasure of their use, remembering the person and circumstance of each gift. I’ve also found great pleasure in choosing bookmarks that evoke some pleasant emotion or introspective thought every time I see them.
A bookmark is the familiar welcome to whatever new world the reader is about to enter. Treat yourself to one every now and then. Treat someone you care about to one. Places that sell bookmarks include bookstores, stationery stores, museums and online. Or make your own. Whether your bookmark is traditional or whimsical, let it express who you are as a reader.
I’m taking a 2-week break from blogging. No, not vacation. Fishin’ for book sales as part of a 2-day Tyrone Power Centennial Celebration in Wilmington, North Carolina. For information about the two events taking place, visit TCM News. The lead story and the third feature story are two examples of how to promote a book by relating it to other events.
More than any other season, autumn is the most emotionally complex, releasing the full spectrum of human sentiments. Some view it as a beginning; the Jewish New Year begins in autumn, as do school years, football and basketball seasons. Some regard it as the season of abundance when the harvest comes in. Yet others sink into melancholy as sunlight hours decrease and the chilling of the air portends the arrival of winter. People refer to their later years as the autumn of their lives. Nature mercifully provides a burst of color in this season, a visual kiss before baring the landscape and chasing us indoors.
Not surprisingly, autumn generously lends itself to literature and is well represented in poetry, novels and short fiction. Browning (both Robert and Emily), Frost, Keats, Sandburg, Shelley and Whitman are some of the notable poets who have woven autumn into their work. To Autumnby Keats (1795-1821) lusciously details the season from beginning to end, creating an allegory for aging and death.
Before you know it, you’ll be donning sweaters, raking leaves, enjoying everything to do with apples, spending more time indoors and looking for activities that lift the spirit and warm the soul. What a great time of year to immerse yourself in good books connected to this most interesting of seasons.
Check TCM News for information about the two-day Tyrone Power Centennial Celebration in Wilmington, NC, on September 18th and 19th, where you can purchase a collector’s quality limited first edition of Searching for My Father, Tyrone Power by Romina Power. Tyrone Power’s children will be at the events honoring their father and signing books.
If you live or work in or near Milwaukee, mark October 18th on your calendar. The Charles Atlas Art Museum will celebrate the Tyrone Power Centennial with a reception, film historian Dale Kuntz’s interview with actress Taryn Power Greendeer and a screening of the Oscar-nominated classic, Suez. The collector’s quality limited first edition of Searching for My Father, Tyrone Power by Romina Power will be available for purchase and autographing by Taryn.
For more information about these events and the book, contact
tyronepower.firstedition@gmail.com
It is interesting – and disappointing – to see how organized labor is losing ground in the United States. I say this, not as a political statement but as an historic observation. Like so many advancements we take for granted, many of the labor laws that restrict abuses against workers and provide life-enhancing benefits for society were achieved through the efforts and sacrifices of union organizers and members.
Organized labor has lost support in recent years, in part due to its own management, political manipulation, and Capitalist efforts to maximize profits for investors and owners. Almost certainly, time’s effect on memory along with the encroaching distractions of everyday life has pushed understanding of the forces behind worklife to the background for most workers. To forget or to ignore is to lose ground that was hard fought and won over the decades, jeopardizing the relatively new labor advancements we take for granted; these include limited work hours, safety regulations, child labor laws, environmental protections, a minimum wage and negotiated benefits through collective bargaining.
The history of labor through the decades and centuries has been the basis of some excellent non-fiction literature and the inspiration for classic fiction.
On this Labor Day holiday, as you celebrate with family or friends in a leisurely way, you may want to check out one of many good books about workers and organized labor to read about how we arrived where we are. Let the books inspire you to work at making work better for everyone.
If you’ll be within a couple of hours of Wilmington, North Carolina, September 18th or 19th, you’ll have a double chance to buy a collector’s quality limited edition of the book as part of a 2-day Centennial celebration of screen legend Tyrone Power. This updated and expanded English language version of Romina’s 1998 Italian best seller made its debut this year and is available only at Centennial events.
On September 18th, a March of Dimes fundraiser luncheon at the Country Club of Landfall will honor Tyrone Power who, among his many charitable activities, was a longtime supporter of March of Dimes. On September 19th, historic Thalian Hall (where Tyrone Power Sr. starred in Macbeth in 1888) will celebrate Tyrone Power with a special reception and screening of the great John Ford film, The Long Gray Line, showcasing Tyrone Power’s superb acting and enduring appeal.
You’ll have a chance to meet Romina (an international star in her own right), along with her acting siblings Taryn and Tyrone Jr. at both events where they will autograph books. If you can’t make it to Wilmington but would like information about other Centennial events, the collector’s first edition of Searching for My Father, Tyrone Power or the trade edition of the book that will be published later this year, contact tyronepwer.firstedition@gmail.com.
My April 28, 2013 blog – The Great Cover-Up – discussed the impact of book covers on sales. I was reminded of the post when I learned of the uproar over a recently released edition of Roald Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. It seems the latest cover of the classic book – written for children but carrying the undercurrent of adult themes – has a decidedly adult image; it features a young girl who hauntingly resembles the murdered Jon Benet Ramsey and most little pageant queens in the Toddlers and Tiaras television show.
Presumably, the girl on the cover represents one of the significant characters in the book, but she is not the most significant character or even the most significant secondary character. However, her depiction on the cover is intentionally shocking. Some critics call the new cover “creepy”.
This is a far cry from previous covers of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory that are brightly colored and usually cartoonish; the most famous popular cover was the 1995 fourth edition cover, created by illustrator Quentin Blake who frequently collaborated with Dahl on his books.
While the publisher of the Modern Classic edition (Penguin UK) intended their new version to attract adult readers, it is disconcerting to readers who consider this as solely a children’s book, imagining the characters as depicted on earlier covers or through Technicolor fantasy movies.
A similar backlash was launched after the Leonardo DiCaprio movie version of The Great Gatsby became the source of a new book cover, replacing the iconic design chosen by the author, F. Scott Fitzgerald.
“People respond the way they do because they care, and they care about the book the way they remember it,” said Chip Kidd, a New York-based graphic designer who churns out about 75 book covers a year.
Classics are classics for a reason. People embrace the full book experience – at least with printed books; eBooks are less likely to build the same adoration. Classics remain with us, they are ageless. They feel more solid and reliable, not fleeting like the images and messages that bombard us daily through modern technology and a changing culture.
One of the most touching covers you’ll see is the one on Searching for My Father, Tyrone Power by Romina Power. If you’ll be in the Wilmington, North Carolina, area September 18th or 19th, you’ll have a double chance to buy a collector’s quality limited edition of the book as part of a 2-day Centennial celebration of screen legend Tyrone Power. This updated and expanded English language version of Romina’s 1998 Italian best seller made its debut this year and is available only at Centennial events.
On September 18th, a March of Dimes fundraiser luncheon at the Country Club of Landfall will honor Tyrone Power who, among his many charitable activities, was a longtime supporter of March of Dimes. On September 19th, historic Thalian Hall (where Tyrone Power Sr. starred in Macbeth in 1888) will hold a special reception and screening of the great John Ford film, The Long Gray Line, showcasing Tyrone Power’s superb acting and enduring appeal.
You’ll have a chance to meet Romina (an international star in her own right), along with her acting siblings Taryn and Tyrone Jr. at both events where they will autograph books. If you can’t make it to Wilmington but would like information about other Centennial events, the collector’s first edition of Searching for My Father, Tyrone Power or the trade edition of the book that will be published later this year, contact tyronepwer.firstedition@gmail.com.
Most of us started reading with the help of picture books. Some of us moved on to comic books. Some of us moved on to graphic novels. All of us, it’s safe to say, have continued to read books that sometimes have pictures – photos or illustrations.
When we think of pictures in adult fiction, we tend to think of graphic novels with drawings. But fiction can also benefit from photos. An excellent example is Carol Shields’ Pulitzer Prize-winning The Stone Diaries. Shields cleverly employs photos and even a faux family tree to convince us of the reality of her fictional autobiography. While her writing paints vivid time, place and characters in the mind’s eye, the addition of photos solidifies her view for us.
Jack Finney, in Time and Again and its sequel, From Time to Time successfully uses illustrations and photos to enhance his stories. The promotional blurb on Time and Again calls the book “the classic illustrated novel”.
The concept of photos dates back at least as far as 1892 and Bruges-la-Morte by Belgian writer George Rodenbach, the first known work of fiction illustrated with photos . Since then, other notable novels employing photos include Orlando by Virginia Woolf and Jonathan Safran Foer’s Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close.
As more authors incorporate pictures in their fictional works, scholars are suggesting these books have their own genre. Suggested names for the genre include “iconotexts”, “image-texts”, “pictorial fiction”, “visual fiction” and the tripping-off-the-tongue “photography-embedded fiction”. Don’t worry what to call it … just picture it!
A study by David Comer Kidd and Emanuele Castano, of the psychology department at New York’s New School for Social Research, suggests that reading literary fiction (compared to pop fiction) better prepares people to sense and understand others’ emotions. The study, published in the journal Science, suggests that literary fiction “may change how, not just what, people think about others.”
Lexicographer Paul Dickson has assembled a fascinating and fun book titled Authorisms: Words Wrought by Writers. He presents a veritable dictionary of words created or popularized by famous people, including many authors. Shakespeare and Sir Walter Scott lead the count of inventive language. More modern contributors include Jane Austen (base ball), Louisa May Alcott (co-ed), Mark Twain (hard-boiled), John le Carrè (mole) and William Gibson (cyberspace). There’s only one word for this book: joy!
Imagine if you could not read a book simply because you could not clearly see the text. You can help a child read, an adult succeed in his or her job, a senior maintain an independent life – simply by donating reading glasses you no longer need. Lions Clubs International has been recycling eyeglasses in one of the largest and most successful programs in the world. They make it very easy to donate your unwanted eyeglasses through the Lions eyeglass recycling program. Donating your unneeded eyeglasses is free for you – but can be priceless to the millions of people whose vision can be corrected with eyewear.
