When I realized I had to read Of Mice and Men again this summer, I wondered how quickly I could do it. I assigned this novel for summer reading for my incoming 9th and 10th graders, and it recently occurred to me that that meant I would have to read it myself. The last time I […]
Today is the fiftieth anniversary of one of the most famous literary suicides of all time. What is it about the life and death of Sylvia Plath, who committed suicide in her kitchen fifty years ago today, that continues to fascinate us? Why does her single novel, The Bell Jar, remain a mandatory read for […]
I only read two lousy books in September. (The photo above comes from the wonderful Library of Congress stream on flickr.com, which I have featured before on this blog.) I only read two lousy books this month! Geez. How embarrassing. Normally, I try to get three of them done, plus a few interesting magazine articles […]
Today is the birthday of Roald Dahl. Roald Dahl, who was born on this date in 1916 in Wales, is of course best-known for his children’s books. Following is a partial list of his best known titles for youngsters–chances are you’ve read some of these: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Matilda The BFG James and […]
Your bookstore only sells four books by J.D. Salinger, but there is more out there for you if you (or your wife) is up for some bargain-hunting. Go to a bookstore, and you’re only going to find four books by J. D. Salinger. There’s Catcher in the Rye, Franny and Zooey, Nine Stories, and the […]
Here’s what I’ve been reading. How’s about you? 1. Hard Times, by E.L. Doctorow My year started off the right way when I received a copy of E.L. Doctorow’s Welcome to Hard Times in the mail from my good friend James of the blog Ready When You Are, C.B. James and I were roommates for our […]
Here’s a lesser-known Christmas story that I like to share with my students. No other time of the year evinces sappy nostalgia like Christmastime. We always return to the classics, whether it’s Bing Crosby or Tiny Tim or the Grinch. Every year I ask my students what their favorite stories of the season are, and […]
I tried reading Persuasion. I really did. I am aware that I have blind spots in my education, and I feel more than a little bit of anxiety about the fact that I haven’t read everything that I wish I had. Consequently, when I have some time to read, I go to the bookstore and […]
Not everyone agrees with me, and I’m cool with that. Here’s what people on amazon.com had to say about some of my favorite novels. 1. Ironweed by William Kennedy “WHAT A WASTE OF MY TIME! I had to read Ironweed. I admit that the beginning was horribly slow, but I had faith that things would pick […]
It seems that there is never enough time to do all the reading I want to do. That’s why, whenever I am faced with any meaningful amount of time away from teaching, I grab a handful of books and get at it. Below is the second installment in my “Time Enough At Last” series, in […]