The New Classics

Entertainment Weekly's July 6th issue has a cool http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20207076_20207387_20207063,00.html">listing of the new classics, which is described as the 1000 best movies, tv shows, albums, books and more of the past 25 years.

I love these types of lists. I think it is fun to compare my opinions versus those of the …

PATRIOTISM

I thought that the week of the 4th of July was a good time to think about our country and patriotism. I googled the word patriotism and found several meanings. Two are "love for or devotion to one's country" and "love of country and willingness to sacrifice for it". …

Military History

Books I Want to Read

These are the new books I would be enjoying if I wasn't spending so much time reading books on library theories (i.e. Fundamentals of Collection Development and Management).

The Other by David Guterson
I just noticed this book on our New Shelf. The cover is smooth, …

Rivers and Art

With all the local discussion about the possibilities of the Trinity River project, I found this new installation of http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/27/arts/design/27wate.html?ref=arts">art in New York very interesting.

Though some are wary, I am excited about the growth and change the revitalized Trinity River could bring to the …

The Unbearable Heaviness of Being Charles Laughton

Ok, I am now captivated by a biography of Charles Laughton, actor extraordinaire and unhappy chubby person. It is entitled Charles Laughton, a Difficult Actor by Simon Callow, who is himself an actor but not so chubby, at least he wasn't last I saw him impersonating the …

Stephenie Meyer

Stephenie Meyer. This is the first blog that I have devoted to one specific author. Many of you know her as the author of the Twilight Series which consists of "Twilight", "New Moon", and "Eclipse" with a new book in the series called "Breaking Dawn" which is on …

Hard Core Pioneer Living

I am deliriously happy because I have started rereading all the Little House books.

And I'm curious....what's your favorite Little House book? It seems like most people I've asked say Long Winter. I love These Happy Golden Years.

I'm in the middle of book 2, Little House …

Pedro and Me

In 1994, MTV's reality show, The Real World, was ready for its third season. That year, MTV decided to take a chance and cast a young man who was HIV-positive. At the time, this was a controversial decision and was sure to anger a lot of people. But at the same time, …

Rant, Part II

I think too many books are being published. The last time I posted, it was too many celebrity bios. I now realize that my feelings extend way beyond that.

Just look at the statistics: a New York Times article several years ago stated that, in the United States, a new …

What Keeps Me Reading

Actually less and less these days. Rare is the book that keeps me reading till the very last page. However, there are certain authors who can consistantly keep me at it. They include but are not limited to the following:

Dan Simmons - This author can write in 20 …

Art District and Central Library in Fort Worth

Did you know that you can combine museums and libraries? They go together like two peas in a pod. Fort Worth has two world famous art museums - the Amon Carter Museum and the Kimbell Art Museum. Both of these are on Camp Bowie Blvd. It is just a hop skip and jump …

How far are you willing to go save someone you love?

One of My Favorite Places

Books on the Edge

Books on the edge of what, you ask? Well, in some cases, I'd say the edge of reason, in others the edge of accepted or respectable or entrenched belief. I have a weakness for both kinds. I like the way they rattle cages and shake things up.

As an example of the former - …

Coffee addiction

One of this week's earlier postings is about chocolate. I am not a huge fan of chocolate. I will eat it of course, but my main food obsession is coffee. Is anyone else with me here?

As most work places do, my colleagues and I thrive on coffee. Some days we will drink it …

OPERA and Books

I am back to work and my series, that I did from home, on poetry is finished. Did you realize that if you searched the Fort Worth Public Library catalog by the subject "opera" that you will find over 200 entries on CD for operas? Try it sometime. I was brought up …

Sock Monkey Fun

Chocolate Anyone?

If you are like me, chocolate is wonderful treat that borders on addiction. The amount of chocolate that is produced each year is pretty amazing. There are types for every taste pallette.

School's Out for Summer (with apologies to Alice Cooper)

Summer vacation starts NOW (for the kids in Fort Worth). Friday was the last day of school for the FWISD. Remember when as a kid summer would pass by lazily and you had all the time in the world to complete your summer dreams? As an adult, summer speeds by in the blink …