Tag: Books
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Your Ancestors Could Have Met Jean Valjean
I’m currently on a French literature binge. Having recently finished The Count of Monte Cristo, I started Les Misérables a few weeks ago. While both these stories are worth reading (and re-reading), they’re both very long. I read an abridged version of Les Misérables in high school without realizing it was abridged. Who would expect the abridged version…
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Benjamin Franklin’s Self-Help Book
It’s 1752 on the outskirts of Philadelphia, and pouring hard. Twelve-year-old Jeremy is bored; he’s been left at home with his mother while his older brother goes with their father to the local pub for a pint of ale and the local gossip. Jeremy reluctantly goes out into the barn to feed the three hens.…
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January Reads
The month of January marked my very last college interterm—a glorious five week break from school. As usual, I spent a lot of time reading. Here’s a quick run-down of the books I read in January: The Moon and More by Sarah Dessen Genre: Young Adult Fiction See my review of this book here. Frozen…
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Why Read Books?
The current age is that of technology—but more importantly, that of the Internet. We thrive on Facebook, Twitter and blogs. We watch movies on flat screens, post pictures on Tumblr, and text instead of talk. Our world is instantaneous, filled with fast-paced sound bites and bold colors to catch our fleeting attention. We get frustrated if a webpage…
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Starving, Going to War, and Giving Thanks
The images that come to mind with Thanksgiving are typically related to food: turkey, gravy, stuffing, a slice of pumpkin or apple pie. Family may also come to mind, along with the occasional Pilgrim. We don’t usually think of bloodshed, cannons, civil war, and patriotism. Yet these were the circumstances under which Thanksgiving became a…
Victoria Van Vlear 