Monthly Archives: April 2011

A lesson of this day of William and Kate: The universal attraction of a love story

Posted on April 29, 2011 by

I have not yet seen video of the Royal Wedding, but many people have, apparently. I heard on NPR that about a third of the world’s population, in fact, tuned in. Wow. That’s a big crowd. There are, of course, … Continue reading →

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New ways to read long articles (or short books) in the digital world

Posted on April 28, 2011 by

For people of a certain age (readers and writers, both), it is a sad thing to watch newspapers and magazines wither or die, one-by-one, or attempt to try to live a new kind of life online. The publishing times, they … Continue reading →

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The Writer’s Almanac: Garrison Keillor’s online oasis of good writing, common sense, and calm

Posted on April 27, 2011 by

It is rare that I listen to Garrison Keillor’s daily dose of poetry, literary lore and homespun wisdom: The Writer’s Almanac. This is because I don’t usually listen to the local radio station that carries it. (WAMU 88.5, at 6:50 … Continue reading →

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What writers dream about: raves

Posted on April 26, 2011 by

It is easy (usually) to be loved by your mother, just for being you. Writers (usually) want to be loved by others for the things they write. This isn’t easy, especially when the others know good writing when they see … Continue reading →

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Piling on the social media bandwagon..

Posted on April 25, 2011 by

On Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/anthony_toth On Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1787442658 No Truer Hearts on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/No-truer-hearts-Beverly-Eckerts-story-of-love-loss-and-911-reform/123985106200?sk=wall

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Some Gene therapy for dog lovers: A touching ode to the old

Posted on April 23, 2011 by

Here’s more evidence that Gene Weingarten is not only one of our greatest humorists, but an essayist of great depth and skill as well. His meditation on old dogs is, by turns, witty, irreverant, loving, and deeply moving. It hits … Continue reading →

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Laura Hillenbrand: A master at making a true story sing

Posted on April 22, 2011 by

It is inspiring to watch a master at work. Here is sentence one in chapter one of Laura Hillenbrand’s wonderful rendering of the story of a horse, Seabiscuit: An American Legend. Charles Howard had the feel of a gigantic onrushing … Continue reading →

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The “Three Cups of Tea” tempest, Part II: The question of authorship

Posted on April 21, 2011 by

Who really writes the books we read? And do we deserve to know? Let’s start by returning to the Three Cups of Tea kerfuffle. In addition to the problems already mentioned, it is now clear that the cover of the book itself … Continue reading →

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Humor is for real: Thank God for Gene Weingarten

Posted on April 21, 2011 by

There is a book written by Sarah Palin biographer Lynn Vincent (and fronted by Evangelist preacher Colton Burpo) called Heavan is for Real, high atop the New York Times non-fiction bestseller list. That’s right non-fiction. The God-fearing folks behind this … Continue reading →

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Grete Waitz, RIP: A running life marked by grit, grace and generosity of spirit

Posted on April 20, 2011 by

It is almost impossible improve on real life. That is one of the reasons I find it so frustrating when people try to embellish it or flat out lie about it. Here is a prime example of a story that … Continue reading →

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