Z: A Novel of Zelda Fitzgerald
Z: A Novel of Zelda Fitzgerald The Book Oblivion online community is starting a book club and we invite you to be a part of it. Our first choice is Z: A Novel of Zelda Fitzgerald by Therese Anne Fowler. Historical fiction is always fun, even if only for the name dropping that occurs every […]
When Nietzsche Wept and the Christian Faith
Time cannot be broken; that is our greatest burden. And our greatest challenge is to live in spite of that burden.” Last night I read past my bedtime to finish a remarkable book. For some reason When Nietzsche Wept: A Novel of Obsession by Irvin D. Yalom was never on my radar before a few months […]
Summer Reading List – Teacher’s Edition
I have come to believe that a great teacher is a great artist and that there are as few as there are any other great artists. Teaching might even be the greatest of the arts since the medium is the human mind and spirit.” ~John Steinbeck Summer is here! Enter self-care, family time, and relaxation. […]
Time to Get Unstuffed
Are you completely overwhelmed by stuff? In an attempt to help you find the margins in your life so you finally have room to breathe, Ruth Soukup walks you through her process to get Unstuffed in her new book. She breaks this process up into three areas: the home, the mind, and the soul. I […]
Thinking Critically – Stop Being a Lazy Thinker
Thinking critically is easier than you think, but it is rare. Professors, pastors, and politicians are not modeling what it means to think critically and it drives me crazy. Once in a while, I’m going to write to you, my reader, out of frustration. Today is that day. I am tired of being surrounded with […]
I Consume Libraries – Infinite Jest Inspiration
‘I read,’ I say. ‘I study and read. I bet I’ve read everything you’ve read. Don’t think I haven’t. I consume libraries. I wear out spines and ROM-drives. I do things like get in a taxi and say, “The library, and step on it.” When Hal tells the administration of the Enfield Tennis Academy, “I […]
Courage and Mourning the Loss of Harper Lee
Courage and Mourning the Loss of Harper Lee I wanted you to see what real courage is, instead of getting the idea that courage is a man with a gun in his hand. It’s when you know you’re licked before you begin but you begin anyway and you see it through no matter what. You […]
Infinite Jest on Teaching
Everyone teaches. Whether you are a mother teaching your child, a professor teaching your students, or a coach teaching your athletes, you are teaching. Hal from the pages of Infinite Jest is a Big B, or Big Brother, to one of the 13-15s (13-15 year olds) at the Elite Tennis Academy. He rather enjoys this […]
10 Blog Writing Tips With Book Recommendations
I regret nothing. I say that in the spirit of the beautiful French song that is now synonymous with the 2010 Christopher Nolan film, Inception, “Non, je ne regrette rien,” I, too, regret nothing about my blogging journey. The 10 blog writing tips are ones I learned the hard way. Nonetheless, it’s fun to assess […]
Reading Between the Lines of Falling Man by Don DeLillo
“Every time she saw a videotape of the planes she moved a finger toward the power button on the remote. Then she kept on watching. The second plane coming out of that ice blue sky, this was the footage that entered the body, that seemed to run beneath her skin, the fleeting sprint that carried […]
The Anatomy of the Perfect Reading Space
My friend, Sky, and I share a love for all things books and she knew how much I would appreciate the reading space her husband designed for her. And I do. It brought my heart joy, knowing how special this gift has to be for her. It’s one of the most thoughtful gifts I’ve ever […]
Reading With Friends
A few years ago, I felt intellectually isolated and started praying for something that felt a little peculiar: friends. We are wired for connection, and everyone wants friends, so why is that peculiar? Well, I had a ton of friends at the time, and still do. They are wonderful, seriously, wonderful. The only thing wrong these […]
Reading Between the Lines of Go Set a Watchman
Harper Lee tapped into the zeitgeist of American culture when she wrote To Kill a Mockingbird. The book crossed racial boundaries when a white lawyer defended an innocent black man in Alabama during the 1930s. We, the readers, view this world through the eyes of Scout when she’s between six and nine years old. I […]
Write Like Murakami! The Best First Lines of His Mind-Bending Stories
It takes so little time for writers like Haruki Murakami to abduct you into their mind-bending worlds. Revisiting some of these first lines will make you laugh, while others will make you wonder. The rest might even bore you a little, despite how exciting the novel ends up. Here are the best first lines from his […]
3 Reading Strategies for Exhausted Minds
I’m pleased to introduce you to Dan from the insightful blog, Country of Quinn. Dan happened to read my post on reading crutches last week and decided to share some really great tips with us about how to rekindle your motivation for reading when you are over-tired, overwhelmed, or simply don’t feel like it. Sounds like a great fit for […]