Janet Gibbons's blog

VETERANS DAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2010

Submitted by Janet Gibbons on Wed, 11/10/2010 - 11:48am

Memorable fiction may be different things to different people, but one thing that can make any book striking is the writer's ability to connect with his reader on an emotional level.  Because of this, stories which take place during times of war are often some of the most extraordinary and unforgettable.  Characters in war stories are faced with extreme circumstances, cruel challenges, staggering odds.  Settings are exotic, dangerous, harsh.  Plots contain nail-biting tension, evil, heartbreak.  Sometimes there is a happy ending, sometimes not, and a talented writer keeps his readers in suspense, just as war's outcomes are unpredictable until the last battle.

ROAD TRIP!

Submitted by Janet Gibbons on Tue, 07/27/2010 - 4:23pm

Every once in awhile, people seem to get an unexplainable urge to hit the highway.  In 1271, Marco Polo embarked on his journey to China, taking three and a half years to reach his destination.  Probably the phrase, "Are we there yet?" originated at this time.  Polo's strange and fantastic tales of his travels inspired many explorers, including Christopher Columbus.  There's something about the open road that still appeals to young and old today.  It's no wonder that in summertime, many Americans pack up cars and vans, RVs and campers, and set out on road trips.  

 

READY, SET, LOUNGE

Submitted by Janet Gibbons on Thu, 06/10/2010 - 2:31pm

Summer is here!*  It's the season for school vacations and the serious pursuit of leisure.  What could be better than, say, lounging by the pool on a lazy summer afternoon with a good book?  How about receiving a prize for lounging by the pool on a lazy summer afternoon with a good book?

 

If that notion floats your boat, then the HCPL 2010 Adult Summer Reading Program is for you.  Participants who read four books between June 4th and August 7th are automatically entered in a random drawing for a bookstore gift card, generously provided by the Harris County Public Library Friends Counsel.  You might win...

 

BIRTHDAY OF THE BARD

Submitted by Janet Gibbons on Thu, 04/15/2010 - 11:35am

This month marks the 446th anniversary of the birth of William Shakespeare, undoubtedly the most influential writer in English literature.  Shakespeare was baptized on April 26, 1564.  His actual birthday is not known; it is usually celebrated on April 23rd.  Over four centuries after his death, the artistry with which Shakespeare employed language to write his 154 sonnets and 37 plays is still considered exceptional.  Shakespeare's command of English is even more remarkable when one considers that he had little formal education, and in his day there were no dictionaries or organized grammatical texts.  According to Louis Marder, "Shakespeare was so facile in employing words that he was able to use over 7,000 of them—more than occur in the whole King James version of the Bible—only once and never again."  The Oxford English dictionary credits Shakespeare with the introduction of over 3,000 words into the language.   

APRIL FOOLS

Submitted by Janet Gibbons on Thu, 03/25/2010 - 5:56pm
When the Gregorian calendar was adopted in the 1500s, many people did not immediately receive word that New Year's Day had been moved to January 1st.  They continued to celebrate as usual, at the end of March, for 8 days.  Eventually, most accepted the reformed calendar, but there were a few stragglers who either lived in relative isolation or else held stubbornly to past practice and continued celebrating New Year's in Spring.  These anomalous curiosities and stodgy holdouts were labeled fools by everyone else, were subject to ridicule and practical jokes, and hence the April Fool's tradition was born. 
Syndicate content