B.B.’s “The Little Grey Men”: Delight in Nature and in Story
Years ago, I read in a clipping from a magazine that Julie Andrews’ favorite book in childhood was B.B.’s “The Little Grey […]
Sentimentalizing Mothers and Mothers Who Are Not Overly Sentimental
Used book sales are a treasure trove of cast-off volumes, unwanted and unlooked for by most. Gorgeous old tomes sell for a […]
Motherhood, Individuality, and a Life in Full Color
The demands of raising children can lead to a disturbing erasure of visible personality. Exhibit A: an annual trip. The children’s various […]
A Word from Charlie Munger on Luck
This year, as with every rotation around the sun, the world lost many lights. Jimmy Buffett and the other Buffett’s long-time business […]
Patricia Polacco’s “The Butterfly”: A Story of Hope in Cruel Times
Patricia Polacco’s picture book “The Butterfly” strikes a rare balance: grim and gritty and yet hopeful. The story is based on real-life […]
Plenty of Life Left to Live: Accomplishment in Adulthood
It’s remarkable how quickly men can settle into a mid-life crisis. Like Julius Caesar weeping at the foot of the statue of […]
What Is the Proper Response to Feminism?
Have you ever met a vegan who had really nice leather seats in her car? I knew one, and her obsession with […]
Laura Shapiro’s “What She Ate” and What it Means that Hitler was a Vegetarian
After trawling the library offerings for the works of Barbara Pym, I came across a wonderful book of food history: Laura Shapiro’s […]
A Resource for Curating Books that are True, Good, and Beautiful
As “classical education” becomes more of a buzzword, there is yet more discussion of “the good, the true, and the beautiful.” As […]
Women in Combat: So Equal It Hurts
The presupposition of much of our public discourse is that radical and absolute equality between the sexes is not only possible but, […]