Published in 1962, A Wrinkle in Time quickly won the coveted Newbery Medal in 1963. It is a tale filled with magic, mystery, and adventure; but the very core of it is the heartwarming quest of a girl wanting nothing more than to find her father- a government scientist...
Newswires around the world were abuzz last Wednesday after government officials in New Zealand seized a copy of “Bloody Mama” from a local business; the book has been banned there since 1971. There are currently 1319 books officially banned in New Zealand and another 728 titles that are restricted....
The Canterbury Tales, written at the end of the 14th century by Geoffrey Chaucer, is a collection of stories presented as part of a story-telling contest by a group of pilgrims as they travel from Southwark to the shrine of Saint Thomas Becket at Canterbury Cathedral; the prize being...
Published in 1994, Snow Falling on Cedars, by David Guterson, became an instant bestseller and also won the 1995 PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction. In 1999 it was adapted into a filmthat was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Cinematography. In 2007 it became a stage play by Kevin...
Ernest Hemingway’s distinctive writing style influenced 20th-century fiction, as did his life of adventure and his public image. Hemingway wrote seven novels, six short story collections, and two non-fiction works between the 1920’s and the 1950’s, ultimately winning the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1954; three non-fiction works were...
Maya Angelou has done many things in her storied life and career; along the way she has inspired millions- both here in the United States and around the world. Her 1969 autobiography, “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings”, was nominated for a National Book Award. In 1972 she...
It’s that time of year when our imaginations turn to images of ghosts and goblins, and our mouths water at thoughts of candy apples and chocolate. Regardless of the many religious and cultural references that influenced the modern Halloween tradition, it’s a beloved and fun-filled holiday for adults and...
“Brave New World” was criticized when first published in 1932 for having a weak plot and characterization. “Nothing can bring it alive,” one review quoted; but it is now considered a classic. In 1999, the Modern Libraryranked “Brave New World” fifth on its list of the 100 best English-language...
Censorship has a variety of points along its dark spectrum- from the outright removal of books to mere challenges; both fiction and non-fiction works are frequent targets of the flames of ignorance for various reasons. Sometimes a book comes along that, by virtue of being so controversial, causes lines...
It’s October- a time for ghosts, goblins, and other things that go bump in the night. So what better way to get into the Halloween spirit than by showcasing the Children/Young Adult series “Goosebumps” by R.L. (Robert Lawrence) Stine. Before being knocked out of first place by the story...