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We Remember

Pearl Harbor Day

Thursday, December 7, marks National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day, which is also referred to as Pearl Harbor Day. Observed annually in the United States, the day remembers and honors the 2,403 United States personnel—including 68 civilians—who were killed in the Japanese surprise attack on Pearl Harbor, Honolulu, Hawaii on December 7, 1941.

First Japanese American Poet

The influence of great people often gets misattributed or forgotten in the hubbub of the great persons themselves. This creates the tiresome illusion that some genius dropped whole from the sky and that “normal” folks could never work toward such success, no matter how much time spent.

But no one lives and works in a vacuum.

The Tale of Bluebeard

Men and women who retell myths do so because we are ever in jeopardy of losing our old stories. Not in fear of losing the catalogue of them, but rather in fear of losing the tradition of sharing them with loved ones, of telling them by the campfire, in the cars on long drives, or to one’s children as they fall asleep. So, this monthly myth telling attempts to sift through our ever expanding catalogue for those classic or forgotten myths that have shaped us.

Henry Miller

The great American writer Henry Miller wrote, "The man who spreads the good word augments not only the life of the book in question but the act of creation itself." (The Books In My Life, 28)

The Behind the Book Series on Comic Book Heroes and Creators

From our childhoods to the big screen, comic book heroes have grown up with us. They have assumed a cultural weight today that cements them into the Western lexicon. With such popularity comes the cultural impact, and with the cultural impact come the cultural critiques, questions, and theories. Does Doctor Strange respect the Eastern philosophies from which he was derived? How does Captain America's latest revelation as an undercover Hydra agent comment on the current political state of America? What do the variations of Spider-Man represent of the cultures that birthed them?

Woodcut Illustrators

While comic and graphic novel artists of today have changed the format and consumption of book illustration, the classic black-and-white engraving era of book illustrations still remain in our minds and libraries. Although it's always difficult to pick a definitive “best of” list due to their subjectivity, there will always be illustrators and printmakers whose style and pervasive influence keep them cemented in innovation for all time.

This article focuses on printmakers who worked with forms of woodblock printing. Woodblock printing originated as a textile printing method in China as early as 220 AD, and in time came to include wood engraving and woodcut. All woodblock styles use the relief method of printing, wherein the lines of the print are made visible by cutting out the negative space of the print, effectively creating a stamp. Ink is then applied to the wood which is pressed onto paper, creating a print.

‘Underdog’ Is Another Word for ‘Phoenix’

From fairy tales to folk tales to ancient myths, everybody loves an underdog, that scrappy little guy or girl who rises from low expectations to greatness, young heroes and heroines born from the ashes of disadvantage, as it were. Books that feature underdog protagonists don’t necessarily raise those characters to great heights of heroism, wealth, or even respectability, but they do showcase the good and noble attributes society purports to value.

The love of underdogs begins in childhood. Following are some of the favorite underdogs in children’s literature.

A Place for Everything

Prior to the late 1800s, the categorization of books in public and private libraries varied. A haphazard multitude of classifications, some systematic and others not even pretending to a semblance of order, made finding specific books difficult if not impossible. Librarians who intimately knew the contents of their libraries wielded immense power within their small fiefdoms, having the knowledge and power to help a patron find information… or not.

Peek Into the Future

The winter solstice in late December commonly gives rise to thoughts of lengthening days thereafter and one’s future. Indeed, a popular New Year’s Day tradition is the setting of resolutions to improve one’s future, the most ubiquitous being related to losing weight. Humanity, however, doesn’t confine its longing to know what’s coming and to determining some way to manipulate the future in its favor to the new year. Around the planet, the desire remains the same; the method for telling the future varies.

Famous First Lines

The best books hook readers from the very first line, which inspires the reader to read further. Great opening lines go beyond the fairy tale beginning of “Once upon a time” to evoke emotion and grab attention. The opening line sets the stage and establishes the tone of the narrative. In some books, like Pride and Prejudice (1813) by Jane Austen, the first line establishes the tenor for an entire genre: “It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.”

The Apple in Literature

Since ancient times, apples have symbolized the best and worst of human traits. They lure and tempt, they imbue knowledge and shame, they confer love and fertility. Although an apple a day may keep the doctor away, the fruit has been a point of contention for ages.

Imagist Poets

You gotta love reactionary poetry. A movement or style develops on one side of the spectrum, and then another group of poets come along and create an aesthetic that aims to free itself of the other. The opposing side isn’t inspired just to complain; instead they are forced to action through creation.

Korean Tales

Myth and folklore transfuse our histories into our life blood, and are one of the main defining traits of humans. From our old stories stem adages and epithets that, over the years, become ingrained into our cultural dialogue (and finally, worn down into clichés). With just one line, we can recall or reference an entire body of stories.

Hansen's Disease

“Like the other patients, they caught me at school. It was on the Big Island. I was twelve then. I cried like the dickens for my mother and for my family. But the Board of Health didn’t waste no time in those days. They sent me to Honolulu, to Kalihi Receiving Station, real fast. Then they sent me to Kalaupapa. That’s where they sent most of us. Most came to die.” These were the words of a man who contracted leprosy, and was sent to the remote peninsula of Molokai, Hawaii, to live out his days in exile.

On the Destruction of Libraries

One of the favorite moves of any invading military force, occupying power, or totalitarian dictator is to destroy libraries. While it has often happened on accident or as a byproduct of fighting in and around the city, time and again repressive regimes destroy repositories of information, literature, and history purposefully in order to rein in knowledge and annihilate cultural identity that run counter to the false narratives or ideologies of the regimes in power.

Absurdism

Albert Camus, the French Algerian writer and philosopher born on November 7th, 1913, made his mark on philosophy with his ideas of absurdity. Absurdity speaks of humanity’s quest for clarity in a world where there is none. The idea pervades all writing and is the crux of his essay The Myth of Sisyphus, which compares existence to Sisyphus’ plight of eternally rolling a stone up a hill.

Winter Solstice

Thursday, December 21st marks the winter solstice in the Northern Hemisphere, the day of the year with the shortest amount of daylight and the longest duration of darkness. After the 21st, the days slowly get longer.

Throughout history, many cultures celebrated the winter solstice, specifically the return of the sun and darkness turning into light. Worldwide, interpretations vary, but many regard this as a time of rebirth, marking it with festivals, holidays, rituals, and gatherings. Agrarian cultures relied on the power of the sun to nurture their crops.

Origami

Origami is a traditional paper folding process associated with the Japanese culture. The word arises from the Japanese words “ori” meaning to fold and “kami,” which means paper. A person who creates origami is called an origamist.

It’s a magical and entertaining experience to witness an artist fashion an ordinary piece of paper into a colorful crane, frog, or dragon.

According to PBS Hawaii, the history of Japanese origami began in the sixth century after Buddhist monks brought paper to Japan. Due to the exorbitant cost of paper, origami was reserved for religious purposes.

Shop 'til You Drop

With the holidays quickly approaching, many look forward to to fulfilling the wish lists of their loved ones. A critical time for retailers, the National Retail Federation (NRF) says holiday season shopping represents 20 to 30 percent of annual sales.

When we hear the term “Black Friday,” most of us think about the day after the American Thanksgiving holiday, when big box retailers such as Walmart offer extensive bargains. The origins of the term actually go back to 1869.

Exploring the Concept of Basic Income

In the recent decade, salaries that lag behind the cost of living increases and inflation make paying for necessities even more challenging than ever.

A 2017 Global Salary Forecast by management consulting firm Korn Ferry Hay Group predicts a 3 percent salary increase in the U.S. Adjusted for 1.1 percent inflation, the real wage increase is only 1.9 percent. Canadian salaries are forecast to rise by 2.5 percent, but with inflation, real growth stands at 0.9 percent. In the UK, predicted raises will remain flat at 2.5 percent. Adjusted for inflation, real wages are to increase by 1.9 percent.

Records: 81 - 100 of 243 - Pages:

We Remember

Pearl Harbor Day

Yone Noguchi

First Japanese American Poet

Don’t Open the Closet

The Tale of Bluebeard

The Art of Appreciation

Henry Miller

Comic Revelations

The Behind the Book Series on Comic Book Heroes and Creators

Monoliths in Wood

Woodcut Illustrators

‘Underdog’ Is Another Word for ‘Phoenix’

A Place for Everything

Peek Into the Future

Famous First Lines

Temptation, Sin & Knowledge

The Apple in Literature

Imagist Poets

When Tigers Smoked

Korean Tales

Leprosy

Hansen's Disease

On the Destruction of Libraries

and Albert Camus

Absurdism

Sun Worshiping in Winter

Winter Solstice

Paper Magic

Origami

Shop 'til You Drop

Free Money

Exploring the Concept of Basic Income