Tag Archives: United State

National Book Giveaway

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Modeled on a British program that distributed over 1 million books, World Book Night in the United States recently gave away 500,000 free paperbacks to potential readers who may not otherwise be able to own a book – no e-books; all physical books in hand.

A list of 30 titles for the giveaway, compiled by librarians, bookseller, and publishers, included:

  • The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
  • Zeitoun  by Dave Eggers
  • A Reliable Wife  by Robert Goolrick
  • Just Kids by Patti Smith
  • The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
  • The History of Love  by Nicole Krauss
  • The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri
  • Bel Canto by Ann Patchett

For the full list, go to “World Book Night List of Books” – here

How many have you read?

Domestic Manners of the Americans

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Although British Dame Frances Trollope did not have much good to say about her travels in America in the nineteenth century, and her adventures might be a caution to anyone thinking about relocating to Cincinnati – she did praise one of my favorite places…

“…Maryland (1830) was delightful…Strawberries of the richest flavor sprung beneath our feet; and when these past away, every grove, every lane, every field looked like a cherry orchard, offering an inexhaustible profusion of fruit to all who would take the trouble to gather it…It was the flowers, and the flowering shrubs that, beyond all else, rendered this region the most beautiful I had ever seen. No description can give an idea of the variety, the profusion, the luxuriance of them…I have gathered a branch less than a foot long, and counted twelve full bunches of flowers on it…The dogwood is another of the splendid white blossoms…”

It must have been Spring.