Summer Reading
Readers will tell you that any season is a good season for reading. But summers are a special time for many of us. Lighter schedules. Vacations. And, weather and insects permitting, reading al fresco, perhaps with a cool drink at one’s side. My dream is a screened porch near a lake.
It’s not a bad time to think about how to make the most of your reading opportunities. In this Weekly Wrap, I include two lists you might consider. Maybe this is the time to wade into that longer book you held off from reading. Or you might try a new genre. There’s time to shop your shelves or hit the bookstore to stock up.
Maybe you’ll try something else new. Attend a reading or event at a local bookstore. What about imitating Ellen Burstyn and memorizing a poem or two? Or maybe find some people to talk books with–whether a formal book club or just a friend or two. As one of the articles I post here asserts, joining book clubs just might be revolutionary acts!
While I believe books can enrich our lives, I’d encourage you to keep it fun. Summer is not the time to get bogged down in a book. After all, summers are a time for refreshment. Find books that do that for you; set aside the ones that don’t.
To adapt a favorite summer song, “summer time, and the reading is easy.” It’s a good time to look ahead so that will be true for you.
Five Articles Worth Reading
The Atlantic posted “The Summer Reading Guide,” consisting of 25 books in five categories. I was delighted to find one by Columbus native, Wil Haygood, whose books I’ve enjoyed.
Some of us have aspired to read some of the great books of literature, the ones others compare themselves to. The Guardian is publishing a list of 100 from authors, critics and academics around the world. How many have you read?
“Ellen Burstyn Has Been Memorizing Poetry Her Whole Life” describes the actor’s love of poetry, what she’s currently reading and how she organizes her books. If someone can memorize poems at 93, I have no excuse!
We seem to be losing to have conversations in person where we talk and even argue and walk away friends. In “The revolutionary act of reading together: Why book clubs could save the world,” Dana Vanderlugt argues for the value of book clubs in our society.
Demon Copperhead is Barbara Kingsolver’s contemporary re-telling of Charles Dicken’s David Copperfield, both great books. In “‘Institutional Poverty’ in Charles Dickens and Barbara Kingsolver,” Susan Bruxvoort Lipscomb argues the books have very different takes on the role of institutions in perpetuating poverty. She argues Kingsolver portrays corrupt institutions as responsible for perpetuating poverty, whereas Dickens focus more on unfortunate circumstances. Some institutions actually have redemptive influences.
Quote of the Week
Douglas Southall Freeman was born May 14, 1886. He wrote histories of the Civil War and biographies of George Washington and Robert E. Lee. I agree with this observation about character:
“Character is that quality of mind which makes truth-telling instinctive rather than strange.”
Miscellaneous Musings
Artificial Intelligence has been touted for its efficiency. But a new book on Jacques Ellul that I just began included an article that raised questions about how we assess efficiency. We have to consider not just the immediate task but also the huge expenditures of energy, water, land, and resources to run these centers, as well as the costs of ameliorating the consequences of their use. Also, what is the cost to communities where they are sited? AI may not be nearly as efficient as we think if these costs are included.
While we are on the topic of AI, the Authors Guild has released new guidelines that incorporate guiding principles for the use of AI by authors. The Publishers Weekly article included these guidelines that every author ought heed:
“AI-generated text is not copyrightable, and knowingly failing to disclose AI-generated content in a copyright registration application can constitute fraud on the Copyright Office.” The Guild also warns that “many book contracts also include warranties that the manuscript is the author’s original work, meaning undisclosed inclusion of AI-generated text may put a writer in breach.”
The full guide is well worth reading for any of us who write. It may be accessed here.
I’ve started reading Thomas Pynchon’s Shadow Ticket. I’ve not read any other Pynchon before so I don’t know how to compare. It’s kind of a crazy story of a gumshoe from Milwaukee chasing a Cheese heiress while eluding a cheese mafia. It is laced with jargon that makes it a challenge to follow. Still figuring out what I think of it!
Next Week’s Reviews
Monday: Paul Elie, The Last Supper: Art, Faith, Sex, and Controversy in the 1980s
Tuesday: Christopher R. Brewer, ed., Art Seeking Understanding
Wednesday: Thomas Pynchon, Shadow Ticket
Thursday: Terry Pratchett, Wyrd Sisters
Friday: William J. Kole, In Guns We Trust
So, that’s The Weekly Wrap for May 10-16.
Find past editions of The Weekly Wrap under The Weekly Wrap heading on this page.