Who doesn’t love October? The blaze of color, the brisk, bold weather, the brief, bright interlude between summer and winter - for many, October is the highlight of the year. Of course, October culminates with Halloween, notable for pranks, clanging door bells, costumes and too much candy.
Hilary Mantel, who became a household name with the publication of her second novel, Wolf Hall in 2009, died on September 22, 2022. The 70 year old author had twice won the esteemed Booker Prize, for Wolf Hall and Bring Up the Bodies, both part of a trilogy based on the life of Thomas Cromwell. Regarded by critics as one of the greatest English writers of this century, Mantel had published 17 books and had been working on a screenplay and various other works at the time of her death. Click on the
America’s richness and strength lies in its diversity.
Welcome to the “Dog Days,” the time of year synonymous with the “lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer.” The name conjures up images of dappled dogs dozing in the sun but have you ever wondered where the term originated and what it actually means? The “Dog Days,” which officially begin on July 3 and end on August 11, coincide with Sirius, the Dog Star, rising and setting with the sun. Known as the Dog Star because it is part of the constellation Canis Major, Latin for “Greater Dog,” Sirius is the brightest star in the night sky.
Have you ever wondered why baseball is referred to as our national pastime? Even the poet Walt Whitman called it ‘‘America’s game.” Although baseball comes in a distant third to football and basketball in television ratings, the game remains our national sport because it resonates more deeply in America’s heart than any other sport, inciting fierce loyalties that span generations.
There’s no better vacation - or staycation - companion than a good book, a real page turner that you absolutely cannot put down. The books pictured below encompass a wide variety of styles and themes; the one thing they have in common is their ability to transport. Click on a book jacket to be taken to a catalog link.
“One benefit of Summer was that each day we had more light to read by.” Jeannette Walls
The Fourth of July, aka Independence Day, is surely the most iconic of American holidays. The official birthday of the United States has long been celebrated with fireworks and family gatherings but the day did not officially become a paid holiday for federal employees until 1941. A bit of background: on July 2nd, 1776, the Continental Congress voted in favor of independence from Great Britain and two days later delegates from the 13 colonies adopted the Declaration of Independence, which was drafted by Thomas Jefferson and edited by Benjamin Franklin and John Adams.
June is National Audiobook Appreciation Month, a celebration created by the Audio Publishers Association (APA) to acknowledge the significant role of audiobooks not only in the lives of busy people needing to multitask but also as an indispensable tool for the vision impaired and to advance literacy.
While many of us think of Mother’s Day and Father’s Day as twin holidays, the two celebrations had very different historical trajectories. Mother’s Day became a national holiday only seven years after it was first celebrated on May 10, 1907, in Grafton, West Virginia.
Juneteenth - a term combining June and nineteenth - is our newest national holiday and the first new federal holiday since the establishment of Martin Luther King, Jr., Day almost forty years ago.
Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month was established by the Federal Government thirty years ago to celebrate the many contributions of Asians and Pacific Islanders to the history and culture of the United States.
We all know how to celebrate Mother’s Day - with gifts of cards, candy and flowers. But, did you ever wonder why we celebrate Mother’s Day? Our yearly shout out to Mom is the result of the tireless efforts of a devoted daughter, Anna M.
Billy Collins, U. S. Poet Laureate and the “most popular poet in America,” according to New York Times columnist Bruce Weber, wrote: “I’m a great believer in poetry out of the classroom, in public places, on subways, trains, on cocktail napkins. I’d rather have my poems on the subway than around the seminar table at an MFA program.” His argument that poetry is everywhere and that it is accessible to everyone is one of the reasons this literary form will always be an integral part of our lives and culture.
Ah, March. Hope for the best, expect the worst. In this unpredictable month, anticipation often results in disappointment as winter refuses to say goodbye. On the other hand, March is an eventful month, containing the first day of spring, Daylight Savings Time and St. Patrick’s Day. But did you know that Read an EBook Week occurs in the first full week of March? This year we celebrate the convenience and ease of ebooks from March 6-March 12.
In 1987, Congress designated March as National Women’s History Month. Each year, the President issues a special Proclamation in recognition of the enormous contributions of women to every aspect of American life and culture, often while enduring great hardship and sacrifice. For Women’s History Month 2022, The National Women’s History Alliance is honoring caregivers and frontline workers.