READ ALL ABOUT IT
Since 2012, I’ve been writing about books. And the act of reading. And the importance of story and narrative. But, mostly, the underlying theme of all I write is how taking a moment to stop and digest some longform text — instead of scrolling, instead of watching a video, instead of multitasking — can be one of the most grounding things we can do for ourselves. Here’s the one-stop online home for all this writing.
You can read more about me and my work by moseying over here. Want to peruse periodic “essay drops” — excerpts from my work-in-progress essay collection about Homesickness? Here ya go.
A Book Prize From Those Behind Bars: Goncourt des détenus
As always, I’m spending too much brain space on this notion of celebrities becoming book pushers. So this NYT article from a couple of weeks ago was a nice change-up. The Prix Goncourt is France’s version of the Booker or the Pulitzer, but in some ways it might be more akin to being bestowed the Oprah stamp of approval: The monetary prize is only €10, but the payoff in book sales is considerable.
Malcolm X’s Former Prison Cell is a Library, Thanks to Reginald Dwayne Betts
I’ve posted about prisons and libraries/books before, including the Mellon Foundation’s “Freedom Libraries” initiative that ties in to this full-circle story.
Bay Area Librarians Bring Information to Inmates, One Letter at a Time
When inmates don’t have access to the internet but would like some information, they might turn to the San Francisco Public Library and its department of Jail and Reentry Services.
