A handy infographic explaining why PBS, in the face of a resolution in Congress to eliminate its federal funding, deserves our support.
Supporting PBS
Library Lament
The Library of Alexandria was ruined by fire, right? Maybe not. The library actually succumbed to budget cuts long before flames reached it. Annalee Newitz details the financial woes of the long lost library for io9.
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Drunk Writing
Recommended Reading: Michelle Dean writes for The New Republic about the image of the tortured, alcoholic writer — and the “different kind of weight attached to a woman drinker.”
Hey, That’s My Thought!
"Why would a poet ever plagiarize? You’re not going to get famous, and you’re really not going to get rich." Where does inspiration end and plagiarism begin? This piece at Electric Literature examines what happens when a poet steals a line.
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Countdown to Our Year in Reading Series
We are only a few days away from our annual 2010 Year in Reading series! Over the past couple of months, we've asked dozens of readers, writers, and thinkers to tell us about the best book they read all year. On December 1st, we’ll begin posting pieces from some of the biggest names in literature and publishing. Look for more announcements on the site and twitter over the next few weeks. While you wait, check out last year's Year in Reading series to get in the spirit!
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The Middlesteins On a Budget
You can treat yourself to The Middlesteins by Jami Attenberg for the low price of $2.99. As readers of the book will find out: it's hard to resist treats...
Meant to Look Pretty
Are books on the way to becoming luxury objects? At Salon, Daniel D’Addario makes a case that they are, explaining how a new aestheticism in book design points to a future in which books function mainly as art objects. (While we’re on the subject of book design, it's a good time to look back on our U.S.-U.K. book cover battle.)
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