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Writers Laughing: Anita Desai and Kiran Desai
Has there been a more successful mother-daughter writing duo than the Desais? I can’t think of one! And here they are, laughing together! Look, this photo is just extraordinary. Quick quiz. Which of the following relationships is most likely to be fraught with tension? A. Father-daughter B. Mother-son C. Father-son D. Mother-daughter Second quiz. Which Continue reading
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Writers Laughing: Pablo Neruda
Some big projects in the works, people. But in the meantime, let’s enjoy the great Chilean poet Pablo Neruda. Laughing. As anyone would, if a bird should happen to land on your head: And this one. Handsome, gallant, brilliant poet…what a great man. And of course, he’s one of the patron saints of the writers Continue reading
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Writers Laughing: Georges Simenon
Simenon! The creator of Maigret! (How I love those little books.) And…perhaps the most dedicated pipe-smoker of all time. Here’s the problem with pipe smoking for the Writers Laughing series. There are millions of pictures of Simenon posing for the camera thoughtfully with his pipe. And even when the pose is natural, it tends to be Continue reading
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Back to School Day 4 – Friday Night Fail
Our back to school week concludes with a special Friday evening post. A testament to those nights behind the school, under the lights, on a hundred-yard stretch of grass carved out of the cornfields. And the pluck and fight of a group of boys who just cannot win. And their coaches, who cannot be the heroes. Continue reading
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Today’s Comment of the Week: A Former Student Weighs In
Wonderful Reader L writes: I never thought I’d peruse a blog & “cry”. This piece is brilliantly & pleasantly descriptive, literally reaching out to the reader…and perhaps this is a sign I should make my mother proud and practice on the piano she gave me so many years ago…thank you. What can I say? You’re Continue reading
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Back to School Day 3 – The Real World, The Real World, and The Real World
Here’s where we are in Back to School Week: Teachers were celebrated last week in one megapost. Plenty of good links there. Day One of Celebrating Students: Young Bartleby generates a spiritual crisis in the halls of Cadbridge High… Day Two of Celebrating Students: The girl who joined the all-boys league… Today’s post is a tribute to Continue reading
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Back To School Day 2 – Coaching the Only Girl
To catch you up: Last week we celebrated teachers (music, science, English, literature, and Suzuki parenting) This week we’re taking a look at students. A story per day. Yesterday was the Great HIgh School Schism (set off by a McDonald’s game piece) And today, we feature Object # 17 – The Shirts and Skins. The story is about what Continue reading
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Writers Laughing: Stephen King
Stephen King! We’ve praised his book on writing and pointed out that he’s probably a great guy. We’ve written a story or two he’d probably like. And now it’s time to take a look at what he looks like laughing. Pretty good! He seems like he’d be such a good neighbor…. …as long as you didn’t Continue reading
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Back to School! Causing a Metaphysical Riot Somewhere Between Michael Jackson’s Thriller and Nirvana’s Nevermind
We start with a quote: I was starting to believe in the power of this thing, not as a talisman but as a phenomenon. It had to mean something that it – and I – had generated so much consternation. I represented something. To some I was a testament to discipline, to conviction, to inner Continue reading
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Writers Laughing: W.E.B. DuBois
Happy Labor Day! This one’s a bit of a head-scratcher. But I’ll take a writer laughing no matter the circumstances. Maybe “historical curiosities” needs to be another subcategory. I guess Mao counts as a writer, too – I was once on cruise ship that had a library with Marx, Engels, volumes of Mao’s poetry, and no Continue reading
Jacke Wilson 