James Mercer Langston Hughes February 1, 1902-May 22, 1967
January 30, 2011
My People, Langston Hughes
The night is beautiful,
so the faces of my people.
The stars are beautiful
so the eyes of my people.
Beautiful, also, is the sun.
Beautiful, also, are the souls of my people.
A book that brings this poem to life, My People by Charles R. Smith Jr. won the 2010 Coretta Scott King award. What is noteworthy is that Charles Smith is the first photographer to ever win this Award for his photographs as illustrations.
In his own words, “My People isn’t just about family. It’s also abort identity and being comfortable in your own skin.”
Children never outgrow Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland (1865) by Lewis Carroll (January 27,1832)
January 26, 2011
Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland is a classic— each year new children discover the book and many people I know (myself included) never outgrow their affection for Alice and her cronies. The book is one of those gems where— in addition to a story line filled with a mixture of whimsy and clever plot turns—many of […]
Martin Luther King and his dreams.
January 18, 2011
Martin Luther King’s dreams defined him. One of his dreams was “… that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.” The poem, What Happens to a Dream Deferred by Langston Hughes is […]
Ben Franklin (January 17,1706) and the Public Library
January 17, 2011
How did the public library come to be? Most Americans in the 1730s had limited access to books. They were rare and expensive and there were no public libraries. Only the very wealthy and the clergy had access to large numbers of books and Ben Franklin, being the pragmatist that he was, set to change […]
Awards win readers, but do they grow lifelong readers?
January 16, 2011
Like many people, I like lists and I like awards. A list of award recipients gives me the chance to take stock of my reading which is cause for some pats on the back followed by, “Oh My!” How many of these notable books have I read is followed by the nagging question: “How many of […]
