"Want to become a signature voice of your troubled nation? Perhaps you need a decades-long exile in California. It worked for Czesław Miłosz, who entered the pantheon of Polish poets thanks to works he wrote mostly in Berkeley," where he spent 40 years and won a Nobel Prize. - Zócalo Public Square
Apparently, book lovers have been storing up their pet peeves in the cellar for years, just waiting for someone to ask. Hundreds and hundreds of people responded, exceeding my wildest dreams. - Washington Post
Of course, every Dickinson poem reflects her intention to create meaning. When ChatGPT puts words together, it does not intend anything. Some argue that writings by LLMs therefore have no meaning, only the appearance of it. - Washington Post
Freedom of expression is a hot potato—freedom for whom and for what, and who decides? The last English writer before the late 20th century to have totally free rein was Geoffrey Chaucer. Few then could read, and books were hand-lettered and very expensive. - The Atlantic
Learning to write is about more than learning to write. For one thing, it’s about learning to turn a loose assemblage of thoughts into a clear line of reasoning—a skill that is useful for everyone, not just those who enjoy writing or need to do a lot of it for work. - The Atlantic
There is growing evidence from neuroscience and careful experiments that the United States has adopted reading strategies that just don’t work very well and that we haven’t relied enough on a simple starting point — helping kids learn to sound out words with phonics. - The New York Times
"My capacity for speaking German is not unlike imagination or good writing: Believe hard enough and the genie reappears. But belief also cannot be faked or summoned. It can falter, prove you wrong." - LitHub
Geetanjali Shree's Tomb of Sand, written and published in Hindi, pushed Western readers and critics to learn about the deep diversity of Indian literature that wasn't written in English. - The New York Times
After all, it's by far the best-selling slice of publishing, keeping most of the rest afloat. But keep in mind, says one successful author, "The truth is that most authors don’t earn enough to write full-time." - Irish Times
"Gabriel Boric, Chile’s progressive president, is a 'serious reader of poetry,' Lily Meyer writes. One might wonder how his reading has influenced his robust education platform. ... On the other end of the spectrum is former President Donald Trump." - The Atlantic
Indigo says it can't process electronic payments, accept gift cards or deal with returns. But at one location in Toronto on Friday, the store was able to process credit and or debit transactions, but gift cards were still not operational. - CBC
"HarperCollins Publishers and the union representing around 250 striking employees reached a tentative agreement providing increases to entry level salaries. If union members ratify the contract, it will run through the end of 2025 and end a walkout that began nearly three months ago." - AP
"Louis's depiction of poverty is more radical in its honesty. Deprivation doesn't just cause pain and hunger; it also fosters hostility. Circumstances warp behavior. ... Louis is scathing about the government's neglect of the working class, but he also makes no attempt to sugarcoat the psychological effects of poverty." - The Nation
What motivates the anti-colonialist cancellers? On the surface, of course, they believe that I’m wrong. But only on the surface. They could react, as thoughtful people do react to things they object to, with skeptical, critical curiosity. - Compact
The 57 pieces of correspondence had been languishing unidentified in the archives of the National Library of France. They date from Mary's 18 years of captivity at the hands of her cousin, Queen Elizabeth I; most are complaints addressed to France's ambassador to England. - Ars Technica
