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Category Archives: Books
Is a Blog Better than Having Friends?
I’m not sure I’ve ever bought a book with the intent of only reading half of it, but that’s what I did with Sherry Turkle’s Alone Together. The first half, about robots and relationships, didn’t really catch my attention. But … Continue reading
David Brooks and How C. S. Lewis Was Right
One of the books I enjoyed the most over spring break was David Brooks’ The Social Animal. Brooks says lots of things, and most of them well, in the book. He creates two characters and tracks their imaginary lives through … Continue reading
Posted in Books, Internet
Tagged C. S. Lewis, David Brooks, The Abolition of Man, The Social Animal
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David Foster Wallace and “This is Water”
David Foster Wallace has been popping up a lot lately, so much that I’m contemplating making 2013 the Summer of Infinite Jest. We’ll see. A few years ago, DFW gave a commencement address that has become quite the sensation. A … Continue reading
Absent-Mindfulness, Distance-Learning, Nicholas Carr, and the Internet
I wonder if anyone has tried to coin the term absent-mindful. Absent because I haven’t been very present here lately (some might also not very present in other places, but more on that later). Mindful because in my absence … Continue reading
Spring Break Reading Detour
Spring break starts for me in less than 24 hours. And while I’ll probably take my time getting my grades done and will even go work in my classroom some over break, it’s the fact and the feeling of a … Continue reading
Posted in Books, Faith, Movies, Teaching
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TV Sitcom in a Coma
It’s not every day that one of your favorite books becomes a television sitcom. This, of course, is probably a good thing. When word got out that NBC was developing Nick Hornby’s About a Boy into a television show, I … Continue reading
Spring Break Reading Two Weeks Early
My order from Amazon got here a little earlier than I expected. Over the last few weeks I’ve been plotting and planning my spring break reading. As it stands right now, I’ve got three books and one movie to make … Continue reading
Ten Years of Reading and Believing
March 2013 marks the tenth anniversary of The Believer. Originally named The Optimist, The Believer was founded by McSweeney’s with the intent to be a positive presence in the literary world. No snark here, in other words. I came across … Continue reading
Creativity and Content
I recently met a friend for breakfast soon after he started advising a college newspaper. As glad as I was to hear his news, I was especially excited about a phrase he used at least twice: it was important for … Continue reading
Narcotics, Chesterton, and Two Reasons for Repeating
I recently sat through a meeting I am sure I have had at least two times before . . . and almost nothing seemed to have changed in the intervening years. It was a sad and frustrating moment that left … Continue reading
Space Enough, and Time 