I am so grateful for Dipo Faloyin’s book Africa is not a country: Notes on a bright continent, written in a way that felt as if I could hear the author’s voice telling me stories, charming me and helping me feel connected to people and places far from my home, even as he had toContinue reading “Reading Notes: Dipo Faloyin’s Africa is not a country”
Category Archives: read
Writing as a way of living, not for a living
There is a reason I named my website Reader. Writer. It’s because that’s who I am, what I am. For me, there is no joy greater than moments spent immersed in the words, reading or writing. I am very aware that this is not the same for others, almost to the point of a cultureContinue reading “Writing as a way of living, not for a living”
Reading Notes: Vicious is my middle name
I’ve chosen to spend most of my life in a small college town in the mountains of North Carolina, and despite the understandable yen to explore the world in my youth (which I did), I have always loved it here, loved the sight of the mountains and nature all around. But one of the thingsContinue reading “Reading Notes: Vicious is my middle name”
Reading Notes: Pop by Robert Gipe
I finally finished Pop, the third book of the series by Robert Gipe, and am still sorting my thoughts on this book and the series as a whole. This story stands on its own, but is more powerful, I think, if you have read the first two books (Trampoline and Weedeater). I should probably notContinue reading “Reading Notes: Pop by Robert Gipe”
Reading Notes: Weedeater by Robert Gipe
Earlier this year, I posted some thoughts on Trampoline, the first in a related set of books by Robert Gipe. I recently finished the second book Weedeater, and I’d like to share a few thoughts again. This won’t be a review or plot summary, so if you want to know more about the book, checkContinue reading “Reading Notes: Weedeater by Robert Gipe”
Ask again another time.
You asked me to tell you what I believe, and I thought I knew exactly what I would say. I believe in kindness, or some might call it empathy/compassion. Not necessarily the so-called random acts of kindness, which feel like a fad diet or a New Year’s resolution, too brief to hold meaning, too spuriousContinue reading “Ask again another time.”
Font of wisdom
Today I want to kvetch a bit about fonts. You see, I am super partial to serif fonts. To be honest, I love all fonts, even the ones that make me shudder at the thought of actually using them in anything someone else would have to read (I’m looking at you, Western font). But myContinue reading “Font of wisdom”
Life Inside/Outside
I set goals, almost daily. Since I teach time management tips to college students, you might say I set goals professionally. One of my goals was to read a poem or two every day, and right now I’m finding them on the poets.org website. Another goal was to blog on whatever stands out in myContinue reading “Life Inside/Outside”
Fast reads vs slow reads
I’ve been working my way (slowly) through the back episodes of the very helpful and entertaining Print Run podcast. In a March 2017 episode, Laura and Erik discussed the vagueness and general inaccuracy of the category of books called “literary.” Many books that seem to fit well within a genre such as science fiction orContinue reading “Fast reads vs slow reads”
Reading Notes on Robert Gipe’s Trampoline
I’ve been finding time, or making time, to read more often, and my best friend gifted me with three books by Robert Gipe, set in a coal-mining mountain region somewhere in eastern Kentucky. By a crow’s flight, it’s likely not that far from where I live in western North Carolina. The first novel is Trampoline,Continue reading “Reading Notes on Robert Gipe’s Trampoline”
reader. writer. 