Diary of a Dad
Patience. It's a word that has a lot of meanings for fathers. Whether it's for our careers or with our children, patience is a difficult skill to develop. Author Jeff Kinney, a self-described "failed cartoonist," worked to become a comic-strip artist; however, that career eluded him.
Gulf Coast Survivors
Brandon can lay claim to a new author. Brian Kittrell's first foray into writing yields some admirable results and an ambitious plan for future novels. His first book, "The Dying Times: Nadine's Story" (Late Nite Books, 2010, $9.99), is also the first in "The Survivor Chronicles" series.
Rising and Converging
"Grace" is one of those words I struggle with. There are the simplistic, surface definitions like charm or loveliness. I tend to find it a complicated word, though, filled with lightness and darkness struggling for domination, with the clouds shrinking if we're lucky. I guess that means I lean more toward it meaning mercy, forgiveness, prayer, clemency, even immunity or reprieve.
Kelly's Picks
Are you in need of a little help with your special day? Kelly Pickerill, front desk manager at Lemuria Books, front desk manager at Lemuria Books, suggests these helpful titles.
The Truest Words You Know
When Columbia University professor Manning Marable passed away April 1, three days before the publication of "Malcolm X: A Life of Reinvention" (Viking, 2011, $30), he had already long since written the definitive biography of W.E.B. DuBois and the definitive biography, in documentary format, of Medgar Evers.
Keep Kids Safe in the Water
The American Red Cross says drowning is the second leading cause of unintentional injury-related death for children ages 1 to 14. It is vital to always supervise your children while around or in water. Though swimming is fun and beneficial, it can be dangerous unless you take the proper precautions.
Mojo On My Mind
Everyone is probably familiar with Mississippi's historical role in the creation of blues, rock 'n' roll and country music. Without that incredible history, "American Idol" would be limited to contestants who excel at classical music and ethereal folk songs.
From Clueless to Meatless
A few years ago, I could not have told you the difference between a vegetarian and a vegan. Furthermore, I wouldn't have been able to even fathom a life without meat. Yet, as I get older, I'm starting to take notice of my less-than-stellar health status and rethinking my terrible eating habits. As a result, the idea of adopting a vegetarian diet has become more appealing.
Scrubbing Tattoos
If you press your ear up against the western literary canon, you can hear a million women whispering—but for the most part, you won't be able to make out the words.
Growing Great Writers
I firmly believe that anyone can be a good writer. Writing leads to clear thinking, and reading and writing feed each other. Don't give up on yourself or your child, or think that you don't have writing "talent." Just like anything else, writing is a craft that needs to be developed and practiced.
A Good Shepherd
The Episcopal Diocese of Mississippi is the only diocese in the country to have a third-generation bishop. Bishop Duncan M. Gray presided over the diocese from 1943 to 1966; his son, Bishop Duncan Gray Jr. (to whom I will refer below as "Bishop Gray," for clarity's sake), served from 1974 to 1993; and his son, Bishop Duncan Gray III, was consecrated bishop in 2003 and still leads the diocese to this day.
Now What?
Most parents and college professors can give endless advice about college, but many high-school graduates just won't understand until they learn the lessons for themselves. Besides learning from experience, here are some books that might get the graduate in your life started on the right path.
‘Something to Think About'
In Barry Gifford's "Sad Stories of the Death of Kings", a book named after a line from a Shakespeare play, first-generation Austrian American Roy walks us through his Chicago neighborhood in the '60s. The short tales are from the perspective of a boy mostly from ages 11 to 15, punctuated by the author's sketch-portraits.
Failings and Desires
"You Think That's Bad: Stories" (Knopf, 2011, $24.95), a collection of short stories by Jim Shepard, speaks to harsh realities about human existence. Almost astonishingly varied settings and writing styles heighten the common ideas the stories share.
Vanity of a Writer
Smoke clears to reveal Barcelona, Spain, in the early 1900s, the city's heart pulsing with unrest under the fiery shadows of a black-and-red cobwebbed sky. Or at least this is the pulpy-fictitious mood Carlos Ruiz Zafón sets, by repeatedly conjuring those colors and ominous symbolism, in "The Angel's Game".