About Books & Literature: RIP Chinua Achebe

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Books & Literature From Megan Romer, your About Books & Literature Editor Before we get to this week's round-up of books and literature news, I'd like to take a quick opportunity to say goodbye. I've been editing this newsletter since April of 2009, but the time has come for me to move on, and this here edition will be my last one. It won't be yours, though, and you're gonna love the new guy. You'll meet him next week, but in the meantime, we've got some reading to do! RIP Chinua Achebe Nigerian novelist Chinua Achebe passed away this past Thursday, leaving behind an important legacy of work that changed the way the West saw Africa. His best-known book is the 1958 opus Things Fall Apart, but if you've only read that one, do consider digging a bit further into his works. If you haven't read that one, add it to your reading list pronto! Read More... The Best Obituary Ever Written? Another great man passed away recently, though he will forever be known to most strangers not by his life, but by his obituary, which has made the rounds of the internet. Harry Weathersby Stamps, ladies' man, foodie, natty dresser, and accomplished traveler, died on Saturday, March 9, 2013... Read More... Review: 'The Burgess Boys' by Elizabeth Strout Elizabeth Strout won a Pulitzer Prize for her novel Olive Kitteredge. Does her follow-up measure up? Read More... Search Related Topics:  the burgess boys  elizabeth strout  maine Review: 'Temple of a Thousand Faces' by John Shors This sweeping historical epic is set in 1177 in the ancient Khmer kingdom (now Cambodia), when the Chams (from what is now Vietnam) attacked Angkor Wat. It's a sweeping novel full of beautiful language, and worth a look. Read More... Search Related Topics:  john shors  angkor wat  historical fiction Related Searches Free Books Photo Books Books for Children Children Literature Literary Literature Featured Articles Jess Smart Interview Review: 'Goblin Secrets' by William Alexander Review: 'Tempestuous' by Kim Askew and Amy Helmes Analysis of 'My Last Duchess' Movie Review: 'Bless Me, Ultima' Happy Birthday Quotes   More from About.com 10 Easy Ways to Look Thinner Don't wait until you've lost those first pounds to make these simple, slimming changes. Read more...> Create a Shared Photo Stream Sharing your photo stream with friends and family is a great way to keep in touch. Read more...>   Sign up for more free newsletters on your favorite topics You are receiving this newsletter because you subscribed to the About.com Books & Literature newsletter. If you wish to change your email address or unsubscribe, please click here. About.com respects your privacy: Our Privacy Policy Contact Information: 1500 Broadway, 6th Floor New York, NY, 10036 © 2012 About.com   Baseball Poems "Casey at the Bat" by Ernest L. Thayer (1888) "Casey's Revenge" by Grantland Rice (1907) "A Ballad of Baseball Burdens" by Franklin Pierce Adams (1912) Advertisement

About Books & Literature: Great Books to Read in Spring

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Books & Literature From Megan Romer, your About Books & Literature Editor If you're in the snowy Northern realms of the United States, it might not feel like it's Spring, but the calendar says it, so it must be true. Expect daffodils shortly. In the meantime, read about Springy stuff to get yourself in the mood. Great Books to Read in Spring From our Guide to Bestsellers: "Good books are always a pleasure to read, but some books have a setting or tone that matches a season. These good books to read in spring are books where the characters blossom and where there is hope in the midst of struggles, like flowers on bare branches." See the List: Springy Books... Search Related Topics:  book recommendations  when you reach me  fire in the blood Review: 'Vampires in the Lemon Grove' by Karen Russell Here's a new one for your list, from the author of the much-acclaimed Swamplandia! It's a collection of short stories, with a vampire-themed tale providing the title and one of the high points. All of the stories here are either fantastical or very close to it, and worth a further look for short story enthusiasts. Read the Review... Visit the Jane Austen's House Museum Can't take any more winter? Hop on an airplane right now and get thee hence to Chawton, Hampshire in the UK, where it's actually also winter, but hey, at least there's a cozy indoor museum to check out! This house, where Jane Austen wrote many of her most famous works, and it's been largely preserved with her things in it, including the little walnut writing table at which she wrote Persuasion, among others. Can't make a visit right now? No worries; we've got a photo gallery for your perusal. Take the Photo Tour... Search Related Topics:  jane austen  literary tourism  visitng hampshire Children's Books About Gardens and Gardening Spring, for many families, means starting a garden. I really, really, really want this to be the case for my family, too, but someone (*points at self; hangs head in shame*) kills everything she touches and is really better off just browsing the local farmers' market, where everything's already picked. So for us, it'll be books, at least until my son is old enough to grow things without my reverse-help. Check Out Some Kid-Friendly Gardening Books... Search Related Topics:  books about gardening  children's picture books  Related Searches Fantasy Books New Books Great Books Read Books Onlin Fiction Books Featured Articles Best Irish Poems and Stories 'Matilda the Musical' Now on Broadway Maya Angelou Quotes The Myles na Gopaleen Catechism of Cliche Review: 'Hating Heidi Foster' Shakespeare Language Guide   More from About.com 10 Easy Ways to Look Thinner Don't wait until you've lost those first pounds to make these simple, slimming changes. Read more...> Create a Shared Photo Stream Sharing your photo stream with friends and family is a great way to keep in touch. Read more...>   Sign up for more free newsletters on your favorite topics You are receiving this newsletter because you subscribed to the About.com Books & Literature newsletter. If you wish to change your email address or unsubscribe, please click here. About.com respects your privacy: Our Privacy Policy Contact Information: 1500 Broadway, 6th Floor New York, NY, 10036 © 2012 About.com   Poems About Spring "Spring, the Sweet Spring" - Thomas Nashe, 1600 "To Spring" - William Blake, 1783 "Spring Quiet" - Christina Rossetti, 1847 Advertisement

About Books & Literature: Great Women of Literature

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Books & Literature From Megan Romer, your About Books & Literature Editor It's Women's History Month, and what better way is there to celebrate than to read some great books by and about great women? Contemporary Books for Women's History Month This fun list includes memoirs, biographies, and historical fiction, and spans from ancient China to late 20th century Africa, and many points in between, but every book features strong women and exceptional storytelling. Read More... Search Related Topics:  recommended reading  women's history  Great Women Writers Dig into our extensive library of e-texts, and discover the stories of the women who wrote much of the Western literary canon. Kate Chopin, Colette, George Eliot, Anne Frank, Zora Neale Hurston, Harper Lee, Ayn Rand, Mary Shelley, Virginia Woolf... the list goes on and on. Read More... If You Liked 'Memoirs of a Geisha'... ... try some of these other contemporary historical novels. These books make strong choices for book clubs (and suggested discussion questions are included for several), but are also great solo reads. Read More... Search Related Topics:  women's literature  historical fiction  reading lists Strong and Resourceful Female Characters in Children's Books It's so important to introduce our children (daughers and sons) to strong and capable female characters in the books they read. From classic characters like Anne Shirley (Anne of Green Gables) and Mary Lennox (The Secret Garden) to modern creations like Calpurnia Tate, there are plenty to choose from. Here are some resources to help you find your way. Read More... Search Related Topics:  books for girls  strong females in children's books  Related Searches Picture Books Kids Books Publishers for Books Childrens Books Literature Books Featured Articles Wonder Woman Profile Jane Yolen, Storyteller On Women's Right to Vote, by Susan B. Anthony 'The Miracle Worker' - Helen Keller and Ann Sullivan Inspirational Quotes for Women Review: 'The Bronte Myth'   More from About.com 10 Easy Ways to Look Thinner Don't wait until you've lost those first pounds to make these simple, slimming changes. Read more...> Create a Shared Photo Stream Sharing your photo stream with friends and family is a great way to keep in touch. Read more...>   Sign up for more free newsletters on your favorite topics You are receiving this newsletter because you subscribed to the About.com Books & Literature newsletter. If you wish to change your email address or unsubscribe, please click here. About.com respects your privacy: Our Privacy Policy Contact Information: 1500 Broadway, 6th Floor New York, NY, 10036 © 2012 About.com   Poems by Elizabeth Barrett Browning Grief (1844) Patience Taught by Nature (1845) A Musical Instrument (1862) Advertisement

About Books & Literature: Oz The Great and Powerful

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Books & Literature From Megan Romer, your About Books & Literature Editor Narnia? Hogwarts? Middle-earth? No, thanks. I'll take Oz. Sure, there are flying monkeys and some pretty nasty witches, but it's okay. The Lullaby League is there to make it all better. All You Need to Know About 'Oz the Great and Powerful' Disney's Oz the Great and Powerful opens this week. A prequel to The Wizard of Oz, telling the wizard's origin story, it stars James Franco, Mila Kunis, and Michelle Williams. Read More... 'The Wonderful Wizard of Oz' - Full Text This new film is based on the backstory explained in L. Frank Baum's original book which, if you haven't read, I highly recommend. It's a public domain work, so you can pick it up for free in any e-Reader store, or read it right here at About.com in e-text form: Read More... Search Related Topics:  the wonderful wizard of oz  lyman frank baum  oz L. Frank Baum and his Wonderful Wizard L. Frank Baum is, like me, a native Upstate New Yorker. Thus, awesome. Q.E.D. No, but really, he was one of the most imaginative storytellers of his era, and his fantastic fairy tales clearly have some staying power. Learn more about his life and work: Read More... Search Related Topics:  children's authors  classic children's books  fairy tales Review: 'Son of a Witch' by Gregory Maguire One of the most interesting spin-offs from the Oz mythos are Gregory Maguire's Oz books, the most famous of which, Wicked, was made into the mega-hit musical production of the same name. His other stories are all worth getting into as well, in my opinion, including this 2009 release, featuring several of the characters we met in Wicked. Read More... Search Related Topics:  fantasy  ya literature  young adult literature Related Searches Wizard of Oz Literature Books Story Books Find Books by Author Books for Children Featured Articles Sappho Review: 7% from Red Five Comics Review: 'Wicked Kiss' by Michelle Rowen 'A Midsummer Nights' Dream' Scene-by-Scene Summary Toto Recall Language in the News   More from About.com The Perfect Engagement Ring How to find a gorgeous ring with a style and price that suit your needs. Read more...> Best U.S. Destinations Experts pick the top U.S. destinations for 2013 based on budget, special events, and more. Read more...>   Sign up for more free newsletters on your favorite topics You are receiving this newsletter because you subscribed to the About.com Books & Literature newsletter. If you wish to change your email address or unsubscribe, please click here. About.com respects your privacy: Our Privacy Policy Contact Information: 1500 Broadway, 6th Floor New York, NY, 10036 © 2012 About.com   Quotes for International Women's Day Women's Day Quotations Motivational Quotes by Women Inspirational Quotes by Women Advertisement