The first time somebody asked me ‘Do I date?’ I was nineteen and pregnant. Still possessing a bit of childhood innocence, I did not realize the guy was trying to purchase my womanly wiles. Even after he offered me $25 and a new dress... Read More

One of children’s author Wanda Gág’s favorite sayings was: “There are times when it is necessary to do the impossible.” The artist, who lived from 1893 to 1946, is a central figure in this family biography. She followed her... Read More

The author learned empathic, active listening from a few people who listened well to him. Prior to attending the University of Wisconsin, he was a bookish introvert who felt “it was ridiculous to confide in anyone. They wouldn’t... Read More

Historians are always interested in reading skillfully collected sources from the past. For this reason, the editor, professor of Russian literature and culture from the University of Notre Dame, should be commended for this book, a... Read More

Despite the author’s disclaimer that this is not a “Milton handbook,” it does provide a concise, engaging overview of the poet’s life, times, and major works-one that equips the reader to discuss the poet intelligently, and... Read More

“There are just two things you have to do when you are very unhappy, and you must do one or the other. Get down to work, or do something for someone else.” This was writer Iris Origo’s take on life, as explained to her youngest... Read More

On a September evening in 1931, Oxford scholars Jack Lewis and Ronald Tolkien talked late into the night. They discussed myth and metaphor and grappled with Lewis’s religious issues. Ordinarily, such a late-night confab would be of... Read More

“Disinterestedness is success; integrity is success; Christian fortitude is success.” This is how James Monroe defined a worthy life. The author, a member of the history department of Cuyahoga Community College, demonstrates in this... Read More