HOW MANY WORDS DOES IT TAKE?
Lydia Davis:
I read recently that in English, a mere 43 words account for half of all words in common use, and that just nine (and, be, have, it, of, the, to, will, you ) account for a quarter in almost any sample of written English (my source is a very entertaining exploration of the English language, The Mother Tongue: English and How It Got That Way, by Bill Bryson).
LOOKING FOR NEWS ABOUT TRUMP
I wrote a couple of posts last week about the upcoming election in the United States, focusing mostly on the question whether Biden should release his delegates and withdraw from the race.
Read moreADVENTURES IN THE USED BOOKSTORE
Virginia Woolf:
Books are everywhere; and always the same sense of adventure fills us. Second-hand books are wild books, homeless books; they have come together in vast flocks of variegated feather, and have a charm which the domesticated volumes of the library lack.
LIVING IN THE US AND LOOKING FOR HOPE
After writing two rather clumsy and rambling posts about current election turmoil in the United States, I’d like to back away a bit today in hopes of finding some reason for hope.
Read moreMORE ON US ELECTION – CHALLENGE TO DEMOCRACY
I’ve continued to think and worry about the challenges that we face in the United States as we move toward the election of our next president.
Read moreJOE BIDEN 2024: SHOULD HE STAY OR GO?
I was disappointed in Joe Biden’s decision to run for re-election this year. I’ve been impressed by and pleased with the many accomplishments of his administration.
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