Liz Viall
Instructor
Dept. of Journalism
BB2544
217.581.7117
Eastern Illinois University
Contact information:
ekviall@eiu.edu
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Liz Viall Eastern Illinois University Contact information: |
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I've really got to get one of those t-shirts that read, "Too many books, not enough time" because that's how I feel most of the time. The selection below includes one of my favorite books of all time. It's the book I recommend to just about everyone and, indeed, it may be something you'd enjoy, too. Try it. Read on. Volume 1, No. 2 |
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| Eating Memories by Patricia Anthony |
The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fist Fight in Heaven |
The Queen's Gambit |
| Short stories are very seldom my favorite thing to read and I usually avoid them because I end up disappointed. I'm disappointed because it seems very difficult to develop characters well in a modicum of pages. Ah, well. This one breaks my rule. Get it. Read it. It's classic science fiction in short bites. One story made me cry. Not every story is great, but three or four really stand out and punch you. Anthony, by the way, is a journalist. | If you haven't heard of Sherman Alexie......well, here's your chance to catch up. What drew me to first reading his work is that he's from my home state-Washington. In addition, I used to edit a newspaper that wasn't too far from the town where Alexie played basketball (Reardan) and the Spokane Indian Reservation that often makes it into his books. To find out more about Alexie, check out his website: www.shermanalexie.com | Walter Tevis was a very talented writer who gave us such classics as The Color of Money, The Hustler (ring a bell yet?) and The Man Who Fell to Earth. While he's more well-known for giving us characters played by Paul Newman, others know him as a very good science fiction writer. (Check out Mockingbird) But one of my favorite books ever is The Queen's Gambit which is about an orphaned girl who becomes a chess master. It's a fascinating character study, and you don't have to know anything about chess to enjoy it. |
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| Slingshot Professionals by Kelly Joe Phelps |
Website The Dead Parrot Society |
Earlier Issues of "Expand Your Mind" |
I seem to be somewhat into the Northwest this month. Kelly Joe Phelps is from Oregon. Slingshot Professionals was released in 2003 and fans are waiting for his new CD, Tap the Red Cane Whirlwind, due out in early 2005. One review calls him an " ace guitar player… a singer with an almost gothic, gravel and velvet voice." It's ballads and blues in an unforgettable combination.
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Blogging "best read over a warm slice of pie," according to the authors. The Dead Parrots cadre of seven includes a journalist, two lawyers, an actuary, an epidemiologist, a professor, and a copyright expert. Topics range from politics to sports, but the comments are always interesting. It's also a good starting point to leap over to other blogs if you're new to the whole thing. |
Volume 1, No. 1 Volume 1, No. 2 Volume 1, No. 3 Volume 2, No. 1 Volume 2, No. 2 Volume 2, No. 3 Volume 3, No. 1 |