The Women's March was truly inspiring. I took part in my own small way. Our small North Carolina town had 1,500 people turn out. I was gobsmacked, because we are just not that big a town. There were 17,000 people marching in Raleigh. Here are some wonderful photos of the marchers around the world. What … Continue reading Inspirations…
This is the week that we celebrate books that have been banned or challenged. Usually, the books are banned from school libraries or from being taught in school. The reasons given seem valid--sexual content, dirty language, racism--but dig a little deeper and you'll generally find that the true reason is that these books seem dangerous. … Continue reading 12 Banned Books to Read
I spent all morning researching and writing this answer to the Quora question: What 20th-century novel has been most influential in shaping mindsets and changing lives? So I thought I'd share my answer here as well. It is hard to pick just one novel, but I think that 1984 by George Orwell is the most influential novel of the … Continue reading The most influential books of the 20th century…
Like most people who have read 1984, it profoundly affected my way of thinking about power and political systems. Orwell introduced concepts and language into the general consciousness, such as "doublethink" and "Big Brother." The struggle against political oppression and the tyranny of the powerful few over the many seems to be a never-ending one, … Continue reading Some thoughts on George Orwell’s 1984 inspired by the so-called Birther debate and other current events…
