The press no longer plays the role of a gatekeeper. It doesn’t decide what information the public should know and what it should not. “If the New York Times decides not to publish something, one of countless other websites, talk radio hosts, social media networks, blogs, or partisans will,” write Bill Kovach and Tom Rosenstiel … Read more
. “The Elements of Style,” hailed by many as “the most important and timeless book on writing,” argues that good writing rests on three principles: purity, perspicuity, and precision. George Orwell (June 25, 1903–January 21, 1950) echoed this belief. In his altogether indispensable “Politics and the English Language,” he writes: “Political language — and with … Read more
. When asked about their day, average Americans say, “I devote eight hours to sleep, eight hours to work, and I have eight hours … left over for free time.” So writes Mortimer J. Adler in his book “How to Think About the Great Ideas.” Then he adds, “And the average American today would [also] … Read more
. I like to think of this blog as a constantly updated map of my reading adventures, where each new stop offers an opportunity to ask one of my favorite authors how to live a good life. At the same time, I also view it as a constantly evolving anthology of my intellectual pursuits, where … Read more