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From ERIC ED398530: Books That Invite Talk, Wonder, and Play. 'Focusing on children's books identified as "notable" for their rich use of language, this book presents essays that discuss literary genres and literary language while developing an appreciation for language diversity.  The book also presents brief essays by well-known children's authors regarding their writing processes.'  In this episode, we get to savor Paula Fox's brief essay - Finding Words That Ring True. 

Thirty More Famous Stories Retold by James Baldwin.  “All heavy things fall to the ground — but why do they? Because they are heavy. That is not a good reason. For then we may ask why is anything heavy? Why is one thing heavier than another ?” When he had once begun to think about this he did not stop until he had reasoned it all out.

Thirty More Famous Stories Retold.  By James Baldwin  First, they'd say it's impossible When it's done they'd call it a trifle That's the way of the world, my friend Don't be bullied by those that heckle. Have a wonderful day! Cosmic Reader :)

Will someone please hiccup my pat? That's the title of William Donald Spooner's hilarious biography of his uncle Rev. William Archibald Spooner from whose accidental transpositions of initial sounds and letters the term spoonerism is derived.  So, what is spoonerism? Spoon·er·ism is a verbal error in which a speaker accidentally transposes the initial sounds or letters of two or more words, often to humorous effect, as in the sentence, 'you have hissed the mystery lectures,' accidentally spoken instead of the intended sentence 'you have missed the history lectures.' And now let's enjoy William Donald Spooner's Will someone please hiccup my pat? If you enjoyed listening to this as much as I enjoyed reading it, please head over to horizonmagazine.org to help them digitize their content. Because at present, none of Horizon's extraordinary archive of writing is available online.  After reading this article in a book, I was just trying to find the digital version and that's when I found that none of their magazines are available online.  A dedicated group of volunteers at American Heritage is working to digitize the issues.  If you are able to help them, please do.  Thank you for listening. Have a blessed day. :) Cosmic Reader @ Readerstroupe

Quotes from the text The word "heresy" not only means no longer being wrong; it practically means being clear-headed and courageous. The word "orthodoxy" not only no longer means being right; it practically means being wrong. All this can mean one thing, and one thing only. It means that people care less for whether they are philosophically right. A man's opinion on tramcars matters; his opinion on Botticelli matters; his opinion on all things does not matter. He may turn over and explore a million objects, but he must not find that strange object, the universe; for if he does he will have a religion, and be lost. Everything matters--except everything. Never has there been so little discussion about the nature of men as now, when, for the first time, any one can discuss it. The old restriction meant that only the orthodox were allowed to discuss religion. Modern liberty means that nobody is allowed to discuss it. I see that the men who killed each other about the orthodoxy of the Homoousion were far more sensible than the people who are quarrelling about the Education Act. For the Christian dogmatists were trying to establish a reign of holiness, and trying to get defined, first of all, what was really holy. But our modern educationists are trying to bring about a religious liberty without attempting to settle what is religion or what is liberty.

 Excerpt: There is nothing that needs more fastidious care than our choice of nonsense. Sense is like daylight or daily air, and may come from any quarter or in any quantity. But nonsense is an art. Like an art, it is rarely successful, and yet entirely simple when it is successful. Like an art, it depends on the smallest word, and a misprint can spoil it. And like an art, when it is not in the service of heaven it is almost always in the service of hell.   Happy listening!

Hitler hit fails. Man on the moon. Viking 1 lands on Mars. Aung San Suu Kyi

Book: The Study of Hamlet

The great fire of Rome  The Mary Rose sinks  Seneca Falls convention  Tom and Jerry Debut

Almost every seat in the street car was taken. Men sat with their noses glued to the newspaper. Women looked boredly out of the window at the cold rain dripping down into the muddy street...

What is it?! An interactive reading podcast.