April in the Reader's Den: The Poetry of Rumi, Persian Mystic
April 2011 marks the 16th anniversary of National Poetry Month, and we shall embark on this sweet 16 with an appreciation of everyone's favorite Sufi mystical poet, Jalāl ad-Dīn Muḥammad Rūmī,...
View ArticleApril in the Reader's Den: The Haiku of Matsuo Bashō
The Edo period of Japan (1603 - 1868) was considered one of the most stable and peaceful eras in Japanese history. At this time Japan was a fuedalist state ruled by shoguns of the Tokugawa family, but...
View ArticleApril in the Reader's Den: Rainer Maria Rilke
Once upon a time, when I was a backpacking young Bohemian visiting Prague, I had a roomate who introduced me to the poetry of Rainer Maria Rilke. Having toted the books with him across continents for...
View ArticleAfter the Kiss: A (poetic) Review
Camille isn't impressed with her new town. It's nothing like her old town (or the one before that, or the one before that). It's tedious making new friends during senior year only to move on like she...
View ArticleApril in the Reader's Den: Featured Poets from the L.E.S Review
Our final week of April in the Reader's Den will focus on the selected works of poets contributing to a new poetry and arts journal, The L.E.S Review, founded by poet, artist, and Pratt Institute...
View ArticleMay at The Reader's Den: "Incarceron"
Greetings and welcome to the May installment of The Reader's Den.This month we'll be reading Incarceron(2010) by Catherine Fisher.Incarceron is a prison like no other.It is a closed system; nothing...
View ArticleReader's Den: "Incarceron" Reviews, News, and Clues?
Incarceron was originally published in Great Britain in 2007 before coming to US readers three years later in 2010. The Times also selected Incarceron as its book of the year. In 2007 Incarceron was...
View ArticleReader's Den: "Incarceron" Discussion Questions
I hope all of you enjoyed Incarceron by Catherine Fisher this month as much as I did.Feel free to share your favorite moments, characters, or whatever below.Here are some discussion questions to sink...
View ArticleReader's Den: "Incarceron" Discussion Wrap-up
Thank you for joining this month’s Reader’s Den featuring Incarceronby Catherine Fisher. Although the month is over, feel free to return to this post to continue to discuss and comment on the novel.If...
View ArticleThe Last Little Blue Envelope: A Review
When Ginny Blackstone received 13 little blue envelopes last summer, she recognized them for what they were: a wild adventure laid out by her Aunt Peg — Ginny’s wildly interesting relative who could...
View Article"The Piper's Son": A Review
Thomas Finch Mackee is many things to many people: musician, friend, and most recently, complete jerk.Five years ago, his world seemed certain. He was friends with the girls from school. He wanted to...
View ArticleA Tale of Two Castles: A Review
Elodie comes to the town of Two Castles with one goal: to become a mansioner. Her greatest hope, her only actual plan upon arriving in town, is to apprentice herself to a mansioner that she might...
View ArticleEnchanted Ivy: A Review
Lily Carter’s future is at Princeton University. Her grandfather went to Princeton. Going to Princeton would allow Lily to move away from home without feeling guilt about not taking care of her mother....
View Article"Strings Attached": A Review
Kit Corrigan has a lot of hopes and dreams when she gets to New York City in the autumn of 1950. What she doesn’t have is a steady job, a room of her own, or any surety that she has what it takes to...
View Article"So Much Closer": A Review
Sometimes Brooke just knows things, partly thanks to her excellent memory. But sometimes she just knows for reasons that have nothing to do with that.That’s the way it is with Scott Abrams. Brooke is...
View Article"Raised by Wolves": A Review
When Brynn was four years old, her life changed forever when a rogue werewolf killed her parents. Rescued by the Stone River Pack and Marked by the pack’s alpha, Callum, Brynn’s safety is a matter of...
View ArticleAll These Things I've Done: A Review
Anya Balanchine lives in a world where chocolate is illegal, water is scarce and New York City is a ghost of what it once was. Central Park is no longer a park. The Metropolitan Museum is a night...
View Article"Drink, Slay, Love": A Review
Pearl is like a lot of 16-year-old girls. She likes to steal cars and drive too fast with her handsome, dangerous boyfriend Jadrien. She wears a lot of black. She is extremely flammable in direct...
View Article"Legend": A Review of the Book You Should Be Reading After The Hunger Games
June and Day are part of the same nation: The Republic of America. They’re in the same city: Los Angeles, California. Their lives could not be more different.Born into an elite family, June lives in a...
View ArticlePoetry Writing With Adult New Readers, Strategy 1: The List Poem
You have not crossed the bridges I have crossed. You have not listened to the music I have listened to. You have not been in the top of the World Trade Center the way I have been there. You have not...
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