It's been a struggle finding articles of interest that are not related to coronavirus. Some of this week's selections are somewhat related to the pandemic while others are not. Hopefully they will be of sufficient distraction.
Last week I mentioned that Capitol Hill Books in Washington, DC was allowing customers to browse through the store by themselves. Now they are going one better by sending mystery packages to customers.
The pandemic has been hard on independent booksellers. Here are some great ways to show them some love during these difficult times.
What is it like to be an independent bookseller in a remote part of the country? Check out this article: Bookselling at the End of the World.
You can't get out of the house and the libaries are closed anyway. Not to worry you can still borrow books online.
Stuck at home? Get caught up on some classic mysteries. If you prefer to stream your mysteries, check out this list of classic cozy British mysteries.
It's also a good time to join an online book club. Here's the information on the P. G. Wodehouse Book Club. We'll be discussing The Inimitable Jeeves this week.
You can now virtually explore the Smithsonian Institution museums.
Did a letter from a boy with toy bullet enclosed lead to a famous publicity photo by Don Knotts in his Barney Fife uniform? You decide.
This is neat: an architect repurposed an old baseball stadium into apartments.
If you are missing baseball (like me) you can always check out the MLB Vault on YouTube.
Yesterday was supposed to Opening Day for the 2020 baseball season. Thomas Boswell has some thoughts on missing Opening Day as well as other sports.
There's no doubt in my mind that Vin Scully is the voice of hope and optimism that we need. (audio embedded in the article)
If you've seen The Natural you are familiar with the scene where Roy Hobbs (Robert Redford) knocks the cover off a baseball. But what do the rules say about when that actually happens? It has and the answer might just surprise you.
Podcasts of the week: with so many people now working from home for the first time I thought these two podcasts would be particularly helpful. In the latest episode of Focus on This tips are shared on how to be more productive at home. The latest episode of Lead to Win addresses the challenges of working from home while balancing family responsibilities.
Tweet(s) of the week: take time to read this whole thread. I love that this guy felt compelled to get answers to his questions.
Showing posts with label Thomas Boswell. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Thomas Boswell. Show all posts
Friday, March 27, 2020
Friday, February 09, 2018
Weekend Links 2-9-18
It's a cornucopia of interesting links this week.
This is interesting: 16 facts about Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451. This makes me want to go read the book.
Articles like this make it harder to enjoy football. There was a time when I was truly interesting in watching it. Not anymore.
If you are a football fan enjoy it while you can because the sport is doomed.
Thomas Boswell was right - baseball is better than football. There's also this from George Carlin.
Spring training starts next week. Here are the report dates for every team.
One of the best shows currently on television is the Inspector Morse prequel Endeavour (shown on PBS here in the United States). This is a fascinating interview with Russell Lewis, the series creator and sole writer.
America is at her greatest when she accomplishes great things. Just ask Elon Musk. (As a side note, I am currently reading a second book on the Apollo space program and find myself longing for the days when we dared to do difficult things).
This seems to fall more in the category of "don't try this at home". However, I know of at least one person who does one of the things on this list regularly.
How Groundhog Day (released 25 years ago!) shows we are "stuck with virtue".
Quote of the week:
Some interesting thoughts on The Post and the current state of the press. Lots of stuff here to think about.
This is an amazing article written by a long-time photojournalist. The story - about one man and a photograph - is pretty remarkable.
This article from WORLD Magazine on the current turmoil at Moody Bible Institute is incredibly detailed and provides a pretty comprehensive account of the challenges facing the college.
Recommended reading: The Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown.
This book wasn't on my to be read list at the beginning of the year but I ran across it a library book sale and couldn't resist. I had seen it recommended several places and now I understand why it was getting such tremendous endorsements. It's an amazing account of a group of working-class boys who fought theri way through the Great Depression to defeat the heavily favored German team in the 1936 Berlin Olympics. It's a terrific read and well worth your time.
Incidentally, pay particular attention to the prologue of the book. I love the story of how the author stumbled onto this tale. It made reading the book even more enjoyable.
This is interesting: 16 facts about Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451. This makes me want to go read the book.
Articles like this make it harder to enjoy football. There was a time when I was truly interesting in watching it. Not anymore.
If you are a football fan enjoy it while you can because the sport is doomed.
Thomas Boswell was right - baseball is better than football. There's also this from George Carlin.
Spring training starts next week. Here are the report dates for every team.
One of the best shows currently on television is the Inspector Morse prequel Endeavour (shown on PBS here in the United States). This is a fascinating interview with Russell Lewis, the series creator and sole writer.
America is at her greatest when she accomplishes great things. Just ask Elon Musk. (As a side note, I am currently reading a second book on the Apollo space program and find myself longing for the days when we dared to do difficult things).
This seems to fall more in the category of "don't try this at home". However, I know of at least one person who does one of the things on this list regularly.
How Groundhog Day (released 25 years ago!) shows we are "stuck with virtue".
Quote of the week:
Abide is an old fashioned word. It simply means remain, stay, or dwell. The challenge is for us to continue to be immersed in, satisfied by, surrounded by, empowered by, protected by, and infused with Jesus.Read the whole thing.
Some interesting thoughts on The Post and the current state of the press. Lots of stuff here to think about.
This is an amazing article written by a long-time photojournalist. The story - about one man and a photograph - is pretty remarkable.
This article from WORLD Magazine on the current turmoil at Moody Bible Institute is incredibly detailed and provides a pretty comprehensive account of the challenges facing the college.
Recommended reading: The Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown.
Incidentally, pay particular attention to the prologue of the book. I love the story of how the author stumbled onto this tale. It made reading the book even more enjoyable.
Thursday, August 08, 2013
Who to Follow on Twitter: Play Ball!
If you've spent any time on the blog, you know that I am a big baseball fan. Baseball has given birth to more great writing (and sportswriters) than any other sport. Twitter is full of plenty of baseball writers. It's a great way to keep up with what's going on with your team. Here are nine of my favorite baseball related Twitter feeds:
First Inning: Major League Baseball (@MLB)
Okay, so this one is a little obvious. This is the official feed of Major League Baseball. It's good place to start if you are looking for a good source for baseball news.
Second Inning: The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum (@BaseballHall)
Another obvious choice. If you wanted to keep up with happening in Cooperstown this is the place to go. In addition to happenings at the Hall they also tweet out interesting facts from baseball history.
Third Inning: John Thorn (@thorn_john)
He is Major League Baseball's official historian and one of the premier authorities on the early roots of the game. He's also posting frequently on his blog. His books include First Pitch: How Baseball Began and Baseball in the Garden of Eden.
Fourth Inning: Vin Scully Tweet (@VinScullyTweet)
Vin Scully is the voice of the Los Angeles Dodgers and a national treasure. He's not on Twitter (at least, not often) so this feed is a tribute to the Hall of Fame broadcaster. And yes, they have a Facebook page too.
Fifth Inning: Thomas Boswell (@ThomasBoswellWP)
Thomas Boswell's books Why Time Begins On Opening Day and How Life Imitates The World Series are both essential reading for any baseball fan. If you can't get a hold of those books, all you need to read to know why he's worth a follow is 99 Reasons Why Baseball Is Better Than Football. It was an instant classic the moment is was published. His Washington Post columns can be found here.
Sixth Inning: Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal)
He's arguably one of the best baseball reporters in the business. He also seems to be one of the most well-connected. If something is happening in the game, Rosenthal is likely to know about it. His columns appear regularly at Fox Sports.
Seventh Inning: Rob Neyer (@robneyer)
Rob Neyer made a name for himself as an ESPN columnist but it was when he made the jump to Baseball Nation that his writing really took off. He's one of the premier writers to follow and one of the leading authorities on the game.
Eighth Inning: Jonah Keri (@jonahkeri)
Along with Rob Neyer, Jonah Keri is the other baseball blogger who has also made a name for himself. His best-selling book, The Extra 2%: How Wall Street Strategies Took a Major League Team From Worst to First, chronicled how the Tampa Bay Rays became a perennial contender in the American League East. He blogs at Grantland.
Ninth Inning: Louisville Slugger (@sluggernation)
Nothing says baseball or American made the way Louisville Slugger does. The museum and factory tour is a must on a visit to Louisville. Plus they give away stuff all the time which makes it all the more fun to follow their feed.
Previous entries in this series:
Who to Follow on Twitter:: Pastoral Edition
Who to Follow on Twitter: Let's Eat
Who to Follow on Twitter: Don't Know Much About History
First Inning: Major League Baseball (@MLB)
Okay, so this one is a little obvious. This is the official feed of Major League Baseball. It's good place to start if you are looking for a good source for baseball news.
Second Inning: The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum (@BaseballHall)
Another obvious choice. If you wanted to keep up with happening in Cooperstown this is the place to go. In addition to happenings at the Hall they also tweet out interesting facts from baseball history.
Third Inning: John Thorn (@thorn_john)
He is Major League Baseball's official historian and one of the premier authorities on the early roots of the game. He's also posting frequently on his blog. His books include First Pitch: How Baseball Began and Baseball in the Garden of Eden.
Fourth Inning: Vin Scully Tweet (@VinScullyTweet)
Vin Scully is the voice of the Los Angeles Dodgers and a national treasure. He's not on Twitter (at least, not often) so this feed is a tribute to the Hall of Fame broadcaster. And yes, they have a Facebook page too.
Fifth Inning: Thomas Boswell (@ThomasBoswellWP)
Thomas Boswell's books Why Time Begins On Opening Day and How Life Imitates The World Series are both essential reading for any baseball fan. If you can't get a hold of those books, all you need to read to know why he's worth a follow is 99 Reasons Why Baseball Is Better Than Football. It was an instant classic the moment is was published. His Washington Post columns can be found here.
Sixth Inning: Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal)
He's arguably one of the best baseball reporters in the business. He also seems to be one of the most well-connected. If something is happening in the game, Rosenthal is likely to know about it. His columns appear regularly at Fox Sports.
Seventh Inning: Rob Neyer (@robneyer)
Rob Neyer made a name for himself as an ESPN columnist but it was when he made the jump to Baseball Nation that his writing really took off. He's one of the premier writers to follow and one of the leading authorities on the game.
Eighth Inning: Jonah Keri (@jonahkeri)
Along with Rob Neyer, Jonah Keri is the other baseball blogger who has also made a name for himself. His best-selling book, The Extra 2%: How Wall Street Strategies Took a Major League Team From Worst to First, chronicled how the Tampa Bay Rays became a perennial contender in the American League East. He blogs at Grantland.
Ninth Inning: Louisville Slugger (@sluggernation)
Nothing says baseball or American made the way Louisville Slugger does. The museum and factory tour is a must on a visit to Louisville. Plus they give away stuff all the time which makes it all the more fun to follow their feed.
Previous entries in this series:
Who to Follow on Twitter:: Pastoral Edition
Who to Follow on Twitter: Let's Eat
Who to Follow on Twitter: Don't Know Much About History
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