The Modern Library | 100 Best | Novels ULYSSES by James Joyce Written as an homage to Homer’s epic poem The Odyssey, Ulysses follows its hero, Leopold Bloom, through the streets of Dublin. Overflowing with puns, references to classical literature, and stream-of-consciousness writing, this is a complex, multilayered novel about one day in the life of an ordinary man. Click here to read more about ULYSSES THE GREAT GATSBY by F. Set in the Jazz Age, The Great Gatsby tells the story of the mysterious millionaire Jay Gatsby, his decadent parties, and his love for the alluring Daisy Buchanan. A PORTRAIT OF THE ARTIST AS A YOUNG MAN by James Joyce Published in 1916, James Joyce’s semiautobiographical tale of his alter ego, Stephen Dedalus, is a coming-of-age story like no other. Click here to read more about A PORTRAIT OF THE ARTIST AS A YOUNG MAN LOLITA by Vladimir Nabokov Lolita tells the story of middle-aged Humbert Humbert’s love for twelve-year-old Dolores Haze. BRAVE NEW WORLD by Aldous Huxley CATCH-22 by Joseph Heller U.S.A. In E.
A. Victoria Mixon, Editor Manvotional: Do It Now Editor’s note: This week’s article on giving more compliments reminded me of this poem. It’s a simple poem, but I like it very much, I suppose because I’m a simple man. Do It Now By Berton Braley If with pleasure you are viewing any work a man is doing, If you like him or you love him, tell him now; Don’t withhold your approbation till the parson makes oration And he lies with snowy lilies on his brow; No matter how you shout it he won’t really care about it; He won’t know how many teardrops you have shed; If you think some praise is due him now’s the time to slip it to him, For he cannot read his tombstone when he’s dead. More than fame and more than money is the comment kind and sunny And the hearty, warm approval of a friend.
A Mature Adult Prayer Lord, keep me from the habit of thinking I must say something on every subject and on every occasion. Release me from craving to straighten out everybody's affairs. Keep my mind free from the recital of endless details---give me wings to get to the point. I ask for grace enough to listen to the tales of others' pains. But seal my lips on my own aches and pains---they are increasing, and my love of rehearsing them is becoming sweeter as the years go by. Teach me the glorious lesson that occasionally it is possible that I may be mistaken. Keep me reasonably sweet; I do not want to become a saint--some of them are so hard to live with--but a sour old person is one of the crowning works of the devil. Give me the ability to see good things in unexpected places, and talents in unexpected people. And give me, O Lord, the grace to tell them so. Make me thoughtful, but not moody; helpful, but not bossy. [Author unknown, from Bill Stebbins ]
What's it like to be a drug dealer 75 Books Every Writer Should Read Whether you want to make writing your career or just want to know how to improve your writing so that you can pass your college courses, there is plenty of reading material out there to help you get inspired and hone your skills. Here’s a collection of titles that will instruct you on just about every aspect of writing, from the basics of grammar to marketing your completed novel, with some incredibly helpful tips from well-known writers themselves as well. Writing Basics These books address things like structure, plot, descriptions and other basic elements of any story. The Power of Myth by Joseph Campbell and Bill Moyers: You can improve the quality of your writing by adding a mythical quality to them with advice and insight from this book. Writer’s Journey: Mythic Structure for Writers by Christopher Vogler: Whether you agree with the ideas in this book or not, you’ll find it a useful and informative read for writing. Advice from Authors Improving Your Writing Grammar Reference Books
Judy Dunn, a blogger who educates, entertains and engages | Cat's Eye Writer Blog | Judy Dunn | Blogging Coach | Social Media Copywriter How to Haggle Like a Pro With summer traveling season just around the corner, the fortunate among us will be setting off for faraway lands in search of adventures of every sort. If your travel plans for the near future include stops in cities or towns known for their street markets, or if you plan on doing any souvenir shopping while abroad, you need to know how to get the most bang for your buck. Learning how to properly negotiate prices, especially in a street market setting, will save you some of those precious funds and provide an interesting cultural experience at the same time. Here are some tips for making the most out of your street market experience: Do the Research First and foremost, you need to know the area you will be traveling to. Know Your Limits So you are standing in front of a street vendor and you see something you want, but how much is it worth to you? Maintain a Low Profile Often your initial reaction to something you want will entice the dealer to push for a higher price. Be Extremely Picky
Neil deGrasse Tyson Lists 8 (Free) Books Every Intelligent Person Should Read A Reddit.com user posed the question to Neil deGrasse Tyson: "Which books should be read by every single intelligent person on the planet?" Below, you will find the book list offered up by the astrophysicist, director of the Hayden Planetarium, and popularizer of science. Where possible, we have included links to free versions of the books, all taken from our Free Audio Books and Free eBooks collections. Or you can always download a professionally-narrated book for free from Audible.com. Details here. If you're looking for a more extensive list of essential works, don't miss The Harvard Classics, a 51 volume series that you can now download online. 1.) 2.) 3.) 4.) 5.) 6.) 7.) 8.) Tyson concludes by saying: "If you read all of the above works you will glean profound insight into most of what has driven the history of the western world." He has also added some more thoughts in the comments section below, saying: Thanks for this ongoing interest in my book suggestions. Related Content:
Articles Creating fictional characters requires adversity, There are few happy stories in the world. There are happy endings. There are happy characters. Few stories revolve around the good things that happen to people. If they do, there is a downside to the “good things” that happen to them. Stories are about adversity and conflict. Creating Fictional Characters Using Physical Adversity Physical adversity is death, injury, illness and threat. Creating Fictional Characters Using Miscommunication and Deception This is a classic plot complication. Deception is similar to miscommunication, but it involves deliberate lies. Creating fictional characters using miscommunication and deception is good, but be careful, you don’t want your characters to seem like idiots. Creating Fictional Characters Using Displacement Displacement is another popular adversity that fictional characters face. Creating Fictional Characters Using Desire Every good fictional character has unfulfilled wants and needs. Mix Things Up