Gene Siskel used to say his favorite movies were about what people actually do all day. That’s what “Secretariat” is. It pays us the compliment of really caring about thoroughbred racing. In a low-key way, it conveys an enormous amount of information. And it creates characters who, because of spot-on casting, are vivid, human and… Read More how by Seidman – Calling for A Return to Values, and Responsibility
I am not well read. I wish I were. In an earlier chapter of my life, I read church books, theology books, books about church life and church growth and God. I liked those – then. Now I read business books, and quite a bit of general non-fiction. But I have never tackled much fiction.… Read More “I Consider myself Well Read” – A Reflection from Roger Ebert
In speech class, I have my students read poems – to work on diction, vocal variery, verbal punch. Many/most of my students don’t know the poetry. Did you know that practically none of today’s students have ever even heard Casey at the Bat? Astonishing! One of the poems I have them read is If by… Read More Diane Lane (Penny Chenery), Secretariat, Kipling’s “If”, and Ebert — Perfect
There is a lot being written about the way(s) the internet is stealing our ability to focus long and hard on a single thing – like a book. I have blogged about it recently. But I would not give it up. It brings me too much – like Ebert! And, now I tweet. (Follow me… Read More Who Do You Read? (Remember – What You Read Reveals/Shapes Who You Are)
The Rise of the “Stupider” The Rise of Substitute Intellectual Activity – a Plague! Roger Ebert has written a column, The quest for frisson, in which he describes some of the ways we function differently with the arrival of the Web. One way: we read full, actual books less often. We are too easily distracted.… Read More The Rise of the “Stupider”
Great advice from the master, Roger Ebert – forget career, just keep getting better I now follow Roger Ebert on Twitter. He linked to this article, My Roger Ebert Story by Will Leitch. When a young Will Leitch wrote Roger Ebert for advice and counsel, Ebert wrote back: He emphasized that such ephemera like “career”… Read More Great career advice from Roger Ebert
“Roger Ebert is no mystic, but he knows things we don’t know.” I believe that if, at the end of it all, according to our abilities, we have done something to make others a little happier, and something to make ourselves a little happier, that is about the best we can do. To make others… Read More “words are the single most valuable thing in the world” – thinking about Roger Ebert
News item: Avatar is now the greatest money maker in movie history —————— In the last few days, I saw Avatar, and I read an intriguing article about Harrison Ford. Avatar is now the all-time money maker for movies. (It is helped by ticket prices at least as high as $13.00 for the 3D experience). … Read More Innovation Reflections Prompted by Avatar, and the decline of the Box Office Mojo of Harrison Ford
When I get a little money I buy books; and if any is left I buy food and clothes. Erasmus Helmut Thielecke once stated “Sell all you have… and buy Spurgeon!” Charles Spurgeon was a gruff, brilliant English preacher. Helmut Thielecke was a serious, profound, German theologian/preacher. Yet he understood that one man’s writings were… Read More Roger Ebert Reminds us All Just Why We Love Our Books
We are very fortunate to have Bob Morris as such a frequent contributor on our blogging team. (In fact, he writes more than the rest of us combined). He is a rapid provider of quality content. He reads constantly, and then he gives his best thoughts on what he read, and then asks follow up… Read More Bob Morris is a Critic Who Matters — Seth Godin singled him out as just such a critic
First Friday Book Synopsis 