In 1971, when a new public library opened in Troy, Michigan, famous authors and artists were invited to write letters to the city’s youngest readers, extolling the many benefits of libraries. One of the loveliest was from E.B. White, author of...
If you want to be a better writer, try skipping today’s bestsellers, and read one from the 1930’s instead. Or read something besides fiction in order to find your own metaphors and perspective. Plus, just because a city’s name...
When it comes to the names of towns and cities, the locals don’t necessarily pronounce them the way you expect. Charlotte, Vermont, for example, is pronounced with emphasis on the second syllable, not the first — and therein lies a history...
Starvation Corner n.— «What Cafeteria III table serves as both a Starvation Corner and a Lonely Hearts Club during third lunch?» —“Teen Scene” by Susanne Shaw, Douglas Johnson Newport Mercury and Weekly...
sharrow n.— «These Shared Lane stencils are an entirely new type of bike lane marking for New York City. They are modeled after San Francisco’s “Sharrows.”» —“Birth of a Class III Bike Route” by Aaron...
swear-to n.— «Ingham County Prosecutor Stuart Dunnings III requested the Monday morning hearing—often called a “swear-to,” where police present facts needed to issue an arrest warrant—be sealed.» —“Evidence in arrest of...