The Lolita Effect

Dr. Gigi Durham has written a book called The Lolita Effect, The Media Sexualization of Girls and What We Can Do About It.
For reasons that are very near and dear to our hearts, Tempest and I have read several books that talk about teenage sexuality, body image, the mass media, and major depression, and we [...]

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I Knew

Of course I did.
The flashy, colorful robes. That flair with his wand, his magical creativity. An ostentatious phoenix for a companion. The lemon-sherbert passwords. That collection of show tunes that Harry once saw him playing in the pensieve.
Anyone who reads the books closely knew Dumbledore was gay.
OK. I’m trying to be funny, and probably not [...]

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Airborn: A thriller for young adults

With the plot for one middle reader and one teen novel bouncing around in my addled brain, for the last year, I’ve been exploring the world of young adult fiction.
It’s been a revelation! I’m simply amazed that so many great books are being written for today’s young readers. I loved books so much when I [...]

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The Lost Gospel

Oh, if only I could do it all over again. I would have majored in religious studies, and I’d probably be teaching at some notable university now. I’ve always found the study of historical times to be fascinating.
Some readers might think such a proclamation would make me religious. But I’m not. I have a deep [...]

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Garlic and Sapphires

I’ve been reading Ruth Reichl’s terrific book — Garlic and Sapphires — about her experiences as New York Times restaurant critic.
Reichl is refreshingly unpretentious and a fabulous writer. Just after she accepted her new gig, she discovers that restaurants are already on the lookout for her and her mane of curly black hair. So Reichl [...]

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