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Book by Book
Book by Book: Notes on Reading and Life | Michael Dirda
12 posts | 11 read | 36 to read
A Pulitzer Prize-winning critic's often surprising meditation on those places where life and books intersect and what might be learned from both Once out of school, most of us read for pleasure. Yet there is another equally important, though often overlooked, reason that we read: to learn how to live. Though books have always been understood as life-teachers, the exact way in which they instruct, cajole, and convince remains a subject of some mystery. Drawing on sources as diverse as Dr. Seuss and Simone Weil, P. G. Wodehouse and Isaiah Berlin, Pulitzer prize-winning critic Michael Dirda shows how the wit, wisdom, and enchantment of the written word can inform and enrich nearly every aspect of life, from education and work to love and death. Organized by significant life events and abounding with quotations from great writers and thinkers, Book by Book showcases Dirda's considerable knowledge, which he wears lightly. Favoring showing rather than telling, Dirda draws the reader deeper into the classics, as well as lesser-known works of literature, history, and philosophy, always with an eye to what is relevant to how we might better understand our lives.
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Susanita
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We all love books, right?
#lovenotes
#literarylove

Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks Right!! 🙌🏻 5y
36 likes1 comment
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DrSabrinaMoldenReads
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When all else fails after a rough week, go become a community member of the University Library. (Side Note: They did not know how to add me as a member without checking their instruction book.)

cathysaid UNCC? 6y
cathysaid @Joyfulmimi I thought so! That's where I got my graduate degree many years ago. 👍 It's a great library. 6y
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DrSabrinaMoldenReads Do you still live in NC? @cathysaid ? Hope you don‘t mind me asking. 6y
cathysaid @Joyfulmimi I don't mind at all! I now live in Atlanta. 6y
DrSabrinaMoldenReads Awww...I was hoping we could more easily get together @cathysaid 6y
cathysaid I believe @DGRachel lives in the area. Maybe she knows others around there! 6y
DGRachel @cathysaid @Joyfulmimi Yep, I‘m in South Charlotte. I believe @4thhouseontheleft is in the N. Clt/Huntersville area. I know there are a few others nearby, too, but I can‘t remember off the top of my head. 😊 6y
DrSabrinaMoldenReads Awesome! It would be great to start a book club. What do you thk k @DGRachel ? 6y
DGRachel Yes! I have been thinking about creating a feeler post to see if anyone in the area was interested in an IRL book club! 6y
DGRachel Should I do that this weekend, or do you want to take the reins? 6y
DrSabrinaMoldenReads Please do! I certainly would join. @DGRachel 6y
cathysaid @Joyfulmimi @DGRachel Jealous! But hope you have fun! 😘 6y
alisiakae @DGRachel @Joyfulmimi Yes, I‘m in Huntersville! I was thinking it would be great to do a CLT meetup. (edited) 6y
alisiakae I think @BookNAround lives in CLT. @MallenNC are you nearby? 6y
DrSabrinaMoldenReads I am all for it! I live in NCharlotte/Concord area @4thhouseontheleft @DGRachel 6y
BookNAround @4thhouseontheleft Yes. I‘m in South Charlotte. 6y
MallenNC @4thhouseontheleft I live in Raleigh, so not really local to y'all. I'd love to do a meet up sometime. I missed one that happened in Charlotte a while back. (edited) 6y
34 likes18 comments
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DrSabrinaMoldenReads
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I love how I have found “My Tribe” here on Litsy. Love you, My Littens. @peacegypsy 😘

peacegypsy Oh, you are wonderful! I love Jamison‘s works, too. Fun to share these fabulous books! @joyfulmimi 6y
Louise ❤️ 6y
DrSabrinaMoldenReads I am really not into Harry Potter but I read that one book. I am going to give her another try. 6y
Suet624 💕💕💕 6y
36 likes4 comments
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peacegypsy
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Pickpick

Dirda‘s Book by Book contains treasures of all sorts — quotations, reflections, book suggestions, etc. Dirda also does a nice job of rejuvenating interest in the classics. It‘s a bit hazardous, though, in that your TBR list may topple! 😊 His obvious love for books is just wonderful.

DrSabrinaMoldenReads I loved this too! 6y
DrSabrinaMoldenReads We may be book twins! 😍 6y
peacegypsy @Joyfulmimi That would be an honor! 😃 6y
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Liz_M Oooh, another book for the books-about-books shelf! 6y
peacegypsy @Liz_M I‘m glad to know somebody else has one of those! 👏👍😃 6y
48 likes6 stack adds6 comments
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BookishMe
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TommieMarie74 Agreed!! 6y
BellaBookNook Amen sister!!! 6y
TheBookgeekFrau Truth! 6y
LoLo_and_The_Dude Oh I feel so much better now that I know that!!! 6y
34 likes5 comments
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BookishMe
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28 likes2 comments
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SusanInTiburon
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This is how it goes

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Gissy
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I will participate in a BookTube-AThon. I'm not part of YouTube world but I just used this activity as a personal challenge. 7 books in one week starting today July 24-30, 2017: a book with a person in cover; read a book in 1 day; read a book outside; a book with character different from you; because you loved the cover; a hyped book and read a 7th book. My trick? Most are graphic novels but there will be 7 book less in by tbr. At least I will try

BookBabe 🙌🏻 Awesome! 7y
Gissy @BookBabe Than you! 7y
sprainedbrain You can do it! 7y
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Lmstraubie Sounds like fun! 7y
Gissy @sprainedbrain @Lmstraubie It is! I just read already five of them and today I will start my sixth book! I don't know if I'm going to complete the challenge but there will be six books less in my tbr and it had been so fun! 7y
Lmstraubie Well done! ☺️ 7y
37 likes7 comments
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MrBook
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#TBRtemptation post 2! This Pulitzer Prize winner is also one of the highest rated books about books on GR. His passion for books comes through in how he discusses them. He organizes the selected titles based on significant life events, enriching birth, death, work, celebration, etc. Dr. Seuss, Wodehouse, Weil, and many more are quoted & discussed. He includes many lesser known works, such as in history & philosophy. #blameLitsy #blameMrBook 😎

LitsyGoesPostal 😊👍🏻 7y
66 likes9 stack adds1 comment
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megnews
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Reading another Oberlin College author this morning.

SusanInTiburon LOVE this book! 7y
7 likes1 stack add1 comment
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IntellectualHermit
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"The principle sin...with which the tongue is particularly connected is lust,for,since the days of Eve and the serpent...seduction lies in talk, and the tongue is seduction's tool." Maria Warner

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SusanInTiburon
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Pickpick

(Memoir Monday)This is catnip for us book lovers. Michael Dirda makes you want to read everything, absolutely everything, he writes about. This little reading guide is selective, personal, inviting, and fun to read. He suggests reading it with pencil in hand: check!

Jess_Read_This This looks very interesting! 8y
34 likes14 stack adds1 comment