By Mountain School via YouTube
“Hauling books from a really nice thrift store I visited while on vacation in Chicago.”
Posted on June 28, 2019
Noah Webster’s Dictionary Wars
By Peter Martin/Aeon
In the United States, the name Noah Webster (1758-1843) is synonymous with the word “dictionary.” But it is also synonymous with the idea of America, since his first unabridged American Dictionary of the English Language, published in 1828 when Webster was 70, blatantly stirred the young nation’s thirst for cultural independence from Britain.
Webster saw himself as a savior of the American language who would rescue it from the corrupting influence of British English and prevent it from fragmenting into a multitude of dialects. But as a linguist and lexicographer, he quickly ran into trouble with critics, educators, the literati, legislators and much of the common reading public over the bizarre nature of his proposed language reforms.
These spelling reforms – for example, wimmen for “women,” greeve for “grieve,” meen for “mean” and bred for “bread” – were all intended to simplify spelling by making it read the way that words were pronounced, yet they brought him the pain of ridicule for decades to come.
Posted on June 25, 2019
Semicolon In West Town
By Semicolon
Semicolon Bookstore located will celebrate its grand opening at 515 North Halsted Street in July from Tuesday the 9th through Saturday the 13th.
The store has been open with shortened hours since June 8th in a soft-launch period to smooth operations and get to know the neighborhood.
Posted on June 24, 2019
Rand McNally Releases Updated Motor Carriers’ Road Atlas Line
By Rand McNally
Just as the first day of summer begins around the third week of June, so launches updated editions of the guide that has been helping truck drivers navigate North America for decades, Rand McNally’s Motor Carriers’ Road Atlas.
The 2020 edition of the atlas – available in paperback, and a version with laminated pages and a spiral binding – released for sale Tuesday. The atlases are available at travel centers, in bookstores and on e-commerce stores, and at Rand McNally’s online store.
Posted on June 19, 2019
Germans In Illinois
By SIU Press
“This engaging history of one of the largest ethnic groups in Illinois explores the influence and experiences of German immigrants and their descendants from their arrival in the middle of the nineteenth century to their heritage identity today.
“Co-authors Miranda E. Wilkerson and Heather Richmond examine the primary reasons that Germans came to Illinois and describe how they adapted to life and distinguished themselves through a variety of occupations and community roles.”
Posted on June 17, 2019
Heirloom Books
By Twilight City Studios
“In my family, hand-me-down books were the heirlooms, not jewelry or anything like that.”
Posted on June 14, 2019
Highlights | Printers Row Lit Fest 2019
You can find video of various panels broadcast by C-SPAN’s BookTV here; they aren’t embeddable. Meanwhile, more ephemeral highlights here:
Posted on June 12, 2019
The Illustrated Flora Of Illinois
By SIU Press
New in the series.
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Flowering Plants: Asteraceae, Part 2
By Robert H. Mohlenbrock.
In this second volume on the aster family, botanist Robert H. Mohlenbrock recognizes 133 species in 42 genera, as well as seven hybrids and 29 lesser taxa.
Flowering Plants: Asteraceae, Part 2 provides an easy-to-use key to the genera and species and a complete description and nomenclatural and habitat notes for each plant, including its usefulness, if applicable. The book details the most important features of the species and includes common, locally used names. Synonyms that have been applied to species and lesser taxa in Illinois are given for each species.
Posted on June 10, 2019
Former SAIC President To Pen Memoir About Years As Bank Of America Chairman
By Beckham Publications
Walter E. Massey, former chairman of Bank of America, will publish his memoir, In the Eye of the Storm: My Year as Chairman of Bank of America During the Country’s Worst Financial Crisis, with Beckham Publications, the house announced. Release is set for spring 2020.
“Massey’s memoir will offer an insider’s gaze at events and people that never before have been revealed publicly,” says publisher Barry Beckham. “He starts with his shock and surprise after learning that the board had chosen him, and it’s nonstop from there.”
Posted on June 5, 2019