Quote from writer, George Saunders

A wonderful quote from writer, George Saunders:

 "What I regret most in my life are failures of kindness." 

Saunders was one of the authors interviewed by Bob Schieffer on Face the Nation, December 22.
Schieffer cited the quote as one of his favorites.

 It comes from a graduation speech Saunders gave at Syracuse University. Full text of the speech was reprinted by the NYT:

http://6thfloor.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/07/31/george-saunderss-advice-to-graduates/

Writer finds solace in Dante's "Divine Comedy" after death of his wife

Here is a fine essay, entitled "I Found Myself in a Dark Wood," by David Luzzi, from the NY Times.  It is about finding solace in Dante's "Divine Comedy," after the author loses his wife:

http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/12/18/i-found-myself-in-a-dark-wood/?nl=opinion&emc=edit_ty_20131219

On Science and Nature Writing

The most recent essay featured in the New York Times “Draft” series (December 9, 2013) on the art and craft of writing is entitled “The Science and Art of Science Writing,” written by Michelle Nijhuis :  http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/12/09/the-science-and-art-of-science-writing/?hp&rref=opinion

 Nijhuis is the co-editor of The Science Writer’s Handbook: Everything you Need to know to Pitch, Publish and Prosper in the Digital Age.”

The essay set my juices flowing.  Though I am not a scientist, I am married to one.  You might say our interests intersect in nature/science writing.  He is a geochemist who appreciates good writing on those topics, and I am a writer/editor who sometimes enjoys reading about them.

Two of our favorite writers are Elizabeth Kolbert and John McPhee, both of whom have essays published frequently by The New Yorker.  Here is a link to one of Kolbert’s recent articles, entitled "The Lost World": http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2013/12/16/131216fa_fact_kolbert

John McPhee’s writing is not limited to nature/science writing.  He also writes wonderful essays in The New Yorker’s “The Writing Life” series.  One of them is entitled “Structure; beyond the picnic-table crisis”:  http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2013/01/14/130114fa_fact_mcphee

If you are interested in this type of writing, check out The Best American Science and Nature Writing, an annual publication (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.  The Best American Series).  The 2013 edition will be one of my husband’s Christmas presents.  Sh-h, don’t tell him!

 

Short stories online

Want to read classic short stories on line?  Go to this site: http://www.americanliterature.com/

There's a "Short Story of the Day" featured.