Articles we read (and loved) in April
Elly Clapin
1/ 10 ‘grammar rules’ it’s OK to break (sometimes)
By Steven Pinker @sapinker
This article by Harvard cognitive scientist and linguist Steven Pinker is a bit of a flashback – it was published in The Guardian in 2014, but we’ve only just read it this month. The title is fairly self-explanatory, really, with Pinker outlining 10 rules of grammar that he considers totally acceptable to break in the interest of creating clear, stylish prose. Whether you’re a grammar purist or don’t know how to use a semicolon, it’s an interesting and worthwhile read.
www.theguardian.com/books/2014/aug/15/steven-pinker-10-grammar-rules-break
2/ 5 Reasons to Love Little Free Libraries
By Margaret Aldrich @MMAldrich
We’re loving lists this month! And we love Little Free Libraries – it’s so wonderful to see communities sharing their most beloved books with one another in such an organic, charming way. Margaret Aldrich explores 5 reasons this initiative has become so popular and spread across the globe. It’s a feel good read, and one that’s bound to inspire the creation of more LFLs. Sounds good to us!
3/ Theft of rare books investigated at New York Public Library
By Dareh Gregorian @darehgregorian
Priceless treasures, a secret heist, and one of the Founding Fathers of the United States – this article has all the makings of a great novel! When New York native Margaret Tanchuk had a collection of her late father’s books appraised, she was surprised (and no doubt thrilled) to learn that they were worth millions of dollars. Things got a little more complicated when auction house Doyle’s noticed library call numbers on the spines of some of the books – now, New York Public Library insists the material was stolen from the library. It’s a fascinating story, and this article gets extra points for it’s opening line – “Book ‘em!” Hahaha! Good one.
www.nydailynews.com/new-york/theft-rare-books-investigated-new-york-public-library-article-1.2198480
4/ Academics Cope with Pressure to Translate, Publish in English
By Mary Jane Curry and Theresa Lillis in Publishing Perspectives @pubperspectives
A thought-provoking look at the growing pressure faced by multilingual academics to publish in English – and the many, complicated challenges involved when attempting to translate work and find suitable publishing outlets.
www.publishingperspectives.com/2015/04/academics-cope-with-pressure-to-translate-publish-in-english/
5/ Girl, 8, strikes blow for equality over ‘boys only’ books
By Alison Flood, @alisonflood
An interesting read about an eight-year-old girl from London who took issue with the ‘for girls’ and ‘for boys’ labels in Scholastic Book catalogues. Who says girls can’t like pirate books?