Reading groups are more important than you think: they’re radical
The other day I was in a lunch meeting with a fellow marketing professional when the topic turned to book groups and reading guides. It got me thinking about how… Read more »
Another One Bites the Dust: Florida State University backs away from “Big Deal” subscription packages
Florida State University’s libraries are in negotiations with Elsevier about an impending pricing issue, according to Diana Kwon writing in the Scientist this week. Back in April, the libraries announced that, due to the “high… Read more »
University of Hawai‘i Press will digitize twenty-two out-of-print books thanks to a Mellon Foundation grant
Last week, the University of Hawai‘i announced that the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation has awarded a $100,000 grant to the University of Hawai‘i Press to help in the digitization and open-access distribution of twenty-two out-of-print books. The grant… Read more »
“Listen to many”: Another source of inspiration for Shakespeare has been revealed
To any student readers out there, tempted to plagiarize their midterm essay on Aphra Behn, be warned. Professors have a new tool in their authenticity arsenal: software. And while you… Read more »
Pearson Education has apologized for an outrageously offensive nursing textbook
Imagine you’re in hospital. Perhaps from repetitive strain injury after reading too many excellent Melville House books. If you’re Jewish, you “may be vocal and demand assistance.” If you’re black,… Read more »
Experts agree, colonialism was a lark
The editorial staff of the Third World Quarterly has resigned in protest over the publication of a controversial article in the journal’s most recent issue. The piece, titled “In Defense… Read more »
A long con ago, in a galaxy far, far away…
Fake science is most often sighted stalking the senators and presidents of our land. But it roams other terrain, too. For instance, it can thrive, and has for many years, foraging for scraps… Read more »
Gently used blog posts: John James Audubon will have his revenge
As the ship of fools known as 2016 goes down for the third time, we’re revisiting some of our favorite MobyLives posts from the past year. This one originally ran on April 27. John… Read more »
Words from a Stone: Columbia University radio show tells writer she can read her story on-air only if it’s censored
Last week, I had a long talk with Laurie Stone about censorship. It wasn’t the interview she had been planning for. The conversation Stone had expected would have taken place on… Read more »
Trump-supporting university president loves free speech, promptly censors an anti-Trump student
You may have read recently about Liberty University students’ response to university president Jerry Falwell Jr.’s support of the Republican presidential nominee, Donald Trump. Falwell’s contentious discipleship has survived even the release of the… Read more »