Leah Libresco's Blog, page 38

Beginning as I’ll Go On in 2015

Leigh Bardugo, author of the Grisha Trilogy (and cause of my Halloween costume) is running a series of creativity sprints, starting at noon today.  The goal is to “Begin as You Mean to Go On” in the new year (she has a FAQ here). This doesn’t necessarily mean, if you plan to clean your garage this [Read More...]

Celebrate the New Year by reading Black Lamb, Grey Falcon!

My family often celebrates New Year’s Eve by watching a very long movie (i.e. Gandhi) on New Year’s Eve, when we’re committed to staying up to finish it. If you’d like to pick up that tradition but in a literary vein, why not welcome in the new year while reading Rebecca West’s Black Lamb and Grey [Read More...]

Catching the Joy of Others [Pope Francis Bookclub]

In 2014, I read and blogged through Pope Francis/Cardinal Bergoglio’s Open Mind, Faithful Heart: Reflections on Following Jesus.  Every Monday, I wrote about the next meditation in the book, so you’re welcome to peruse them all and/or read along. This is the last installment of our Pope Francis bookclub (and I’ll post either a shortlist or a final [Read More...]

Christ is an Outlier and Should Have Been Counted [Pope Francis Bookclub]

In 2014, I’m reading and blogging through Pope Francis/Cardinal Bergoglio’s Open Mind, Faithful Heart: Reflections on Following Jesus.  Every Monday, I’ll be writing about the next meditation in the book, so you’re welcome to peruse them all and/or read along.   In the second to last chapter of Open Mind, Faithful Heart, Pope Francis draws heavily on the letter [Read More...]

My Year-End Book Recommendations in TAC and NRO

I’ve already shared with you guys the ten best books that I read (for the first time) this year, but in case you’re still finishing up shopping for others, I’ve also added my suggestions to both The American Conservative and National Review‘s gift guides for the end of the year.   And my recommendations there are a [Read More...]

7QT: Building Imaginary Bridges, Destroying Phantom Boats

— 1 — I’m totally delighted by these mischievous bridges.  Euro notes apparently each feature a picture of a bridge, drawn in different architectural styles, but none modelled on a real bridge, so that the nations of the EU wouldn’t be divided into “included in/excluded from currency” factions.  But the Netherlands has scuppered that compromise — they’ve built [Read More...]

Your religion… is it bigger than a breadbox?

I’ve been meaning for a while to highlight an interesting project that Christian H has been carrying out on his blog: coming up with taxonomies for religions. And I’m a big fan of the reason he started this project: While trying to find ways to frame my understanding of different religions, and different individuals’ religion, is a worthwhile [Read More...]

Tell Your College Women Friends About Arete!

The Arete Seminar has opened applications for it’s Summer 2015 program, and it seems pretty likely to me that I’ve either got readers who are interested or who know people who would be interested.  Here’s the basics: The Arete Seminar provides an educational program for college-aged women that emphasizes democratic participation and leadership, sustainability, personal and [Read More...]

Filing Down the Sharp Edges of Failure [Pope Francis Bookclub]

In 2014, I’m reading and blogging through Pope Francis/Cardinal Bergoglio’s Open Mind, Faithful Heart: Reflections on Following Jesus.  Every Monday, I’ll be writing about the next meditation in the book, so you’re welcome to peruse them all and/or read along. There are two paragraphs in particular from this week’s chapter that give a pretty good impression of what [Read More...]

A Rosary App from One of Our Regulars

Following right on the heels of my guest post for Beeminder (on using that website’s commitment contracts in spiritual life), Pedro Paulo Oliveira Jr., a frequent commenter here has taken a turn guest posting there, too.  He’s outlining a Rosary app he’s built, and the way he integrated it with Beeminder, so it can update [Read More...]