Teacher helps others with their memoirs
It’s difficult for anyone to put the hard truths of their life on paper. But Valley Haggard, a Richmond writer, teacher and mentor to many, seems to have found the formula. In her “Life in Ten Minutes” class sessions, Haggard teaches writers and non-writers how to share their innermost secrets — from their traumatic experiences to their greatest joys. “When you tell your... READ MORE
New insights about George Washington
The Bibliophile Our first president remains the focus of research by historians 290 years after his birth. These books by older authors shed light on fascinating aspects of his multifaceted life. First and Always: A New Portrait of George Washington, by Peter R. Henriques, 240 pages, University of Virginia Press hardcover, 2021 Historian Peter Henriques has spent a distinguished... READ MORE
Legendary music hall still going strong
An estimated three million or more fans have flocked to Alexandria’s Birchmere over the last 56 years to see and hear artists like Ray Charles and Joan Baez, bluegrass stars like Merle Haggard and Johnny Cash, and lesser-known performers like Mousey Thompson and Shovels and Rope. The 30,000-square-foot club, housed in a former Kodak film developing plant, is featured in a new book, All ... READ MORE
A few overdue thank-yous to my docs
It was the end of yet another doctor’s appointment — routine, as it turned out, thank heavens. The doc pronounced me fit as a fiddle. I beamed. I purred. He gathered up his papers and prepared to leave. And then I said thank you. Thank you to a doctor who works more hours than any human should. Thank you to a doctor who has been by my side for more than 35 years. Thank you for... READ MORE
New and newsworthy plants for 2022
We can all agree that 2021 was a year for strange news, from British bakeries using illegal U.S. sprinkles for cake décor to the sky-high prices for NFT (non-fungible token) artwork such as the $69 million paid for a digital photo collage. In the midst of 24/7 broadcasting, however, you may have missed some of these unusual plant articles. Philodendron’s price peaks Philodendron is... READ MORE
Comedy man Mel Brooks shares stories
Bagels and Nova Scotia lox for the writing team’s breakfast while punching up the script for the movie “Blazing Saddles.” Earl Grey tea and English digestive biscuits while developing Gene Wilder’s idea for “Young Frankenstein.” Cottage cheese topped with fruit while hashing out yet another writer’s pitch for “Silent Movie.” Besides an uncanny memory for food, Mel... READ MORE
Greet 2022 with wit, whimsy and humor
The Bibliophile Resolve to start the new year by exploring new subjects and exercising your mental curiosity to the fullest. But don’t be weighted down by the gravity of the issues you contemplate. Lighten up and make learning a fun preoccupation. Cranial Fracking, by Ian Frazier, 180 pages, Farrar, Straus and Giroux hardcover, 2021 Septuagenarian Ian Frazier has been delighting... READ MORE
He advocates for wronged WWII vets
Hours after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor that sparked World War II, Japan began bombing U.S. bases in the Philippines. In response, Gen. Douglas MacArthur recruited Filipino soldiers to fight alongside American forces in the Pacific, declaring, “Give me 10,000 Filipinos and I shall conquer the world!” One of those Filipino fighters was the late father of Maryland retiree Jon... READ MORE
Lifelong carver prefers using chainsaws
In 2009, when Evelyn Mogren was in her late 40s, she attended her first chainsaw-carving festival. “I did laps around the exhibitors,” she remembers, “just bugging the carvers to death.” Finally, one generous carver offered to teach Mogren, right then and there. He placed a hunk of wood in front of her and a chainsaw in her hands. He told her to do what he did. “He would... READ MORE
The Carpenters and their music still shine
“Every sha-la-la-la, every wo-o-wo-o still shines,” the Carpenters sang in “Yesterday Once More,” their hit 1973 tribute to the songs of the past. It could be the tagline of a new book on the work of Richard and Karen Carpenter, which seeks to set aside the noise surrounding the duo and focus on their harmonic creations. Carpenters: The Musical Legacy (Princeton Architectural... READ MORE
