"The Last Ballad"; by Wiley Cash; 2017, HarperCollins Publishers; 375 pages. The American South is a minefield of emotions. It's a land of hope, faith and joy intermingled with hatred, anger, and sometimes unspeakable violence. It's a place where understanding and common sense can be overwhelmed by confusion and ignorance -- often sparked by a … Continue reading ‘The Last Ballad’ is a tragic story from North Carolina’s often forgotten history
Reading and writing
The Roy Moore story: Things are sadly still the same in Alabama
Up until around 2003 it was still legal for a 14-year-old girl to be married in the state of Alabama -- with parental consent. The law was finally changed -- with no small amount of debate and controversy -- to age 16 (which I would contend is still a child). They actually fought about this … Continue reading The Roy Moore story: Things are sadly still the same in Alabama
Ultimate truths, wisdom and baseball
A few years ago at the annual Friends of the Alamance County Library Book Sale I uncovered a real treasure. It's a book about ultimate truths. It's a book full of wisdom for the ages. It's a book brimming with best practices of every description. And it's a book published in 1951. And it's a … Continue reading Ultimate truths, wisdom and baseball
Reporters and editors share their most memorable misteaks
A few years ago I asked my journalist friends on social media to share embarrassing stories about reporting or editing errors – things like spelling a name wrong or mangling a title – details that sound like little stuff but are really the mistakes that erode reader confidence in journalism. I shared them earlier this … Continue reading Reporters and editors share their most memorable misteaks
In the labyrinth at Elon
Shortly after my spouse started working at Elon University in the fall of 2012, she mentioned a permanent labyrinth located on campus, not too far from her University Communications office in Truitt Hall. It got her attention as a pathway to pause, reflect or meditate. That is, after all, what it’s there to do. She … Continue reading In the labyrinth at Elon
Going by the book; or, keeping the wheel of life turning
About 20 years ago a cop reporter I worked with at the Jacksonville Daily News gave me her copy of a famous book written by a cop reporter from Baltimore. “Homicide: A Year on the Killing Streets” by David Simon was published in 1991. By 1993 it had become a TV show on NBC, a … Continue reading Going by the book; or, keeping the wheel of life turning
What’s next for Alamance County Public Libraries? We now have a road map
The ink was barely dry on the brand new Alamance County Library Strategic Plan when I saw a new report from the Pew Research Center. The lead paragraph summed it up. Millennials in America are more likely to have visited a public library in the past year than any other adult generation. Interesting. That was … Continue reading What’s next for Alamance County Public Libraries? We now have a road map
Can anyone over 30 be trusted with emojis?
Am I way too old to use emojis? Well, maybe. Deep down, I sort of knew this already. This isn't because I have a violent reaction every time I see someone on social media compose sentences, paragraphs or stories using nothing but tiny computer-generated illustrations. This isn't exactly an old fart "get the hell of … Continue reading Can anyone over 30 be trusted with emojis?
Libraries yesterday, today and tomorrow
When MJ Wilkerson asked if I would be interested in joining a committee tasked to chart the future of Alamance County libraries, I was flattered. But more than that, there is a history. My grandmother was a key figure in bringing a library to Stokes County decades ago. My first career was in newspapers and … Continue reading Libraries yesterday, today and tomorrow
Madison's Avenue 