Northeastern University has been implementing a program called First Pages for the past few years. It is a reading program in which all First Year Students are required to participate. One reason why the school started this is to give the First Year students something in common. In other words, the school hoped that the book would serve as a point of conversation for people. Though I cannot say that this has happened, the concept is great. The school also hosts many activities to encourage the reading of this book. For instance, during Welcome Week, Northeastern has the author(s) come...

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Going to Florida? Check out these literary fairs! 1. Much Ado About Books Check out the book festival organized by The Jacksonville Public Library Foundation in Jacksonville called Much About books. Authors are invited to spearhead panel discussions, book signings and writers' workshops. There's also the Children's Chapter, a book fair featuring books and characters made especially for kids. And there's also the Young Writer's Awards, featuring the best work from middle and high school students in Jacksonville. Much About Books happens every February at the Jacksonville Public Library. 2. Miami Book Fair Organized by Florida Center of the Literary Arts at Dade College,...

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Systematic Theology by Wayne Grudem is the most comprehensive book on Biblical doctrine that I have ever read, seen, or heard of.  This is no light read.  Systematic Theology is 1167 pages, not counting the voluminous appendices and index.  Grudem spent twenty years researching the Bible and the many areas of contention among modern interpreters. The thing that separates Grudem's Systematic Theology from other books on the subject (there are, in fact, several with the same title), is the iron-clad reasoning of the author.  Grudem demonstrates his complete command of the subject matter by laying out fairly both sides of each...

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Going to Connecticut? Then be sure to drop by any of these literary fairs. 1. Connecticut Children's Book Fair The Connecticut Children's Book Fair was founded to create a venue to unite all people who love children's literature, including readers, authors and illustrators. The fair is free to the public and to the entire family. Held for two days at the University of Connecticut in Storrs, the fair features book readings and signings by authors and illustrators. There are story book character appearances, with a chance to have breakfast with them. Scheduled every year in November, the fair runs from 10am until...

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Some books become classics for a reason. Daniel Defoe’s Robinson Crusoe is one of them. The actual title of Defoe’s book is The Life and Strange Surprising Adventures of Robinson Crusoe of York, Mariner. The wordiness of the title on the cover is an indication of the story that lies beneath. Defoe’s writing is filled with long, cumbersome sentences that are delightfully layered with meaning and content. Robinson Crusoe was first published in 1719, yet it feels relevant and fresh even in the light of the 21st century. Nearly three hundred years after it was written,...

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