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Image of an ornate clock showing 2:05 with sculpted male figures sitting on each side of the clock face

The Soundtrack of Our (Cartoon) Lives

Posted by: Jennifer Gavin

A cartoon can be engaging and funny and tell a story without any audible sound at all; even newspaper cartoons of the 20th century featured characters such as Ferd’nand and The Little King, (external links) who went through their paces, frame-by-frame, with little or no dialogue to move the story along. But sometimes, more is more, as …

Image of an ornate clock showing 2:05 with sculpted male figures sitting on each side of the clock face

By the Time We Got to Bookstock …

Posted by: Jennifer Gavin

Right now, here and there all over the world, people are sitting down with a good book and enjoying a good read. Sprawled on the lawn, curled up on the sofa, sitting on the steps in the piazza — they’re communing with a great author, or a funny author, or an author who’s telling them …

Image of an ornate clock showing 2:05 with sculpted male figures sitting on each side of the clock face

Do Your Homework (Literally!)

Posted by: Jennifer Gavin

In today’s economic environment, there are good reasons to wonder about the feasibility of working from home.  And we’re not talking telecommuting, here – we’re talking about self-employment.  It doesn’t have to be all about Hard Times.  Perhaps you’re just ready to do what you love, all the time – like the local woman who …

Image of an ornate clock showing 2:05 with sculpted male figures sitting on each side of the clock face

'Authorama' on the National Mall

Posted by: Jennifer Gavin

The authors’ lineup for the National Book Festival on Saturday, Sept. 26 went public today–what star-power! Bestselling authors David Baldacci, John Grisham, John Irving, Julia Alvarez, Judy Blume, Ken Burns, Gwen Ifill, and Jodi Picoult–as well as celebrity chef Paula Deen–will be among scores of authors and illustrators presenting at the festival, organized and sponsored …

Image of an ornate clock showing 2:05 with sculpted male figures sitting on each side of the clock face

Portraits — and Pot-Shots — in Song

Posted by: Jennifer Gavin

Long before we were being sold something (through advertising jingles) or somebody (through campaign ads), presidential campaign seasons brought out the songwriter in many a partisan.  This unique niche of Americana is celebrated in a new Library of Congress exhibition on the web, titled “Voices, Votes, Victory: Presidential Campaign Songs.” The tradition of writing songs …

Image of an ornate clock showing 2:05 with sculpted male figures sitting on each side of the clock face

Flickr Favorites, in Focus

Posted by: Jennifer Gavin

The Library’s Prints & Photographs Division today is offering a new twist on the Library’s Flickr site in The Commons — a clickable list of favorites from the Farm Security Administration and Office of War Information collections, under the heading “FSA/OWI Favorites.” There will be 10 “most-requested” photos from these Library collections, including the iconic …