Why ‘A Christmas Carol’ Endures; The New York Times, December 24, 2024

Roger Rosenblatt , The New York Times; Why ‘A Christmas Carol’ Endures

"In some ways, the story’s enduring appeal is easy to account for. “A Christmas Carol” is, first and foremost, a ghost story — a genre that never seems to go out of fashion. But what’s less easy to account for, and more interesting, is how this 19th-century tale has continued to speak to modern readers, offering moral lessons that have only grown more relevant over the decades.

At its core, it is a story about the forces that exist within all of us: greed and generosity, hatred and love, repentance and forgiveness. It doesn’t hurt that it concerns one of literature’s most compelling characters: Ebenezer Scrooge."

ALA Receives Major Gift to Fund Scholarships; American Libraries, December 9, 2024

American Libraries; ALA Receives Major Gift to Fund Scholarships

"James W. Lewis, of Washington, D.C., fondly remembers trips to the public library in his hometown of New Bern, North Carolina. As a preschooler, Lewis’s parents would take him to the library, housed in the historic John Wright Stanly House.

From those early memories to his more recent involvement serving on the Board of Trustees of the District of Columbia Public Library (DCPL), Lewis has maintained a special connection to libraries.

Lewis has made the largest individual bequest to the American Library Association in the Association’s history. The approximately $25 million bequest is truly transformational and will fund scholarships for aspiring librarians, ensuring future generations of highly educated and committed librarians prepared to meet the informational needs of their communities, according to Leslie Burger, ALA interim executive director.

Lewis’s gift will fund library school scholarships for students with demonstrated financial needs. These scholarships will benefit legions of young people who would otherwise be unable to pursue professional librarianship."

Smashed Ebenezer Scrooge gravestone swiftly repaired free of charge; The Guardian, December 7, 2024

 Jem Bartholomew, The Guardian; Smashed Ebenezer Scrooge gravestone swiftly repaired free of charge

"“The message in the book is all about generosity, isn’t it,’” Mann said. “Actually, in a strange way, this whole episode ties into what Christmas is all about … It’s just really heartwarming that it’s been repaired so quickly and for free.”"

Can the coronavirus make society more ethical?; The Times of Israel, April 24, 2020

Simona Weinglass, The Times of Israel; Can the coronavirus make society more ethical?

"Arizona State University Jewish Studies professor Hava Tirosh-Samuelson, by contrast, was optimistic, expressing hope that the coronavirus could usher in a new global spirit of generosity.

“We used to think that globalization would solve all our problems but now we see its ugly side. We realize that resources are ultimately distributed at the state level. Still, I’m going to quote none other than the singer Lady Gaga, who hosted this lovely Global Citizen Music Festival recently. She said ‘kindness is currency of the new world.’

Samuelson expressed the hope that we might see a greater worldwide emphasis on caring and ethical behavior after the coronavirus, as well as more urgent attention to climate change.

“Previously only profits were important. I don’t want to sound naive, but maybe now it will be different.”"

Donald Trump’s One Awful Accomplishment; New York Times, April 29, 2017

Frank Bruni, New York Times; Donald Trump’s One Awful Accomplishment

"The other presidents in my lifetime have at least done a pantomime of the qualities that we try to instill in children: humility, honesty, magnanimity, generosity. Even Richard Nixon took his stabs at these. Trump makes a proud and almost ceaseless mockery of them.

And while I worry plenty that he’ll achieve some of his most ill-conceived policy goals, I’m just as fearful that he has already succeeded in changing forever the expected demeanor of someone in public office.

All around me people shrug and yawn at his latest petulant tirade, his newest baseless tweet, his freshest assertion that the numbers that the rest of us see are just optical illusions and he really did win the popular vote. Even outrage grows boring, and it begins to feel pointless: His obnoxiousness isn’t going to get him impeached.

Besides, the mendacity, the grandiosity: That’s just Trump being Trump. It’s old news by now. Many readers will get this far in this column and wonder why I and other naysayers don’t just let it go and cut him a break. As if we’re stuck on piddling things and his bearing is nothing more than peculiar.

But when something no longer provokes remark, it becomes unremarkable, and the road from there to acceptable is a short one."