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Updates at DailyLit

December 13, 2007 – 7:00 am

Read books by email service DailyLit have expanded their feature list (and redesigned their site—very nice). From the (first ever) email update:

  • We now have over 675 public domain and creative commons books available for free.We have started to release bestselling and award-winning titles (for a small fee) including the #1 New York Times bestselling title, SKINNY B**CH (for $4.95); a Berlitz Spanish course created exclusively for DailyLit (for $6.95); science fiction and thrillers such as IN FURY BORN (for $4.95) and BLOOD DIAMONDS (for $4.95); and even an exclusive Kaplan SAT course (for $4.95). Harlequin titles are also in the works, available in just a few short weeks.
  • We have added many new features, including reading via RSS, advanced customization of installment delivery times and installment length, and forums for discussing books with other DailyLit subscribers.
  • To celebrate the holiday season, we have just added the ability to give a DailyLit book as a gift and add a personalized message to be included in each installment. You can send a classic book as a gift, including such holiday favorites as LITTLE WOMEN, with a personalized message — all for free (our gift to you). DailyLit gifts can be sent at the last minute and received seconds later.

I’ve tried DailyLit before and ultimately gave up on it. RSS sounds interesting but do I really need more noise in my feed reader? Anyway, I’ve decided I want books to read in my email as much as I want poetry read to me by phone. That is, not at all.

Man, that makes me sound old and grumpy. Maybe I should sign up again.

By Ian Stewart | Posted in Ideas About Reading | Comments (4)

Rich Hippies Talking to Fairies

December 12, 2007 – 6:11 am

I’m currently reading Little, Big by John Crowley and I’d like to recommend it to you—but I can’t.

When I’m actually reading the book it’s great. The pages turn and the plot surprises. But when I stop reading it I ask myself, “Why am I reading a book about rich hippies that talk to fairies?” It’s a good question.

It’s a good book though—when I’m reading it and not reflecting on it. And, I mean, to be fair, I’m not even halfway done. I won’t be surprised if it turns out to be a favorite of the year. Plus, any book that throws out a sentence like, “And twenty-five years passed” and still survives, is special.

But really, rich hippies talking to fairies, it’s tough to get over.

By Ian Stewart | Posted in Ideas About Reading | Comments (9)

What’s Up with Upper Fort Stewart

December 6, 2007 – 10:50 am

Have no fear. Upper Fort Stewart is here! Well, sort of. Obviously posting frequency is down—but I’m not. Nor am I out. I’m just busy. Here’s what currently fills my plate.

Launching two new blogs in January

Yep, that’s right two. But I’m only writing one, a WordPress theme/blog design/graphic design blog/God help me they’ll find out I don’t know what I’m doing blog. I’ve written about twenty-five posts, brainstormed ideas for seventy-five more and developed three themes, with at least two more on the way, not counting the theme I’ve developed for the main blog itself which will be released once I eventually get tired of it and develop a new one, which, if history repeats, should be about three hours after I launch. Needless to say, that’s been a lot of work.

I’ll probably explain more about this blog’s genesis once I launch it but it should be fairly obvious that it’s related to my goal of building web-design skills.

The other blog I’m launching has been developed for one of the toughest clients in the world, my wife. She’s caught the blogging bug and is currently writing up on a storm on branding and graphic design—that being what she does for a living. All I’ve done is develop the theme, once so far, and probably twice when I go through her revisions. Plus, I did all the WordPress setup, which, frankly, is a heck of a lot of work.

I like to think of her as the Seth Godin of graphic design. She has a unique way of looking at the subject and communicating her ideas in simple, but unexpected and ultimately profound ways. Really. You’ll want to read her stuff.

Actually, you’ll want to read both of these blogs. But not yet. They’re not ready and it’s not January you see. Hold your horses already.

Secret Kid’s Book Web Project

I’m not actually sure how much I want to say about this project. I’ve been thinking about it and working on it for three months now at least. It’s not a blog, I can say that much. It’s sort of a portfolio piece crossed with an idea that’s dear to my heart (corny—but true) and a service that could actually be of some value. It involves very little programming (PHP) on my part, thanks largely to the effort of thousands of other people. In other words, hooray for open source.

I think that’s all I want to say about that.

The Minstrel

As previously mentioned I’ve managed to hack up a WordPress theme that will deliver content like a quarterly magazine and will be using it to bring our local theology journal, The Minstrel, to the web. If you’re interested you can go visit it’s vast nothingness at TheMinstrel.com. Ultra-minimalism in the extreme.

Once the theme blog is launched I’ll be sharing exactly how to code a quarterly-magazine WordPress theme yourself. And I’ll probably release a stripped down version of The Minstrel theme.

But what about Upper Fort Stewart?

Well, I haven’t given up on it. Just hold tight. And I haven’t lost any of my ridiculousness. I do feel bad that having met my goal of 100 daily unique visitors and 100 RSS subscribers—thanks for that by the way—I sort of dropped off the face of the web. That’s kind of embarrassing, isn’t it? I’ll probably have to start lifestreaming or something. Yechh.

Anyway, what I’m reading now: The Great Ideas Today and Little, Big by John Crowley.

By Ian Stewart | Posted in Not Exactly Bookish | Comments (4)

The Great Ideas Today

November 26, 2007 – 2:43 pm

I haven’t been this excited about a book or series of books in a while. Back when Mortimer Adler (How to Read a Book) was with the Encyclopedia Britannica he edited a series of books called The Great Ideas Today. Basically, the old elitist (note: I think that’s a good thing) wanted to popularize academic excitement. Taking his list of the 50 great ideas he and Robert Hutchins rounded up the important scholars and authors of the day and had them produce essays on a theme. This would be followed up by an essay from the editors on what the Great Books can say about the subject and a literary section featuring exciting work in literature. These were apparently published every year (I say apparently because I don’t really know).

I bought three of the things on the weekend, at the library “Giant Used Book Sale.” The sale wasn’t exactly giant. Sure, 5 dollars for as many books as can be carried in a stretched out grocery-store bag was kind of cool—although some of the bags were slimy-dirty—but the selection wasn’t really there. For instance, my son and I were excited to find an animated Rikki-Tikki-Tavvi film in the A/V section, until we realized it was Beta. Beta! Anyway, The Great Ideas Today.

I’m sort of a Mortimer Adler nut. His How to Read a Book was kind of influential on me—I’m sure you noticed. He’s even had me reading Aristotle. Consequently, I almost fell over when I saw The Great Ideas Today. I mean, look, here’s the volume I’m reading now: 1963, Does The Conquest of Space Increase Man’s Stature? Not, is it good to spend money on space exploration? Not, what will we find out there? But, what will the conquest of space do to the noble animal? And what does this mean in terms of the book? Well you get Aldous Huxley and Paul Tillich, amongst others, essaying on it. You get the classical-minded editors writing an essay on The Tempo of History, the speeding up of the world. Plus, an essay on Saul Bellow and an unabridged Death of Venice by Thomas Mann. Aldous Huxley and Paul Tillich on the Space Race? Yes! And it annoys them in interesting ways I can’t immediately argue with? Yes!

The other two volumes discuss Heroism and Tradition. I’m in heaven. If you ever see these volumes lying around at a used book sale, put them in a slimy grocery bag and take them home. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.

Bonus link: In looking for information that would help me pretend I know what I’m talking about I found Mortimer Adler’s Favorite Books. Cool.

By Ian Stewart | Posted in Finding Books | Comments (7)

Four Loves, Tattoos and Tinned Meat

November 19, 2007 – 12:04 pm

So in an effort to be even more divisive (as well as possibly ridiculous and/or ignorant and/or quixotic—take your pick!) I will now record my progress through C.S. Lewis’ Four Loves. It’s been on my shelf for a while. Now seems, to me, a perfect time to read it. Don’t you think? It’s like, just my whole modus operandi, isn’t it?

But first travel back in time with me to the day I bought it and the events leading up to it, mainly who I was hanging out with. A friend of mine was working out, building up muscle mass, particularly on his biceps in preparation for receiving a tattoo. Of course, the bizarre swirl of events whirling around me that I call life being what it is, his tattoo was going to be a stack of his favorite books down his arm. I’m not a fan of tattoos generally, but it’s kind of a neat concept. Permanently scarring my flesh in the name of books that changed my life might not be for me—I’m somewhat embarrassed now of my over-enthusiasm for Generation X—but the idea is good.

Anyway, Four Loves, I’m sure you’ve guessed, was one of the books. How am I not supposed to buy a book that makes the tattoo list? So buy it I did. That was about four years ago. I don’t think my friend ever did get that tattoo. And me, obviously, I never read the book. Until now. Sort of.

I have the flu and I’m overworked (secret projects!)—but Lewis, you cost me a reader! And in my usual embarrassing manner I’m probably going to lose more. That is to say, I’m not liking it. More accurately, I don’t like the first chapter. It’s all I’ve managed to read. Like I said, embarrassing. There’s more to come I think, and I’m sure I’ll warm up to it, but if you like Lewis you might want to look away.

I’ll leave you with this telling quote from the always interesting Elliot in the comments on Lewis vs. Chesterton:

…the formal apologetics of both sometimes bring out the agnostic/atheist in me because they can be so… I dunno what the right word is. Bombastic? Over-reaching? Like, they seem to imply that if you want to think correctly you’ve got to take their particular extensive systematic theology on board, and it includes a dislike for tinned meats, pacifism, vegetarians, feminism and modernist poetry, which are all signs of creeping heresy.

Hey, I like over-reaching! But I think Elliot is getting close to what it is that bothers me, essentially, with Lewis. Time will tell.

By Ian Stewart | Posted in Ideas About Reading | Comments (2)