by Jamie Chavez | Apr 2, 2018 | Books You Might Like
Why, yes—I am still “reading light.” Or lite. As you wish. This seems to include a lot of romance—though don’t make assumptions when you read that word. Romance is a wide, wide category. And a popular one. So popular, in fact, that the Washington Post devotes a...
by Jamie Chavez | Mar 26, 2018 | Words & Language
A friend of mine wrote: I’ve never been able to decide for certain whether it’s “April Fool’s Day” (i.e., a day belonging to a fool or fools) or “April Fools Day” (i.e., a day celebrating all the fools in the world).* What’s your opinion? I confess I’d never really...
by Jamie Chavez | Jun 16, 2017 | Books You Might Like
The high spirits of Renaissance Italy spilled over into other European lands, though the waves set off by so much gaiety sometimes landed elsewhere with a shock and might even be received with contempt. The Renaissance, as it appeared elsewhere, could at times look...
by Jamie Chavez | Jun 5, 2017 | Words & Language
I am more sensitive than most to how many differences there are in the way native English speakers from different regions or countries wield the language. Some years ago in a lengthy conversation with a European friend—some of which had to do with how differently we...
by Jamie Chavez | May 19, 2017 | Books You Might Like
‘Done!’ said my lady. ‘Oh, Rupert! I lost my big emerald at play last week! I could have cried my eyes out, and Edward could only say that it must be a lesson to me!’ ‘That’s Edward all over,’ nodded Rupert. ‘Don’t I know it!’ ‘No, you do not, tiresome boy! He will...