Winding Up the Week #473

An end of week recap “A great book is in effect a view of the universe, complete for the time being. You must get inside it to look out upon the old familiar world with the author’s unfamiliar eyes.” – Jacques Barzun Today is Anne and Samantha Day, when we can celebrate the lives of Anne Frank and Samantha Smith, two young girls whose voices continue to resonate. For those in the Northern Hemisphere, as the solstice tips us into the long light of summer on Sunday, may your days be bright, your reading plentiful and your shelves a source of enduring fulfilment – and for friends in the Southern Hemisphere, I hope the turning season bring its own calm, cosy delights. It is also Audiobook Appreciation Month, an annual celebration devoted to the enjoyment of – and engagement with – recordings of books read aloud. We have a weekend of big bookish birthdays ahead. On Saturday, we can raise a glass to Polish poet and author Aleksander Fredro (1793), American novelist, poet and essayist…