Letters On The Page

 I grew up in a household that subscribed to a daily newspaper.  The Beacon News in Aurora, IL has since been absorbed into the Chicago Tribune, as has most all of the other suburban papers. South Bend, IN's, South Bend Tribune, was sold then resold a few years ago.  There is still a print copy available, but the new owners definitely want subscribers to switch to digital only.  I suspect this means that eventually only people with digital access will have access to daily reporting.  And, the local emphasis will continue to be minimized. Below is a horrifying eulogy for the upcoming death of the newspaper in America.  There is a report that newspapers are closing at a rate of two a week.  Sad.   The daily local newspaper used to be the avenue to information about local, national, and international happenings for any citizen who can read.  What will another 10-20 years bring? I shudder to think about it. https://news.northwestern.edu/stories/2022/06/newspapers-close-decline-in-local

  Bythell, Shaun.   Remainders of the Day: A Bookshop Diary . Godine, 2022.   Remainders of the Day  is the third diary chronicling Bythell’s experiences as a used books bookshop owner and his involvement in the Wigtown, Scotland community.  Bythell’s recordings are from 2016 although his epilogue is post-pandemic.  Remainders  begins in February.  Bythell begins each month with a paragraph or two from R. M. Williamson’s 1904 book  Bits from an Old Bookshop .  He then offers a page or two of reflection on his selection.  These reflections are always interesting. Well, they are interesting to bibliophiles.  Remainders  has all the caustic wit, sharp insights, and plain talk about the impact of the Internet and the behemoth Amazon.com of his previous two diaries.  And, like his previous diaries, he includes the number of online orders, books found for online orders, customers per day and the amount of money earned from book sales.  We get a sense of the flow, or not, of his business.  De

 Pastor Stephens installation at Emmaus Ev. Lutheran Church in South Bend, IN.   A most happy celebration!

The pleasure to be derived from poking about an old books shop is like drinking from a well whose waters are ever bubbling forth pure and cool. Every time one visits the place there is some fresh volume added, some new treasure to be examined, some interesting theme to talk about with the bookseller.    Even if there be no new books, are not the old ones like dear friends ever waiting to be looked at?     There is a delight in just being in the presence of old books; one feels at home in the best society; the smell of the old leather binding is good, the homely honest letterpress is better, but the carrying away in one’s pocket the volume as one’s own is best of all.     (R. M. Williamson,   Bits from an Old Bookshop . John Menzies, Edinburgh, 1904)  Found on page 67 of  Remainders of the Day: A Bookshop Diary  by Shaun Bythell. Boston: Godine, 2022. 

    Carty, Austin. 2022.  The Pastor’s Bookshelf: Why Reading Matters for Ministry . Wm. B. Eerdman’s Publishing.  Austin Carty is a congregational pastor writing to congregational pastors.  Pastor Carty knows first-hand the many different directions a Pastor of any size congregation may be pulled.  So, his argument considers all the reasons, excuses, etc. for not engaging in a discipline of reading that is beyond devotional Bible reading and preparing for sermons and Bible studies.  At the crux of his argument are the words luxury and necessary.  Pastor Carty argues that reading beyond what is required for immediate congregational responsibilities is not a luxury, but a necessity.  However, many Pastors consider such reading a luxury and they never seem to find the time to make it all the way through the book. And, until the Pastor decides that it is not a luxury but a necessity, he will not get far. Pr. Carty opens this book with the story of how difficult it was for him to treat rea