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‘Africa Is My Home’: Captivating Look at a Captivating Woman

JULES considers 'AFRICA IS MY HOME,' the fictionalized story of a real-life child named Margru, taken from her home by slave traders in West Africa, and brought to the U.S. on the Armistad.
by David McGee
 

 
 
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‘Mission’ Possible: Cecilia Bartoli Rules the Classical Roost

With Mission, her acclaimed new album of Agostino Steffani songs, CECILIA BARTOLI is not only getting the best reviews of her distinguished career, but says she is 'going against the typical cliche of a diva, of being beautiful...
by David McGee
 

 

 
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‘A Man to Evoke Respect and Love Under All Conditions’

From his 1899 book FAMOUS VIOLINISTS OF TO-DAY AND YESTERDAY, HENRY C. LAHEE offers a balanced profile of Norway's violin virtuoso OLE BULL, replete with musical excerpts.
by David McGee
 

 
 
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Helping Animals That Can’t Help Themselves

JULIE CASTLE, accidental employee turned CEO of Best Friends Animal Society, is spearheading a national movement to to persuade animal shelters to become no-kill by 2025. DUNCAN STRAUSS has the inside story.
by David McGee
 

 

 
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Featuring Frank Morrison

Illustrator FRANK MORRISON catches JULES's attention this month with his work in PAT ZEITLOW MILLER's THE QUICKEST KID IN CLARKSVILLE, in which Olympic great WILMA RUDOLPH makes a cameo and the story makes a point.
by David McGee
 

 
 
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Ho-Ho-Ho, Who Wouldn’t Go?

IVY FORD offers a delightful holiday treat in HAPPY HOLIDAYS 2020, her EP featuring five tasty Christmas carols and songs, available as a free download at her website. To say the price is right is to be guilty of understatement.
by David McGee
 

 

 
Jo Stafford Happy Holidays

Jo: The Singular, Special Yuletide Gift

An appreciation of JO STAFFORD's holiday magnificence--the gift that keeps on giving.
by David McGee
 

 
 
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GMO Labeling: Just Give Us Some Truth

ON Nov. 6 California voters rejected Prop 37, an initiative that would have required food manufacturers to label most foods containing GMOs (Genetically Modified Organisms), but that has not deterred the pro-Prop 37 movement. A...
by David McGee
 

 

 
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Celebrating the Stanford Centenary

A century after his passing, CHARLES VILLIERS STANFORD gets a grand celebration.
by David McGee
 

 
 
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The Paw Project Scratches Out Ways To Educate About Declawing—And To Halt It

DR. JENNIFER CONRAD, a veterinarian, has founded THE PAW PROJECT to educate the public about the dangers of declawing cats, and then to halt the odious practice in its tracks. An exclusive interview by DUNCAN STRAUSS.
by David McGee
 

 

 
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Marianne Dubuc and the Art of Silence

In her new book The Lion and The Bird, author-illustrator MARIANNE DUBUC invites young readers into her tale by means of 'interrupted silence, not rushing the story, letting it breathe.' JULES explains further.
by David McGee
 

 
 
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A Day With Robert Schumann

IN this month's PLEASURES OF MUSIC, an 1884 report by May Byron on A DAY WITH ROBERT SCHUMANN. In this account, the author chronicles a day spent with the arch-Romantic composer, which includes some vivid scenes with Schumann's...
by David McGee