As I see it, there are two schools of thought on whether I, as an author, should write negative reviews of other authors’ books: I shouldn’t write negative reviews, because every time I do, I’m burning potential bridges. I should absolutely write negative reviews, because people love to read mean-girl takedowns. But of course both of those schools of thought are incorrect. The correct answer is that I shouldn’t waste my time on book reviews at all, because nobody actually reads books, and even fewer people read book reviews, and if I want people to actually read this blog, I should just fill it with a bunch of culture war bullshit.

The Keepthings By Deborah Way What memento would you keep after the death of someone you love? These are the stories of lost loved ones, inspired by the things they left behind. A new story published every week, plus occasional subscriber-only bonus content. ncG1vNJzZmirpZfAta3CpGWcp51kjaWxwaipmqCnlsY%3D

by Adele Uphaus MANAGING EDITOR AND CORRESPONDENT Last weekend’s SkyTree book fair at Riverbend High School in Spotsylvania County raises several questions - among them, who sponsored the event and where will the proceeds from the book sales go. SkyTree is a new organization, with an application for nonprofit status pending with the IRS, that describes itself on its website as “a school-choice alternative to the sexually explicit content distributed in Scholastic’s book fairs.

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"Dirty Dancing" may just be one of the most seminal garbage movies ever. But, garbage it is. Somehow I missed seeing this film, a smash success when it came out in August 1987. The omission is perhaps not surprising: I had just gone off to college, and it looked to be a sappy romance dressed up against the backdrop of dancing, something in which I have never had an iota of ability or interest.