graphic of header for ecommunication food for thought

ISSN:1544-8312		Autumn 2017
Judy Vorfeld, Publisher		Issue 100

Judy's Corner

What have you been reading? One book that recently captured me was Rain of Gold by Victor Villasenor. Trying to describe it is almost futile, because it either reaches the depth of your being or it doesn't. Oh, what I learned from this gifted man.

Amazon.com says, "Born in the barrio of Carlsbad, California in 1940, Victor Villasenor was raised on a ranch four miles north in Oceanside. Since his parents were born in Mexico, Villasenor spoke only Spanish when he started school. After years of facing language and cultural barriers, heavy discrimination and a reading problem, later diagnosed as dyslexia, Victor dropped out of high school his junior year and moved to Mexico. There he discovered a wealth of Mexican art, literature, music, that helped him recapture and understand the dignity and richness of his heritage." It's a wild ride. And you will be rewarded with totally new respect for - and perceptions of - a beautiful, vibrant culture.

For suspense and excitement I enjoy reading Michael Connelly, Ken Follett, John Lescroart, PD James, Lee Child, David Baldacci, John LeCarre, Craig Thomas, John Sandford, and Mark Dawson. There are many other excellent storytellers. I thoroughly enjoyed the work of Elizabeth George's Inspector Lynley series. And there's Patrick O'Brian, whose Aubrey-Maturin series is a delight beyond description. I forgot to mention Malcolm Gladwell and Seth Godin. This is just the tip of my reading iceberg.

What are some of your favorite books? Who are some of your favorite authors?

Grammar Tip - People who or People that?

Do you find it difficult to know when to use "who" vs. "that"? These two words are relative pronouns that tie together groups of words to nouns or other pronouns. Let's take this sentence: "The runner who exercises regularly usually does the best."

"Who" connects the subject, runner, to the verb "exercises."

Many people will say "The runner that exercises usually does the best."

Here's the thing: "who" (and its forms) refers to people. "That" usually refers to things, but it can refer to people in a general sense (like a class or type of person: see "runner."). Purdue Online Writing Lab says, "When referring to people, both that and who can be used in informal language. 'That' may be used to refer to the characteristics or abilities of an individual or a group of people. However, when speaking about a particular person in formal language, who is preferred."

That said, many people and some respected references prefer "people that," and it's not wrong. Think Chaucer. Shakespeare. Dickens. Bottom line: be consistent.

Midwives chronicle: the heritage blog of the Royal College of Midwives dates back to 1881, and continues to work "to enhance the confidence, professional practice and influence of midwives for the benefit of child-bearing women and their families, nationally and internationally."

HISTORY

Open Yale courses: the American Revolution with Joanne B. Freeman: YouTube education with captioning

Book Banning: the Comstock Act in Philadelphia

Launched in 1903 and still in publication, The Burlington Magazine is the longest running academic art journal in the English language.

First World War Digital Poetry Archive: University of Oxford

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