The Notebook

Posts tagged ‘tradition’


Reading Mindfully for the Holiday: Grace Paley’s “The Loudest Voice”

December 22, 2017  |  

Reading Mindfully for the Holiday: Grace Paley’s “The Loudest Voice”

Widely known for her short fiction, award-winning author Grace Paley was also an essayist, novelist, poet and activist. Born in the Bronx to Jewish immigrant parents in 1922, her prose is heavily influenced by “the language of her childhood, a heady blend of Yiddish, Russian and English.”

In 1978, Paley told The New York Times that she considered her work “a history of everyday life.”Paley’s short story “The Loudest Voice” was published in 1959 and follows Shirley Abramowitz, a young Jewish girl who is asked to be the narrator in her school’s Christmas pageant. As you read the story, think about how we decide who “owns” a certain tradition or ritual.

Read More

Reading Mindfully: O. Henry’s “Two Thanksgiving Day Gentlemen”

November 24, 2017  |  

Reading Mindfully: O. Henry’s “Two Thanksgiving Day Gentlemen”

O. Henry is one of the most beloved short story writers in American history. His stories are known for their wit and playfulness, often featuring misunderstandings and surprise endings. Born in North Carolina in 1862, O. Henry later moved to New York, using Manhattan and its societal divisions as fodder for his fiction. Henry is the namesake for the prestigious O. Henry Prize, awarded annually to the most outstanding published short story of the year.

As you read O. Henry’s “Two Thanksgiving Day Gentlemen,” consider why traditions and rituals like Thanksgiving are so important to us.

Read More