The Works and Philosophy of Ayn Rand

By Therese Hair | November 10, 2017 | Comments Off on The Works and Philosophy of Ayn Rand

[fusion_text]Ayn Rand wrote in her most famous work, Atlas Shrugged, “My philosophy, in essence, is the concept of man as a heroic being, with his own happiness as the moral purpose of his life, with productive achievement as his noblest activity, and reason as his only absolute.” This quote aptly defines Rand’s philosophy which she…

Nobel Prize Laureates in Literature.

By Adrienne Raptis | October 10, 2017 | Comments Off on Nobel Prize Laureates in Literature.

  Awarded annually since 1901, The Nobel Prize in Literature is given to any author “in the field of literature the most outstanding work in an ideal direction” (Alfred Nobel). One of five Nobel Prizes established by Alfred Nobel and awarded by the Swedish Academy, laureates of the Nobel Prize in Literature include William Faulkner, Albert Camus, Ernest…

Leo Tolstoy: Russian Literary Icon

By Therese Hair | October 2, 2017 | Comments Off on Leo Tolstoy: Russian Literary Icon

[fusion_text] Leo Tolstoy was a leader in realist fiction in the late nineteenth century and is still considered one of the greatest authors to come out of that era. Born in Russia in 1828, Tolstoy suffered the loss of both his parents at a young age but would later turn those memories into a published…

George Orwell: Journalist and Satirist

By Therese Hair | August 26, 2017 | Comments Off on George Orwell: Journalist and Satirist

[fusion_text] Born Eric Arthur Blair, George Orwell colored the twentieth century with essays, articles, and novels that explore issues of social justice and political awareness. His work turned the thoughts of the public to the lower-class citizen, the plight of the poor and oppressed, and the dangers of a totalitarian system. For decades readers have…

The Works of Winston S. Churchill

By Adrienne Raptis | August 15, 2017 | Comments Off on The Works of Winston S. Churchill

Considered to be one of the most influential figures of the 20th century, British statesman Winston S. Churchill served as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom throughout the Second World War and was one of the most prolific writers to chronicle it.  A non-academic historian, writer and artist, Churchill won the Nobel Prize in…

In The News – Speaking volumes: You’re bound to be drawn to this Worth Avenue antiquarian bookstore

By Adrienne Raptis | August 8, 2017 | Comments Off on In The News – Speaking volumes: You’re bound to be drawn to this Worth Avenue antiquarian bookstore

The following article was recently featured on the front page of The Coastal Star. View the original post on The Coastal Star‘s website here. By Ron Hayes “I was a unique child,” Matthew Raptis remembers. “My parents did not allow me to have video games, so I read books and played outside.” Reading gave Raptis a…

The Literary Lives of Charles and Anne Morrow Lindbergh

By Adrienne Raptis | August 7, 2017 | Comments Off on The Literary Lives of Charles and Anne Morrow Lindbergh

American aviators Charles and Anne Morrow Lindbergh are most recognized for the unprecedented and record-making intercontinental flights they braved in the early 20th century. The life of  adventure and tragedy they shared inspired both Charles and Anne to publish a number of books including detailed autobiographical accounts of their travels and, in their later years, novels…

The Story of Dr. Seuss

By Susan Christiansen | July 31, 2017 | Comments Off on The Story of Dr. Seuss

American children’s author and illustrator Theodore Seuss Geisel produced some of the most popular children’s books of all time under the pen name Dr. Seuss. Although most recognized for his vivid and original drawing style, Geisel’s works also carried a complexity that went beyond the function of entertaining children; many of his works had an…

The Works of Zora Neale Hurston

By Susan Christiansen | July 10, 2017 | Comments Off on The Works of Zora Neale Hurston

Best known for her raw and vivid portrayal of the racial struggles that defined the American south of the early 20th century, African-American novelist Zora Neale Hurston’s work now holds a unique place in the canon of American literature, despite the fact that much of her work went unrecognized during her lifetime. Born one of…

Allen Ginsberg and the Beat Generation.

By Susan Christiansen | May 16, 2017 | Comments Off on Allen Ginsberg and the Beat Generation.

The Post-War American literary movement, the Beat Generation, was born in the “Harlem of the West”, or, the Fillmore District of San Francisco, a rich and diverse arts district where rent was inexpensive and there was no lack of culture; the young, hip and artistic communed at gritty jazz clubs, informal poetry readings, and bohemian…

Women Authors of Young Adult Speculative and Science Fiction – Part I

By Susan Christiansen | February 18, 2017 | Comments Off on Women Authors of Young Adult Speculative and Science Fiction – Part I

Women authors have historically played a significant role in the literary sub-genre of young adult speculative and science fiction. Truly emerging as a genre in the mid 1960’s with the publication of Madeleine L’Engle’s A Wrinkle in Time, the genre has evolved to include such contemporary authors as Suzanne Collins and J.K. Rowling, whose novels…

For Rare Book Lovers, This May Be Coolest New Shop on Worth Avenue

By Adrienne Raptis | December 9, 2016 | Comments Off on For Rare Book Lovers, This May Be Coolest New Shop on Worth Avenue

By Barbara Marshall – Palm Beach Post Staff Writer Posted: 7:00 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 8, 2016 (View the article on mypalmbeachpost.com here) Every day, Matt Raptis holds Western civilization in his hands. He can page through Captain James Cook’s illustrated account of his 18th century journeys to the South Pacific, follow Charles Darwin’s evolutionary reasoning…

The Lives of the Sisters Brontë

By Susan Christiansen | November 30, 2016 | Comments Off on The Lives of the Sisters Brontë

Raised in the mid 19th-century in the parsonage of Haworth in a small village in the countryside of Northern England, Charlotte, Emily and Anne Brontë created what have come to be considered some of the greatest works of literature, despite the isolation and often devastating conditions that defined their short lives. The sisters experienced grief…

Jules Verne’s Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea

By Susan Christiansen | October 25, 2016 | Comments Off on Jules Verne’s Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea

19th century French novelist Jules Verne has often been referred to as the “Father of Science Fiction” as well as a ‘prophet of scientific progress’ for his uncannily predictive depictions of scientific innovations and inventions long before their time. Born the son of a prominent lawyer in the seaport of Nantes, Verne was raised with…

The Life and Works of Alfred Lord Tennyson

By Susan Christiansen | October 3, 2016 | Comments Off on The Life and Works of Alfred Lord Tennyson

Described by T.S. Eliot as “the saddest of all English poets”, Alfred Lord Tennyson is considered, to this day, to be one of Britain’s greatest poets. Heavily influenced by the strictly metered and often melancholic style of the English Romantic poets, Tennyson’s verse illustrated a mastery of rhythm and descriptive imagery drawing on both the…

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