The Blackfeet were hunters, travelling from place to place on foot. They used implements of stone, wood, or bone, wore clothing made of skins, and lived in tents covered by hides. Dogs, their only tame animals, were used as beasts of burden to carry small packs and drag light loads.

The stories here told come down to us from very ancient times. Grandfathers have told them to their grandchildren, and these again to their grandchildren, and so from mouth to mouth, through many generations, they have reached our time. (Sibella Denton)

• Gutenberg e-text
• Wikipedia - George B. Grinnell
• LibriVox’s Blackfeet Indian Stories Internet Archive page
• Zip file of the entire book (125.0M)

So have you tried our Modern Scholar courses yet? I highly recommend them. These college level courses, presented by a variety of college and university professors, cover all kinds of topics (science, geology, history, literature, religion, art, music and more), and can teach you so much - while your jogging or driving or doing housework!

Three of my favorites are:
1) The Literature of C. S. Lewis, presented by Dr. Timothy Shutt, professor of Liberal Arts at Kenyon College in Gambier, Ohio. The topic is fascinating - especially if you have read (or seen) the Chronicles of Narnia or Lewis’ space trilogy. And Professor Shutt is one of those professors who is intelligent, concise and at times, very, very funny.

2) The People and the Ballot: A History of American Politics, presented by Professor Joshua Kaplan. Election time will be here before you know it. Here is a fascinating view of American politics, delivered by Professor Kaplan, an award winning teacher of political science from the University of Notre Dame. His presentation takes you from ‘The Birth of Political Parties‘ through ‘The Future of the American Party System.’

3) Heavens Above: Constellations and the Sky, presented by James B. Kaler, Professor Emeritus of Astronomy at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. If you graduated from school more than 10 years ago, all the science that you learned is out-dated. And none more so than the science of astronomy. Join Professor Kaler and he brings us all up to date by looking at the stars. Meg

Dark Realms Audio has launched their new horror audiobook line. The initial launch features audiobooks from Richard Laymon, Jack Ketchum, Tim Lebbon, and myself.

You can pre-order the audiobook version of The Rising (9 CDs, approx 10 1/2 hours) from Horror Mall and get it signed at no additional cost. CLICK HERE.

Devil Slayer, the free preview of Scratch, Jack Haringa Must Die!, and now the audiobook of The Rising. This has really been a week full of announcements, hasn’t it?

And there’s another big surprise coming soon:

Some years ago, the editor of an English magazine sent a communication to ‘the hundred greatest men in Great Britain’ asking them this question: ‘If for any reason you were to spend a year absolutely alone, in a prison for instance, and could select from your library three volumes to be taken with you as companions in your period of retirement please to inform us what those three books would be.’ The inquiry was sent to peers of the realm, prominent leaders in politics, judges, authors, manufacturers, merchants, gentlemen of leisure-men who would represent every aspect of successful life. In the answers it was found that ninety-eight of the hundred men named ‘The Bible’ first on the list of the three books to be chosen. (From Book introduction)

• e-text
• Wikipedia - Jesse Lyman Hurlbut
• Wikipedia - Hurlbut’s Story of the Bible
• LibriVox’s Hurlbut’s Story of the Bible Part Five Internet Archive page
• Zip file of the entire book 83.8MB

On Sunday night, HBO aired its new film ‘Recount,’ which delved back into the controversial Florida recount that determined the outcome of America’s 2000 presidential election. Days before the film (watch the trailer here) hit the airwaves, Charlie Rose conducted an interview with Kevin Spacey (actor in the film), Jeffrey Toobin (Senior Legal Analyst at CNN) and David Boies (who argued Bush v. Gore on behalf of Al Gore). In watching the film and interview, my first reaction was to think: yes, it’s been eight long years, but it’s perhaps not been long enough. Perhaps another eight years is what it takes before political trauma can be transformed into pure entertainment. Or maybe it will never quite get there. But that says nothing about the merits of the film or the interview below. If you missed ‘Recount,’ it re-airs tonight on HBO.

National Book Critics Circle:An Evening of Good Reads

The Spring 2008 Good Reads list - the third since the NBCC introduced this alternative to the bestseller list– will be the focus of a panel at Gemini Ink in San Antonio on Friday night. Panelists include author and poet Sandra Cisneros; Steven G. Kellman, NBCC member, author and winner of the 2007 NBCC Balakian citation for excellence in reviewing; San Antonio Current editor Elaine Wolff; Norma Alarcon, editor and publisher of Third Woman Press; and PEN Southwest book award in fiction winner Rod Davis. NBCC member and playwright Gregg Barrios will moderate the event.

The panelists will discuss the NBCC Good Reads 3 list and share with the audience what they are currently reading. Each will recommend a personal favorite book. This NBCC Good Reads panel is co-sponsored by Gemini Ink Literary Center and the San Antonio Current. The event will also include a drawing of books from the NBCC Good Reads 3 list and those selected by the panelists. The event is free and open to the public. Reservations aren’t necessary, but seating is limited. Light refreshments will be served.

Free Audiobook volunteers bring you 16 different recordings of O Solitude! if I must with thee dwell by John Keats. This was the weekly poetry project for the week of May 11th, 2008.

• Bartleby e-text
• Wikipedia - John Keats
• LibriVox’s O Solitude! if I must with thee dwell Internet Archive page
• Zip file of the entire book (9.1MB)