A Time of Hope

Ever since I started listening to podcasts, "The Moth" has been one of my favorites.  The Moth is a non-profit organization dedicated to the "art and craft of storytelling."  They hold forums where thousands of stories have been told by individuals, live and without notes.  There are stories told that make you laugh, make you tear up, make you think, make you reflect on your life or the experience of others. They entertain.  Being in general a lover of good storytelling the podcast had me hooked from day one.

Their most recent post I found particularly interesting.  Guest Andrew Solomon spoke at the New York Public Library in 2010 at one of The Moth's forums about his experience researching the resurgence of art in Afghanistan after the fall of the Taliban.  I found his story touching, interesting and full of hope.  For those of you who have listened to The Moth before, I hope you enjoy this one as much as you have others, and for those of you who haven't, I hope that this one hooks you just as I was hooked three years ago.  (Click the Link below...)

Andrew Solomon, A Time of Hope

By Leaves We Live

I know its been awhile, but here I am again, hoping to be better at posting more often. 

Today one of my favorite online "personalities" Ze Frank, who I've written about before, posted a link to this article, and I just really felt the need to share it as well. 

If you take a look you'll see it is about a series of a paper sculptures left anonymously in "support of libraries, books, words and ideas" in various libraries, cultural centers, book festivals, etc...  around Scotland.

The sculptures themselves are pretty incredible, and what they are all about is pretty incredible too.  So here is to good storytelling, to the writers that inspire, to the readers who enjoy, and to the anonymous artist for their beautiful work.

Here are a few of my favorites...

"Nothing beats a nice cup of tea (or coffee) and a really good BOOK, except maybe a cake as well"

"a gesture (poetic maybe?)"

"A gift in support of libraries, books, words, ideas..... and all things *magic*"