Books


Calling All Bibliophiles: New PVD book festival arrives in Downcity

From seasoned authors to aspiring writers to book-lovers young and old, hundreds are expected to celebrate the inaugural year of the Providence Book Festival being held April 26 and 27. With the aim of connecting readers with writers, more than 75 authors will be available to share their expertise. The event kicks off Friday, April 26, […]

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Cannabis Books: A Very Short, Opinionated List

I emphasize history, politics and personal experience. Books on science and pharmacology grow quickly out of date. I don’t know anything about horticulture. Science and Medicine • The Health Effects of Cannabis and Cannabinoids: The Current State of Evidence and Recommendations for Research by the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine. 486 pages, 2017. […]

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Loki Ragnarok

Rhode Island’s Mark Binder was named a finalist for the 2019 Audie Awards for Best Original Work for his audiobook titled Loki Ragnarok. This 77-minute audiobook is based on Norse mythology and weaves a tale of Viking Armageddon from the titular character’s point of view. Listeners might come away from the experience with a greater understanding of violence and […]

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The Music Never Stops: The Grateful Dead’s 100 Essential Songs is Deadhead essential reading

“What was I thinking?” The first words out of my mouth after offering to review this hot-off-the-press book –The Grateful Dead’s 100 Essential Songs: The Music Never Stops. With limited knowledge and listening experience of the band to ride on (there are only two Dead songs I know – “Truckin” and “Friend of the Devil”), […]

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Book Review: Mary Ann Mayer’s Kissing the Shuttle, A Lyric History

  Rhode Island has a long and rich history, dating back to well before Roger Williams befriended Canonicus and was given the land that eventually became Providence (and before the native’s land was taken by settlers). Like most of America, not all of this history is positive; some of it is downright difficult to digest. While […]

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An Escape: Books through Bars provides inmates with the magic of stories

Providence Books through Bars is a 15-year-old organization that provides reading material to inmates throughout the country. It is a small operation in the South Side that helps to fuel big dreams. I recently spoke with Tara Emsley, president of Providence Books through Bars, about the organization. Emily Olson: How does Books through Bars work? […]

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