Making History Accessible

Link to August 11 JSOnline article, "Historical Society publishes non-traditional Wisconsin textbook".

Excerpt:

More than 220 classroom sets of the new "Wisconsin: Our State, Our Story" fourth-grade state history textbook have been purchased by districts around the state, including several in the Milwaukee area, and some of the accompanying guides haven't even finished printing yet.

Those involved expect that as other districts come due for textbook adoption in the coming years, the book from the Wisconsin Historical Society will become the pre-eminent state history guide for elementary students.

"From a fourth-grade teacher's perspective, this is the best textbook we've ever had," said John Hallagan, a teacher at Magee Elementary in Genesee Depot.

The reason? It teaches content - good stories, people, places, maps, facts - and encourages critical thinking.

"That's a significant improvement over how history is usually taught," said Hallagan, who criticizes the method of teaching that relies on having kids memorize dates and sequence facts.

And It'll Fit Better on Your Library Shelves

Rolling Stone, issue #1

Link to August 10 New York Times article, "The Classic Rock Magazine Is Switching to a Smaller, Rack-Friendly Size".

Excerpt:

Some packages like the curvaceous old Coke bottle become so iconic that they are recognizable at 30 paces. So it is with Rolling Stone, whose large format has stood out on magazine racks for more than three decades. It won’t for much longer, however. With the Oct. 30 issue, which will go on sale Oct. 17, Rolling Stone, published by Wenner Media, will adopt the standard size used by all but a few magazines.

In an interview in his office, Jann Wenner. founder, publisher, editor and general guiding force behind the nation’s biggest music magazine, was characteristically brash about the change. Leaning back in his chair, one leg slung over the side of it, he said, “All you’re getting from that large size is nostalgia.”

But as he knows well, nostalgia is a powerful marketing force, as is a package that instantly evokes not only the product, but an era. It is tempting to apply that logic to a 41-year-old magazine that seems to put as many pensioners as teenagers on its cover, but Rolling Stone’s readership, bigger than it has ever been, has a surprisingly young median age, in the early 30s, according to market research firms.

2008 Hugo Award Winners Announced

Link. The Hugo Awards are given for excellence in the field of science fiction and fantasy

Best Novel: The Yiddish Policemen’s Union by Michael Chabon (HarperCollins; Fourth Estate)

Best Novella: “All Seated on the Ground” by Connie Willis (Asimov’s Dec. 2007; Subterranean Press)

Best Novelette: “The Merchant and the Alchemist’s Gate” by Ted Chiang (Subterranean Press; F&SF Sept. 2007)

Best Short Story: “Tideline” by Elizabeth Bear (Asimov’s June 2007)

Best Related Book: Brave New Words: The Oxford Dictionary of Science Fiction by Jeff Prucher (Oxford University Press)

Best Dramatic Presentation, Long Form: Stardust, written by Jane Goldman and Matthew Vaughn, based on the novel by Neil Gaiman, illustrated by Charles Vess Directed by Matthew Vaughn (Paramount Pictures)

Best Dramatic Presentation, Short Form: Doctor Who “Blink”, written by Steven Moffat, directed by Hettie Macdonald (BBC)

Best Editor, Long Form: David G. Hartwell

Best Editor, Short Form: Gordon Van Gelder

Best Professional Artist: Stephan Martiniere

Best Semiprozine: Locus

Best Fanzine: File 770

Best Fan Writer: John Scalzi

Best Fan Artist: Brad Foster