Senior Citizens Day: Nobody Thinks Their Life Is Interesting
August 31, 2026
I have interviewed a great many people past retirement for books. Almost all of them apologized for not being interesting enough. They were wrong every single time.
Tag: August
Writing and book holidays observed in August, as summer winds down. Every literary celebration, author day, and reading observance falling in August, each marked with an essay.
AugustFrankenstein Day: The Monster Was Never the Villain
June 14, 2026
Mary Shelley wrote Frankenstein at 18 and published it in 1818, often called the first real science fiction. The deepest thing about it: the monster was never the villain. A look at sympathy, creation, and responsibility.
AugustWorld Photography Day: 980,000 Pictures and Counting
June 14, 2026
World Photography Day marks the 1839 gift of the daguerreotype to the world. With 980,000 pictures and counting, a photographer-writer reflects on what the camera's eye brings to the page.
AugustRay Bradbury Day: The Illustrated Man Got Me for Life
June 14, 2026
Bradbury wrote Fahrenheit 451, The Martian Chronicles, and The Illustrated Man, the book that hooked me for life. On his birthday, a look at the lyrical, humane science fiction that took hold of me and never let go.
AugustNational Cinema Day
June 14, 2026
National Cinema Day is a Saturday in late August with a few-dollar tickets nationwide. What the day is, why theaters created it, and how to make the most of it.
AugustNational Book Lovers Day: August 9th
February 14, 2026
Every year on August 9th, book lovers celebrate the written word. Here's why this day matters, ten must-read books, and a nod to the writers behind the scenes.
AugustBad Poetry Day: Why Writing Terrible Verse Makes You a Better Writer
February 12, 2026
August 18 is Bad Poetry Day. Why writing badly on purpose is one of the best exercises a writer can do. Vogons welcome.
AugustNational Coloring Book Day: A Publisher’s Perspective on the Art Form
February 11, 2026
A publisher of 20 coloring books on what makes them work, why adults need them, and how real dancers became line art.