The Power Of Good Reading

Plus: a guide to the GOP's impeachment strategy ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  [View in Browser]( | [Donate [WBUR]]( [WBUR](  [WBUR]( December 1, 2019 Dear Cog readers, In addition to sharp essays about [impeachment]( and talking politics over turkey this week, we’re featuring a piece by our long-time colleague Bill Littlefield, who for 25 years was the voice of “Only A Game,” NPR’s sports show (that actually has less to do with sports and everything to do with the human condition). Littlefield retired from WBUR in 2018, at 70 years old. These days he spends some of his time in a classroom at Bunker Hill Community College, teaching literature to men on parole. Those who complete the class are eligible for a reduction in their probation time. They also have the chance to talk about stories and poems with the people they once knew only as representatives of the state – judges and probation officers. WBUR's Deborah Becker first reported on this program, known as “[Changing Lives Through Literature]( a few years ago -- but it started way back in 1991, and has since been replicated in more than a dozen states. Bill’s written about his experience [teaching prisoners]( for us before: “I thought working directly with people who were incarcerated would be a way to live my politics.” It seems to us an appropriate way to mark the official start to the season of giving. We hope you had a happy and peaceful Thanksgiving. — Cloe Axelson Cognoscenti co-editor newsletters@wbur.org Must Reads url[For Jailed Parolees In Mass., A Program That Gives Time Off For Good Reading]( Our long-time colleague, Bill Littlefield, now teaches a literature class to men on parole. In a classroom at Bunker Hill Community College, the men share as equals their reactions to poems and stories with probation officers and judges -- folks they’ve previously known only as representatives of the state.   #%23%23[Twitter](  #%23%23[Facebook](    [Surprise! Research Says You Shouldn't Shy Away From Politics At Thanksgiving Dinner]( By overestimating how unpleasant it will be to engage with those we disagree with, writes Timothy Phillips, we wind up tuning out the other side altogether. [Heavy On Indignation, Light On Facts: A Guide To The GOP's Impeachment Strategy]( After the impeachment hearings, we know two things for certain, writes Steve Almond: Donald Trump pressured a foreign leader for his own political gain. And, the GOP has no intention of holding him accountable.  Support the news [How Thanksgiving Became More To Me Than Just Another Thursday]( Aine Greaney came to the U.S. from her native Ireland in 1987. Back then, Thanksgiving, like America, felt foreign. But now -- three decades later -- she believes her adopted home and holiday have given her lessons about kindness. Bookmarks "A party that was more than happy to impeach a president for lying about a sexual affair has refused to cast even a single vote in favor of an inquiry into whether to impeach a president who, by the credible accounts of his own appointees, has undermined national security for political advantage." (“[Why President Trump’s Ukraine Scheme Matters]( The New York Times) "Stop! Don’t send that email. Don’t offer thanks or send a jokey message. If you do, you will add to your carbon footprint. Be rude, say nothing – and save the planet." ("[Pointless Emails: They’re Not Just Irritating – They Have A Massive Carbon Footprint]( The Guardian) "He personifies the decade in US politics: [Anthony] Weiner began the 2010s with roaring hope and ended it in total defeat. His scandal is unquestionably funny — until you question it, then recognize how much personal tragedy undergirds the whole thing." ("[The Most Important Politician Of The 2010s]( BuzzFeed News) From the Archives [Letter To The Man In The White Postal Truck]( In an ever-changing Downtown Crossing, writer Mary Rae found one constant: A postal worker named Harvey whose notes and demeanor brightened her days.      If you’d like to write for Cognoscenti, send your submission, pasted into your email and not as an attachment, to opinion@wbur.org. Please tell us in one line what the piece is about, and please tell us in one line who you are. 😎 Forward to a friend. They can sign up [here](. 📣 Give us your feedback: newsletters@wbur.org 📨 Get more WBUR stories sent to your inbox. [Check out all of our newsletter offerings.]( Support the news [WBUR]( [WBUR]  [WBUR]( [95289b97-66e8-43d4-a174-3bc3520a79a9.png]( [Instagram](  [Twitter]( [Facebook]( Want to change how you receive these emails? [Stop getting this newsletter by updating your preferences.]( I don't want to hear from WBUR anymore. [Unsubscribe from all newsletters.]( Interested in learning more about corporate sponsorship? [Click here.]( Copyright © 2019 WBUR-FM, All rights reserved. You signed up for this newsletter at wbur.org. Our mailing address is: WBUR-FM 890 Commonwealth AveBoston, MA 02215-1205 [Add us to your address book](