Short Nonfiction Collection, Vol. 049

Sixteen short nonfiction works in the public domain, independently chosen by the readers. Topics include science and natural history–carnivorous plants, tadpoles, tent caterpillars, flights of birds, horse training, dogs, children’s sign language, trees in winter, and night noises in the woods; philosophy–Roger Bacon and Nicholas of Cusa; satire and literary criticism–the movies as “stupies,” bustles, and facetious plots for short stories by Dorothy Parker; also an appraisal of Conrad Aiken’s poetry, and an intimate look at Abraham Lincoln’s early life in Illinois. (Summary by Sue Anderson)