This week, we feature a quick-fix grammar guide, children’s stories to warm the heart, and a timely analysis of America’s current predicament.
Fiction
A Silly Satire on the British Navy
‘Mr. Midshipman Easy’ 
By Captain Frederick Marryat
In this 19th-century novel, the realities of the life of a British sailor hits a young aristocratic officer hard in this rollicking good read. Silly, yet serious at the same time, the amazing events in Marryat’s tome teaches hard lessons in a most delightful fashion.
CreateSpace, 2016, 220 pages Whimsical Essays on the Home
‘The Province of the Heart’
By Phyllis McGinley
Perhaps best remembered as a master of light verse, Phyllis McGinley’s essays are just as noteworthy. All her writings—polished to a shine—valued the home, the traditional family, and the institution of marriage. McGinley’s technical proficiency with the written word demonstrates a knack for irony and satire and, above all, that she was having a blast. If you start with this collection of essays, you may then want to delve into her poetry and children’s books. You’ll see how they became bestsellers….