Culture

The passing of two song-writing icons

I can’t say I recall hearing the names Nick Ashford or Jerry Leiber before seeing their respective obituaries this week, but I certainly recognized many of the songs they independently wrote. Working his co-composer and then wife, Valerie Simpson, Ashford’s songs include Ain’t No Mountain High Enough, Your Precious Love,…

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Dickens Bicentenary in 2012

On Facebook, I received a notice about the people at Penguin Books saying they are re-reading all of Charles Dickens’ books in anticipation of the 200th anniversary of his birth next year. 2012 also marks an anniversary of Dickens’ visit to Lowell, which he wrote about in “American Notes.” UMass Lowell,…

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