In The Anatomy Lesson, a book-length essay published in 1978, the Yugoslavian writer Danilo Kiš divided the short story into two eras: "pre-Borges and post-Borges".
They'd talk about the art of the book, as opposed to the lessons a book could teach".
First lesson: bring a book.
What kind of lesson does a book offer when its invertebrate hero can't even grow a spine?
She criticizes Matt Cibula and Brian Strassburg's "What's Up with You, Taquandra Fu? (Zino; $16.95)," about an unpopular nonconformist young girl, for being more of a psychology lesson than a book.
Many of us did not have to learn this lesson from a book.
Give a gift certificate for a golf lesson, with a book on the best public courses to play (and encourage your golfing buddy to join the USGA Walking Member Program).
What if your kid is just an average kid who could care less about the alphabet and would rather scream the Sponge Bob Square Pants theme song at the top of his or her lungs rather than enjoy a music lesson or a book?
If you don't like the lesson, take a book out, and pretend to be reading.
There are also posters, charitable donations, a photography lesson, a photo book, and more up for grabs if you're not into getting a deck.
