Language, Liberty & the Weight of America’s 250th Anniversary
Shortly after Planet Word opened, I told our programming staff that we needed to begin thinking about how we would observe special, word-related occasions. Well, the biggest one of all…
On the Coarsening of Public Discourse
I spent a couple weeks trying to draft one of my Messages from the Founder about students not reading whole texts in school (or out of school for that matter)…
The State of Literacy in the Digital Age
Five years ago, Planet Word opened its doors with a bold mission: to spark a love of words, language, and reading in people of all ages — at a time…
Writer’s Block
Wasn’t it fortunate and timely, I thought, that just when words started to be the news — as opposed to simply being used to record and report the news —…
English as Our Official Language — Symbolic or Significant?: Q&A with Dr. Bill Rivers
On March 1, 2025, President Trump issued an executive order designating English — and only English — as the official language of the United States. The move has sparked both…
Words Under Threat
My instinctive reaction to the broad, undifferentiated cuts to federal departments and programs was skepticism and distress. Would the cuts affect the cleanliness of our air and water, the safety…