Demystifying the Writing Process

Author Gustave Flaubert became known for flinging open the shutters and reading his prose aloud to busy streets, desperate to hear his words to get a glimpse of what they sound like on the page. Boisterously reading sections of his latest book, Flaubert anxiously sought clarity and precision in his writing, welcoming criticism and the search for "le mot juste," or the perfect word. He wanted his thoughts and words to share one meaning.

Researching first ladies

Michelle Obama may be the first African-American first lady, but in other respects she's not that different from her predecessors, says Professor of Political Science Kathy Smith, who studies first ladies. "Michelle Obama offers continuity to the past with her traditional interpretation of the first lady role," says Smith, the author of a chapter on Rosalynn Carter in the book "American First Ladies" and co-author of two books on the American presidency.

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