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Philly Cheesesteak, Photo by Mikey Il

Philadelphia may be the City of Brotherly Love, but when it comes to its signature sandwiches, the hoagie and cheesesteak, it’s more like a Civil War battleground.

In honor of National Columnist Day on June 23, take a look back at these writers, poets, playwrights, and philosophers who got their start in journalism. Many of these men also sported fantastic facial hair. Coincidence? Yes.

At 22 years old, newly married with abandoned plans to create a Utopia in the Pennsylvania wilderness, English poet and philosopher Samuel Taylor Coleridge (1772-1834) created a journal called The Watchman, published every eight days to avoid the weekly newspaper tax (smart!).

The journal’s first issue was published in March of 1796 and ceased publication by May of the same year (okay, maybe not so smart). Coleridge’s journal contained essays, poems, news stories, reports on Parliamentary debates, and book reviews. Coleridge soon grew to detest his wife Sara Fricker, but at least their marriage lasted longer than The Watchman. The two were separated in 1808.

I can hardly believe that my first “baby,” Campfire Cuisine, turned seven years old on May 1. And like any parent, I can’t help but wonder where the time has gone. But the coolest part is that to celebrate the occasion, Quirk Books released a new, upgraded, updated, spiffed up edition of the book. I couldn’t ask for a better birthday present.

Here are a few highlights from the Spring Craft-a-thon!

If you’re tired of reading black ink on a white page, or black pixels on a white screen, take a break and watch one of Quirk’s recommended movies for book lovers. We all need a break sometimes, but a break doesn’t mean you have to abandon your precious books.

DEAD POETS SOCIETY (1989): A film for those who appreciate the power of poetry. An inspirational movie about one man’s attempt to teach his students about the value of literature. Make sure some tissue is nearby.

MATILDA (1996): A film for library fanatics. Our protagonist, Matilda, escapes her troublesome life at home by exploring the world of books through her local library. It is this passion for stories that gives Matilda the courage to stand up to those who don’t treat her (or her school teacher) with the respect and care that she deserves.

SECRET WINDOW (2004): A film for the horror fan. The protagonist, played by Johnny Depp, goes into a spiral of insanity when his written stories become a little too life-like. A creepy thriller about one of the scariest of topics: writing a novel.

CAPOTE (2005): A film for the true crime connoisseur. Truman Capote’s research about a Kansas murder is given new life in this movie adaptation. The writer gets a little too involved with his work, developing an odd friendship with one the killers who is meant to be a character in his book.

MISS POTTER (2006): A film for lovers of children’s literature. This movie tells the behind-the-scenes story of Miss Potter’s struggle to have her book published in an industry largely dominated by men.

MIDNIGHT IN PARIS (2011): A film for fans of the modernist writers. The main character, played by Owen Wilson, travels back in time to hang out with the likes of Ernest Hemingway, F. Scott Fitzgerald, and Gertrude Stein during the glorious time in the 1920s when expatriate American writers inhabited Paris.

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Maria Vicente is a literary agent intern living in Ottawa, Canada. She likes coffee, books, snail mail, and magic. You can find her on Twitter (@MsMariaVicente) or check out her website (mariavicente.com)

(Image via Flickr)

Forget love: doughnuts are the international language. And they should be celebrated! Though a holiday like “National Doughnut Day” generally implies we should only care about American ones, when it comes to doughnuts, it’s all about spreading the love far and wide. And in turn, everyone else should also share their doughnuts with us on this, our joyous holiday. It’s only fair. If you went on a doughnut expedition (or pilgrimage, depending on your feelings) around the world, what would you see and eat? Here are some of the doughy morsels you shouldn’t miss.

The Good ol’ USA: Since the National Doughnut Day thing started in the USA, we should start our tour there! Head into grocery stores or actual doughnut shops to taste the wonderful fried dough in varying shapes, sizes and flavors. I personally like plain hole-in-the-middle doughnuts with plain glaze, but maybe you’re the type that doesn’t want holes in their pastries and prefers them to be creme-filled.

Or maybe you like bite-sized and powdered. Heck, maybe you want them chocolate-flavored with extra chocolate icing and sprinkles. Whatever your preference is, you’ll find it somewhere. And you must, because, as Krispy Kreme says, you (the consumer) are “the center of the doughnut.” You fill in that void. (d’aww) Feeling extra adventurous? Try a Luther Burger (that’s a burger with doughnuts for buns, for the uninitatied and hungry).