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Alex Himebaugh

Associate Editor Alex Himebaugh is Liberty Island’s Generation Z Editor, tasked with finding and developing her generation’s rising literary stars. In addition to growing a team of under-30 authors, she also reviews books by authors of all ages in such genres as realistic fiction, romance, science fiction, and young adult. Some of her favorite authors are Jane Austen, C.S. Lewis, J.K. Rowling, Madeleine L’Engle, and Orson Scott Card.

David Copperfield and the Timelessness of the Classics

I finished reading Dickens’ classic, David Copperfield, for the first time and was struck by its ideas of gender equality, especially in regards to marriage. It surprised me to see Dickens’ respect towards women and the criticism of an unequal marriage in a book written in 1850. But maybe it shouldn’t have. Equality isn’t a new idea; it’s a timeless truth. The classics are considered great because of the truths they hold, so it makes sense to find true ideas, even the idea of equality, in them. Because of this, we should listen to the classics instead assuming we know better than them.

A Gen-Z Perspective on Generations: The History of America’s Future, 1584 to 2069

I recently read Generations: The History of America’s Future, 1584 to 2069, and it got me thinking about how the book’s ideas apply to the present day. The authors, William Strauss and Neil Howe, theorize that a generational cycle occurs every 4 generations, with each generation having its own distinct archetype.

Movie Review: In The Heights Chases Nostalgia

In the Heights, the musical by Hamilton’s Lin Manuel Miranda, is bringing people back to the movie theater after the covid slump with its exciting music and dancing. If you haven’t already, I would suggest you join the fun and go see the movie. Do so before reading this review as it does contain spoilers.

Literature’s Role in Fighting Gen Z’s Loneliness

Depression is growing in Generation Z. The Journal of Abnormal Psychology found that depression rates of 12-17 year-olds increased from 8.7% to 13.2% between 2009 and 2017. One factor causing this is the teen’s tendency to replace in-person interactions with virtual ones, a habit only escalated by the pandemic. This replacement falls short of face-to-face interactions since people tend to be less transparent, especially on social media, going no deeper than the surface.

A Welcome to Generation Z’s Rising Writers

My name is Alex Himebaugh, and I am the Gen Z editor for Liberty Island. I am looking for books written by and geared towards the rising generation. I prefer realistic fiction, science fiction, urban fantasy, and romance although I am open to any genre as long as it’s a good story.