Critic Donovan Hohn profiles the work of nature writer Annie Dillard as he reviews her latest book, The Abundance, a curated anthology of her essays.
Tag Archives: Arts & Entertainment
Meet the agoraphobic globetrotter who uses Street View to ‘travel’ the world
Read about a woman who explores the world with Google Streetview, using the project as an artistic outlet and to raise awareness for agoraphobia.
Was Shakespeare Aware of the Scientific Discoveries of His Time?
While many scholars believe Shakespeare was not aware of scientific advancement in his time, a few propose places in Shakespeare’s plays that give a nod to Copernicus and Galileo.
‘Leaning Into the Wind’ shows that, more than ever, Andy Goldsworthy is one with nature
Thomas Riedelsheimer, director of the film “Rivers and Tides,” has teamed up with artist Andy Goldsworthy for a new documentary called “Leaning Into the Wind.” Read this review to learn more.
Something Wicked This Way Comes
Charles Brockden Brown’s Wieland is considered the first American horror novel. Read what one modern-day reviewer thinks of its twists and turns.
El Sueno: An Americano Project
Tom Kiefer, a former Border Patrol janitor, collected items confiscated from people trying to cross the Mexico-United States border. Look through the photos in the article to see the personal belongings of those who embarked on this dangerous journey.
What a Novel Can Say About the Egyptian Revolution
Find out why fiction works well as a way to explore the still-uncertain outcomes of the 2011 Arab Spring movement.
‘Seven Good Years’ Between The Birth Of A Son, Death Of A Father
In this interview, author Etgar Keret explains how giving ice cream to a crying child showed him the value of living in the moment.
YA Memoirs to Read ASAP
Difficult choices make spellbinding memoirs. Get a sneak peek at 10 recent memoirs that you might want to check out for yourself.
5 Reasons Horror in Children’s Literature Is a Good Thing
How young is too young for a horror story? A parent and book reviewer shares his thoughts.
Louisa May Alcott: Abolitionist, Suffragette, and Mercenary
Although she is best known for writing the childhood classic Little Women, Louisa May Alcott was far more interested in advocating for freedom for all. Learn more about this multifaceted American author.
Can a Video Game Capture the Magic of Walden?
Can a video game inspired by Walden inspire you to “live deliberately”? Read the article and watch the game trailer here to make your own judgement.
Last Men of the Revolution
During the Civil War, when photography was a new medium, a minister and amateur historian raced to capture images of the last surviving veterans of the American Revolution.
Journey to “The Crucible”
In this essay, Arthur Miller describes how he prepared to write his famous play by immersing himself in the world of the Salem witch trials.
How Alaska Natives created an Xbox game to preserve, spread their culture
A local council of Alaska Native groups took a story passed down by generations of the Inupiaq tribe and turned it into a video game. The game has already won several awards and has introduced the culture to a wider audience.
Pop Culture’s Undying Edgar Allan Poe Obsession
There’s no question that Edgar Allan Poe has made a lasting impression on American popular culture. This article uses the release of a movie about a dangerous obsession with Poe to take a look back at the author’s pop culture legacy.
Emily Dickinson’s mystifying in-sight
Imagery of vision and eyes permeates Emily Dickinson’s poetry. In this article, humanities professor and physician Larry Zaroff (with Tony Chan) provides a medical rationale for one of Dickinson’s most powerful metaphors.
About the Brothers Grimm and Fairytales
Once upon a time, fairy tales weren’t for children. They weren’t even written down. Read this history to learn how much fairy tales—even the ones with which we’re most familiar—have changed over time. Be sure to follow the links to older versions of the tales, and find out for yourself!
The “Lottery” Letters
The 1948 publication of Shirley Jackson’s short story “The Lottery” in The New Yorker magazine inspired subscribers to send a record number of letters, nearly all of them negative. Why all the fuss? Book critic and author Ruth Franklin considers these responses and Jackson’s own reaction to them.
An Animated Adventure, Drawn from Life
Persepolis, Marjane Satrapi’s autobiographical graphic novel, became a critically-acclaimed film in 2007. Learn about the creative process behind the depiction of one young woman’s struggle for personal and political freedom.