Find out why fiction works well as a way to explore the still-uncertain outcomes of the 2011 Arab Spring movement.
Tag Archives: Arts & Entertainment
‘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.
Shakespeare and the Classics: Plutarch, Ovid, and Inspiration
Like many of his contemporaries, Shakespeare drew on a variety of resources for his astounding output of plays.
Tall storeys: Lucinda Grange’s daredevil photography
Lucinda Grange is a photographer with a love of adventure. She scales skyscrapers and monuments to take unbelievable photographers. Check out this photo essay of her work.
The Full Nelson
As many athletes and fans know, sports can unify people who don’t have much in common otherwise. This article explains how Nelson Mandela used rugby and other sports to help unify the people of South Africa after years of racial segregation.
Odysseus’ Journey
The Odyssey is one of the most exciting stories ever told, of a long and complicated heroic journey. This interactive story map summarizes Odysseus’s journey using a modern-day map and representations in art.
Bringing Traditional Themes Into Contemporary Writing
Frank Stasio, host of radio program The State of Things, talks to poet Joy Harjo about her latest collection, Conflict Resolution for Holy Beings.
Phillis Wheatley Biography
This biography outlines the life of Phillis Wheatley, who became a published poet despite being enslaved.