Tag Archives: Arts & Entertainment

Beyond Grief and Grievance

Poet and essayist Philip Metres argues that in attempt to use poetry to heal after tragedy, poets should be careful not to fall into cliché or exploitation.

Edgar Allan Poe–Cosmologist?

In this blog post, literary scholar René van Slooten argues that Poe was ahead of his time in scientific thought.

Why You Should Be Reading Wislawa Szymborska

Vogue magazine book critic Megan O’Grady explains why Wislawa Szymborska’s poetry has been meaningful in her life.

‘Writing Was Always an Act of Losing Control’: An Interview with Etgar Keret

Get this Israeli author’s perspective on how writing has helped him connect with others from around the globe.

Retellings of ‘Romeo and Juliet,’ ranked

Shakespeare’s great tragedy of love has been performed countless times, and each new generation gets its own film version of the play. Here is one critic’s opinion of which movie versions stand out.

What Can Magicians Teach Us about the Brain?

Neuroscience informs magicians’ techniques or magicians’ knowledge informs neuroscience. Well, it can work both ways according to this article. Scientists could have a lot to learn about cognitive processes…if magicians are willing to let them in on their secrets!

Navigating Without the Crutch of Technology

You are lost! How do you find your way? Reach for your cellphone and turn on GPS! John Huth, author of The Lost Art of Finding Our Way thinks we should allow ourselves to get lost once in a while to create a better connection with our environment. Click on the link within this article to watch a video clip of John Huth’s view on navigation without maps.

Humans of New York and the Cavalier Consumption of Others

In this column, writer and critic Vinson Cunningham compares the work of Humans of New York photographer Brandon Stanton to earlier documentarians such as Jacob Riis.

Nine incredible buildings inspired by nature

Advancing digital technology has allowed architects to create unique buildings inspired by nature.

Arthur Miller’s Chameleon Play

Critic Alina Cohen reviews a recent Broadway production of The Crucible and reflects on the play’s lasting themes.

Elizabethan Theatre Conventions

A longtime drama teacher spells out the most important conventions of drama to understand when reading Shakespeare.

Take It from ‘Hamilton’: Why Unyielding Ambition Is a Blessing and a Curse

An entrepreneur applies themes from a hit musical to his career choices.

HP Lovecraft: The man who haunted horror fans

H.P. Lovecraft, perhaps best known for his tentacled monster Cthulhu, is regarded as one of the most influential horror writers in literary history. Read this article to find out what makes his work unique.

Fighting for Visibility

Hidden Figures, first a book and now a movie, brings to light the significant role of some of the female African-American mathematicians at NASA during the 1960s, and the challenges faced by the women at that time.

A student’s perspective on technology in her school and classroom

Read about the benefits of technology for learning from the perspective of a high-school student.

In ‘All the Wild That Remains,’ David Gessner illuminates two great writers on the American West.

Read this review of nature writer David Gessner’s biography of two other authors whose work he argues remains relevant today.

Minneapolis author Louise Erdrich finds writing humor is the ‘hardest thing’

Award-winning author Louise Erdrich discusses her writing process and the Native American tradition at the root of her newest novel, LaRose.

These Rarely Seen Photographs are a Who’s Who of the Harlem Renaissance

Read about this collection of photos by Carl Van Vechten, who employed more of an archival rather than artistic method to his work. He sought to photograph as many notable people of the early 20th century as possible.