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.
Tag Archives: Arts & Entertainment
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.
Jamaica Kincaid’s Antigua
In this essay, travel writer Monica Drake explores the homeland of author Jamaica Kincaid and looks for the inspiration she found in her writing.
Why Shakespeare’s English is still relevant today
A professor shares her approach for teaching Shakespeare’s works to students whose first language is not English.
Visit Seven Storybook Castles in Germany
Germany is home both to the Grimm brothers, authors of our best-known fairy tales, and stunning castles that would make the perfect setting for those tales.
Why do we read scary books?
In this article, author Lou Morgan provides insight into the reasons people choose to read horror stories.
Pokémon GO: U.S. Holocaust museum asks players to stay away
Locating, capturing, battling, and training Pokémon can take a person into a whole new virtual world, but should there be limits on where a user can roam in the quest for these creatures?
Walt Whitman, Emily Dickinson and the War That Changed Poetry, Forever
In this blog entry, David Ward looks at the influence of the Civil War on poetry, specifically the works of Walt Whitman and Emily Dickinson.
The Curious, and Continuing, Appeal of Mark Twain in China
In most Chinese classrooms, students learned about Mark Twain, a famously American author. Twain’s satirical short story, “Running for Governor,” was used to reinforce anti-Western, anti-capitalist views. As you read this article, be sure to take a look at the short story referenced.
Poe Museum
Are you curious about Edgar Allan Poe? Would you like to read his stories? Explore this site to learn about his life, read his work, and even solve the mystery of his death!
The Tsunami and the Cherry Blossom
In Japanese culture, the cherry blossom represents the cycle of life, death, and rebirth. Watch the trailer for this Academy Award nominated documentary to see how survivors of the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami are inspired by the cherry blossom to rebuild their lives.
Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History
Since the beginning of human history, art has reflected the responses of people to their lives and the changing world around them. Explore this comprehensive timeline, which places examples of art through the ages in historical and geographic context.
Stylized Fairy Tales Inspired Sandra Cisneros’ Cross-Cultural Voice
Find out what inspired author Sandra Cisneros’ special voice by reading or listening to this National Public Radio interview.
Auden’s Musée des Beaux Arts
Auden’s poem is only partly about the painting “Landscape with the Fall of Icarus.” In this article, Scott Horton discusses the other source for Auden’s images and provides historical context for both the poem and the art: Breughel’s “The Census at Bethlehem.”
Odysseus’ Journey
Using this interactive map, you can follow Odysseus on his travels and learn about each destination on his 20-year-long journey.
All the World’s a Stage for Shakespeare, But We No Longer Understand Him
The director of England’s National Theatre admits that even he doesn’t always understand Shakespeare’s language. Read the article to find out why.
The Perilous Lure of the Underground Railroad
Journalist Kathryn Shulz examines fictional accounts of fugitive slaves navigating the underground railroad, the accuracy of those accounts, and why we are drawn to them.