In 1933, author Edith Wharton revealed her writing process in an article published in The Atlantic.
Tag Archives: Arts & Entertainment
Thoreau’s Walden, Present at the Creation
Listen to the radio piece to learn what inspired Thoreau to live at Walden Pond and what he experienced while he was there.
Odysseus’ Ship
In 1988, an ancient ship was found in the sea near the coast of southern Sicily. Learn how scientists and scholars decided that this old vessel could possibly be of the same time period as one of Odysseus’ ships.
Cave Paintings and Artifacts
The ideas of people who lived tens of thousands of years ago are preserved in cave paintings. Read what art historians speculate cave dwellers were trying to communicate.
World War II in a New ‘Light’: Empathy Found in Surprising Places
Author Anthony Doerr discusses his new award-winning book, All the Light We Cannot See.
Akira Kurosawa: Throne of Blood
The Tragedy of Macbeth has been produced for the stage and screen innumerable times in the past 400 years. Perhaps the most powerful version so far has been an adaptation by famed Japanese director Akira Kurosawa. Find out how “the Scottish play” translates to an ancient samurai setting.
Film Review: ‘Selma’
The Academy Award-nominated film Selma centers on a key struggle in the American civil rights movement. Read one reviewer’s appraisal of its artistic and narrative achievement.
From World’s Fair to Maker Faire: Isaac Asimov
In 1964, science fiction writer Isaac Asimov made predictions of many technological advancements. Many are here today. Will your work in the future bring more of his visions into our lives?
How the Vikings Worked
Many people have heard of the Viking god Thor and his mighty hammer. But the Vikings worshiped many gods and goddesses, just like the ancient Greeks. Read about their gods, evil giants, Valhalla, and more of their mythology as told in their sagas.
Richmond will fall again for 150th anniversary
Read about a four-day commemoration in Richmond, V.A. which will mark the 150th anniversary of the fall of the Confederacy’s capital on April 3, 1865.
Why we love ghost stories
Author Ilie Ruby recalls the thrills of hearing ghost stories around campfires and explores why it is we are drawn to them.
Gordon Parks exhibit offers intimate glimpse into segregation-era life for African Americans
In 1950, just before the Civil Rights movement, Gordon Parks took a series of photographs of Fort Scott, Kansas, his hometown, for Life magazine. Now on display in an exhibit at Boston’s Museum of Fine Arts, art lecturer Toni Pepe Den reviews the images.
Nathaniel Hawthorne’s Funny Civil War
In the second year of the Civil War, Nathaniel Hawthorne published an article in Atlantic Monthly outlining his unconventional views on the war. American Studies professor Cynthia Wachtell offers her opinion about the piece.
Faulkner of Oil Country: Rick Bass Talks New Novel
Author Rick Bass discusses the inspirations for his stories and novels.
A Cause Unites Unlikely Partners in South Wales
In the 1980s, Welsh coal miners went on strike to oppose the policies of British prime minister Margaret Thatcher. They were surprised to receive support from a group vastly different from them, but united in feeling marginalized by the Thatcher government.
Chinese New Year Traditions
Chinese New Year celebrations were started in order to chase away a mythical beast. Exactly when is Chinese New Year? Why is the dragon one of the favorite animals of this celebration? Find out the answers to these questions and interesting facts and tales in this article and video.
Words From the Past Illuminate a Station on the Way to Freedom
A new book from Eric Foner, Pulitzer Prize-winning historian, based on the discovery of journals containing interviews with fugitive slaves, sheds light on how the Underground Railroad really worked. Read about it here.
The Thrill of Being Scared Keeps Fright Industry Going
Read about why horror is always going to mean big business.
How your brain sees the world, according to Kepler
A new book looks at a pivotal moment in scientific history that changed the way we understood sight and perception.
‘Wild’ film prompts surge in interest in Pacific Crest Trail
In the film Wild, based on Cheryl Strayed’s memoir and starring Reese Witherspoon, a woman rediscovers herself as she hikes the Pacific Crest Trail alone. It has inspired others to attempt the journey.