Where Our Magic Lives: An Introduction to Magical Realism
Source: Writer's Digest
Author Anna-Marie McLemore argues that magical realism is less a literary genre than a lens through which to view the world.
Arts & Entertainment
Kafka’s ‘Metamorphosis’ Turns 100
Source: Bio
Franz Kafka’s disturbing novella about how a family responds to a drastic change still influences writers over a century after its first publication.
Hip-Hop and Shakespeare
Source: TED
Explore the connections between the rhythms and ideas in Shakespeare’s plays and hip-hop music with British MC Akala, artistic director of The Hip-Hop Shakespeare Company.
Video games’ visual effects leaking into our reality
Source: Players Experiences
When video game environments and real life start to merge maybe it’s a sign for computer time out! The information in this article is based on a study that investigates the experiences of hardcore gamers when they stepped away from that environment and back to “reality”.
Rick Bass on his new story collection, ‘For a Little While’
Source: The Chicago Tribune
In this Q&A, author Rick Bass pushes back on the label of “environmental writer,” arguing that he sees his characters as the driving force of his stories.
At American Art: A New Look on How Artists Recorded the Civil War
Source: Smithsonian
This article analyzes an art exhibition that featured paintings and photographs created during the Civil War. It examines the metaphorical landscapes and realistic depictions of everyday life.
Artwork of Erie Canal from its 1825 opening found
Source: The Columbus Dispatch
Read about a Vermont historian’s journey to inform others of the impact of the Erie Canal and to distribute the artwork of an Episcopalian minister who recorded what it looked like when first built. Be sure to click through the slideshow of images at the top.
Tracing F. Scott Fitzgerald’s Minnesota Roots
Source: The New York Times
Read about the city that influenced Fitzgerald and his work.
How a Volcano Helped Inspire Frankenstein
Source: Slate
Mary Shelley began writing Frankenstein two hundred years ago at a time when a powerful volcanic eruption had caused changes to Europe’s climate. Read to find out how this event affected the author and influenced her famous horror story.
Rings, dwarves, elves, and dragons: J.R.R. Tolkien’s Old Norse influences
Source: University of the Highlands and Islands
J.R.R. Tolkien’s masterpieces of fantasy, including The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, sprang from the rich storytelling traditions of the far north.