Walt Whitman’s war
Source: Harvard Gazette
Self-published in 1865 and then consolidated into other volumes of poetry, Walt Whitman’s Drum-Taps, a collection of 69 poems, is now seeing new life 150 years later.
Arts & Entertainment
Conversing With the World: The Poet in Society
Source: Academy of American Poets
Read about the role of protest and political poetry throughout American history.
Phillis Wheatley
Source: Academy of American Poets
American Colonial poet Phillis Wheatley was brought from Africa to the United States as a child. Though a slave, she was taught to read and write and became a renowned poet for a time.
‘Map: Collected and Last Poems,’ by Wislawa Szymborska
Source: The Washington Post
Read this review of a recent collection of poetry by Wislawa Szymborska.
The Psychology Behind Superhero Origin Stories
Source: Smithsonian Magazine
Why is it that in every superhero story, the hero never springs fully-formed into action? What’s so important about knowing why each superhero has the special powers he or she does?
Modern ‘Macbeth’ spills blood in the kitchen
Source: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Among the many resettings of Shakepeare’s powerful exploration of ambition at all costs is a BBC version set in the kitchen of a modern high-end restaurant. How well does a tale of medieval regicide translate to 21st-century TV chef wars? Find out in this review.
Eight female authors your class should know for the 200th anniversary of Jane Austen’s “Emma”
Source: PBS
Like Mark Twain, Jane Austen wrote tales that made her one of the most popular writers in her day. Find out what other female authors became popular in their day and some little-known facts about each one.
Hollywood Horror: The Evolution of the Horror Movie Poster
Source: Tech Times
How were movies advertised before the internet existed? This article looks at the important role that movie posters played in spreading the word about the latest, scariest horror movie.
Escher’s gravity-defying waterfall
Source: New Scientist
M. C. Escher was a Dutch graphic artist specializing in woodcuts, mezzotints, and lithographs inspired by mathematical principles. “Waterfall” is a lithograph first printed in October 1961 creating an optical illusion which Escher was famous for. Select the link in the article to see the original lithograph and more of Escher’s amazing work.
