Shakespeare’s astonishing output of plays didn’t spring from thin air; he drew from a wide array of sources for his plots and characters, including those of the star-crossed Romeo and Juliet.
Part of the thrill of watching a circus performance is the inherent danger—what if that trapeze artist or tightrope walker falls? Read about the precautions circus performers take to ensure their safety, and what happens when things go wrong.
Why do we enjoy horror? Read about the various theories put forward for the popularity of horror movies.
Discover the reasons why people say they love horror movies, while others hate them.
Just who was Edmund Pettus, and why was the famous bridge in Selma named for him? Find out here.
Katy Waldman, a correspondant for Slate, reviews J.R.R. Tolkien’s translation of Beowulf, published in 2014.
In 1933, author Edith Wharton revealed her writing process in an article published in The Atlantic.
Listen to the radio piece to learn what inspired Thoreau to live at Walden Pond and what he experienced while he was there.
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.
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.
