Blog

August 18, 2023

“The Puppet” by Johnny Welch

The Puppet If for a moment God would forget that I am a rag doll and give me a scrap of life, possibly I would not say everything that I think, but I would definitely… Continue Reading

May 12, 2023

My Favorite Books — a list by Joan Didion

The late writer and journalist Joan Didion was easily one of the finest wordsmiths of her era—inspiring the next generation as well. Author Zadie Smith remembers encountering Didion’s writing for the first time. She remarked,… Continue Reading

March 17, 2023

The 13 Virtues of Benjamin Franklin

In his new book, Kindness and Wonder: Why Mister Rogers Matters Now More Than Ever, Gavin Edwards uncovers the real story behind the gentle everyman, Fred Rogers. Most interesting to me was a list that… Continue Reading

March 3, 2023

Michelangelo makes a shopping list

Michelangelo's shopping list Not only was Italian artist Michelangelo one of the greatest sculptors and painters of the High Renaissance, he created art even when making a shopping list. Most likely, the extra effort was… Continue Reading

March 3, 2023

“March Moon” by Langston Hughes

March Moon The moon is naked. The wind has undressed the moon. The wind has blown all the cloud-garments Off the body of the moon And now she’s naked, Stark naked. But why don’t you… Continue Reading

February 24, 2023

8 Tips for Writers from Kurt Vonnegut

Kurt Vonnegut is one of the most important American writers of the 20th Century. His classic novels include Breakfast of Champions and Slaughterhouse Five, the sorta-autobiographical tale of the Allied bombing of Dresden in 1945.… Continue Reading

February 3, 2023

“Finish Every Day & Be Done With It” by Ralph Waldo Emerson

The American poet and abolitionist Ralph Waldo Emerson is considered a leading light in the Transcendentalist movement of mid-19th Century. In April of 1854, Emerson wrote a letter to his daughter Ellen (who was 15)… Continue Reading

December 30, 2022

“Knowledge is power. France is bacon.”

Back in 2010, on the social news and discussion site Reddit, the topic arose of "What word or phrase did you totally misunderstand as a child?" A user named Lard_Baron has this charming reply which,… Continue Reading

July 29, 2022

“I Am For… (Statement, 1961) by Claes Oldenburg

Artist Claes Oldenburg wrote this manifesto in 1961 for the catalogue of an exhibition at Martha Jackson Gallery called Environments, Situations, Spaces. However, Oldenburg didn’t like the term ‘manifesto’. He dubbed the piece a “literary… Continue Reading

July 15, 2022

“Washing Dishes” by Thích Nhất Hanh

Washing Dishes “If while washing dishes, we think only of the cup of tea that awaits us, thus hurrying to get the dishes out of the way as if they were a nuisance, then we… Continue Reading

Arrow-up