Literature and Poetry
Revisiting Favorite Books: The Forsytes and the Acquisitive Victorians
Joan L. Cannon writes: Except for the military, men worked at desks and in boardrooms, women did no housekeeping, no childcare, little or no charity work. Like a perfectly arranged workshop, their lives were ordered, with a place for everything (and everyone), and everything in its place. Not many writers could hold modern attentions with such a world, yet it is more real than if it were shown on a movie screen.
The characters in their houses, the décor, the customs, the music and art and social events are so meticulously portrayed that the reader is like an eavesdropper. more »
My Wish List: Where is Aladdin When I Need Him? More Specifically, Where is His Fabled Magic Lamp?
Rose Madeline Mula writes: Where is Aladdin when I need him? More specifically, where is his fabled magic lamp? Unfortunately, it’s been missing for so long that if I ever do find it, probably it won’t work because it will be coated with tarnish. So polish it, you say. Not very likely ... Have you seen my silverware drawer? Of course, the prospect of having all my wishes granted would be a powerful incentive. If and when I ever do find — and polish — the lamp, I’ll be ready. My wish list is on the launch pad and ready to blast off. more »
Paris 1900 and the Atmosphere of the Belle Epoque Recreated, A Vibrant and Swiftly Changing City
Inspired by an exhibition originally presented in 2014 at the Petit Palais in Paris, Paris 1900 re-creates the look and feel of the era through more than 200 paintings, decorative art objects, textiles, posters, photographs, jewelry, sculpture, and film, and will plunge visitors into the atmosphere of the Belle Époque. These objects, drawn from several City of Paris museums — including the Petit Palais, the Musée Carnavalet, the Palais Galliera, the Musée Bourdelle, and the Maison de Victor Hugo — form a portrait of a vibrant and swiftly changing city. more »
Jerome Robbins Dance Division at the New York Public Library, Preserving the History and Documentation of Dance
The Jerome Robbins Dance Division of The New York Public Library is the largest and most comprehensive archive in the world devoted to the documentation of dance. We preserve the history of dance by gathering diverse written, visual, and aural resources, and work to ensure the art form's continuity through active documentation and educational programs. The Division is used regularly by choreographers, dancers, critics, historians, journalists, publicists, filmmakers, graphic artists, students, and the general public. Other resources available for study free of charge include papers and manuscript collections, moving image and audio recordings, clippings and program files, and original prints and designs. more »