Literature and Poetry
Gauguin, Cézanne, Matisse: Visions of Arcadia
The dream of Arcadia, a mythic place of beauty and repose where humankind lives in harmony with nature, has held an enduring appeal for artists since antiquity. With its promise of calm, simplicity, and order, it has served as both an inspiration and as an image of refuge, a place that is distant and seemingly protected from the vicissitudes of life. more »
John Irving and Suspension of Disbelief
Joan L. Cannon writes: John Irving has attracted plenty of attention throughout his career with his explosive originality and his fearlessness when it comes to convention — from The World According to Garp to the most recent In One Person. Not all his work is created equal, of course, but when I ran across A Widow for One Year, I didn’t expect to be as intrigued as I was. more »
CultureWatch Books: Black Gotham and Gods Without Men, Judge John Deed DVD
Jill Norgren and Julia Sneden Reviews: If you respect well-researched history, and crave an account of the footwork, persistent digging, and serendipity required, Carla Peterson's Black Gotham should be one of the next books that you read. Trying to keep up with the characters and periods in Gods Without Men is more than a little daunting, but the pure quality of Kunzru’s writing is brilliant. Judge John Deed, another addictive BBC series continues on DVD. more »
Beginning with Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People's Ears To The Book Thief; A Summertime Book List
The NEH Summer Booklist offers suggestions of 238 books recommended for young readers. The list includes newer works such as Coraline, The Invention of Hugo Cabret, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, and The Book Thief. “No book is really worth reading at the age of ten which is not equally – and often far more – worth reading at the age of fifty and beyond.” ― C.S. Lewis
Aardema, Verna and Leo & Diane Dillon
Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People’s Ears: A W… more »