Category Archives: History

Never Forget

Posted on January 21, 2020 by

A temporary holocaust monument titled Levenslicht (Lifelight)  created by artist Daan Roosegaarde lights up Rotterdam with 104,000 luminescent memorial stones that represent the 104,000 Dutch holocaust victims of the Nazis during WWII.  The monument, which recalls the Jewish custom of … Continue reading →

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The time is always right to do what is right

Posted on January 20, 2020 by

In these dark times it is not always easy to remember the messages of great teachers, but today we honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and reflect on his guidance and wisdom.

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Science Fiction Day

Posted on January 2, 2020 by

Even if you are one of those readers who claim that they don’t like science fiction, it’s more than likely that there are some works in the genre that you have appreciated and enjoyed. When it comes to science fiction … Continue reading →

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Happy Public Domain Day

Posted on January 1, 2020 by

On January 1, 2020, works from 1924 will enter the US public domain, where they will be free for all to use and build upon, without permission or fee. These works include George Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue, silent films by … Continue reading →

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je me souviens

Posted on December 21, 2019 by

 

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Decolonizing the Metropolitan

Posted on December 20, 2019 by

The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York is one of my favorite go to places in the city. In fact, I’ve been visiting the Met since before I could walk. The museum’s grand entrance hall never fails to awe. … Continue reading →

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The 17th Century Kindle

Posted on December 16, 2019 by

In 1617. William Hakewill commissioned a traveling library to give as a gift to a friend. The Jacobean miniature mobile library consisted of fifty gold-tooled vellum-bound miniature books contained in a wooden case that resembled a large folio. Inside there were … Continue reading →

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Mark Twain Travel Writer

Posted on December 10, 2019 by

When we think about the great 19th century American writer Mark Twain, his lauded Mississippi River novels usually come to mind. However, it was the 1869 travel book The Innocents Abroad, or The New Pilgrim’s Progress  which first brought him prominence. … Continue reading →

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When Great Trees Fall

Posted on December 4, 2019 by

Maya Angelou wrote the poem “When Great Trees Fall” when James Baldwin died in December of 1987, and read the poem at his funeral… “When Great Trees Fall” by Maya Angelou When great trees fall, rocks on distant hills shudder, … Continue reading →

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The Myth of Thanksgiving

Posted on November 28, 2019 by

The Myth of the First Thanksgiving On Thanksgiving this year as we celebrate  with family and friends, it is also essential that we honestly acknowledge that the event this day is based on is a myth, and that the United … Continue reading →

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