Edith Wharton

Unearthing a Forgotten Edith Wharton Play

Before she created her masterpieces like The House of Mirth and The Age of Innocence, Edith Wharton had a brief (unsuccessful) stint as a playwright.
Jack Barry, Charles Van Doren and Vivienne Nearing

How Academics Fell In and Out of Love with TV Quiz Shows

In the 1950s, the world went quiz-show crazy. But something was rotten inside Hollywood—the shows were packed with ringers.
Birthday Cake

Happy Birthday to “Happy Birthday” Composer Mildred J. Hill

Happy Birthday, Mildred J. Hill! How the early childhood educator's humble song "Happy Birthday To You" became a worldwide institution.
Denis Johnson

Denis Johnson

Denis Johnson, author of Jesus' Son and other award-winning books, speaks with Eric Elshtain on the role of religion in his work.
Werewolf gargoyle

Depressed People Aren’t Villains—Nor Are They Werewolves

Our tendency to view people with mental disorders as monsters instead of patients has a history that dates back to the 1400s.
Marsden Hartley Lobster Fishermen

Was Marsden Hartley Really a Great Painter?

Was American painter Marsden Hartley an innovator, or an imitator? Some call him a great artist, while others say he didn't know how to paint.
Claire Cameron The Last Neanderthal

The Novelist’s Risk: Researching The Last Neanderthal

Best-selling Canadian novelist Claire Cameron on how she researched her new novel The Last Neanderthal, with a little help from JSTOR.
JSTOR Daily Friday Reads

Margarita Engle, the Young People’s Poet Laureate

Cuban American Margarita Engle is the new Young People’s Poet Laureate. Engle has written many books for children, young adults and adults.
Chim Pom border art

Can Art Make a Difference at the US-Mexico Border?

Japanese artist collective Chim Pom has stirred up controversy at the US-Mexico Border, building numerous artistic interventions near Tijuana’s border.
Trump signature analysis

Sorry, Graphology Isn’t a Real Science

Despite Donald Trump's claim that he is a "handwriting analyst," it's not possible to read someone's mind through the curlicues of their writing.