The Linguistics of My Next Band Name
Why do certain combinations of words make good band names? Linguistic research points to "semantic space."
More Than an Aria Written Over Rice: Rediscovering a Lost Rossini Opera
Rossini's "lost opera," Aureliano in Palmira is making a comeback with a new production. The opera's history involves antiquity, archeology, and Bugs Bunny.
“What’s a life, anyway?” Remembering E. B. White
Reading Charlotte’s Web is the first time many bookworms feel real sadness for pretend characters.
Jamaica, Ithaca, and Seinfeldia
Our Friday Reads are these five new books out this week, and links to related content you won’t find anywhere else.
The Drag Aesthetic of Langston Hughes
Langston Hughes' poetry was influenced by the drag scene in 1920s Harlem.
Post Offices, Prep Schools, and Poetry
Our Friday Reads are these five new books out this week, and links to related content you won’t find anywhere else.
How to Navigate by Nostalgia: The Linguistics of Place Names
Place names are often intimately tied to nostalgia and history.
The Real Story Behind Ernest Hemingway’s The Sun Also Rises
Ernest Hemingway's famous, career-launching debut novel, The Sun Also Rises, was so autobiographical, it was essentially gossipy reportage.
Dürer’s Rhinoceros and the Birth of Print Media
Dürer's image of a rhinoceros which drowned off Italy 500 years ago remains one of the world's most famous prints.
Video Games, Italian Revolutionaries, and Anne Tyler
Our Friday Reads are these new books out this week, and related content you won't find anywhere else.