The Myth of Henry David Thoreau’s Isolation
The famous writer-observer of nature, Henry David Thoreau, fills the popular imagination. But have we mythologized the image of him as a recluse?
In Praise of the Messenger: Janus Films & The Criterion Collection
William J. Becker, co-owner of Janus Films, was instrumental in bringing art house and foreign cinema to American audiences. We reflect on his influence.
Eco-Art: Where Art Meets Education
In the case of eco-art, the artists have become educators and translators of environmental science and data.
Do the Hustle: How Disco Was Marketed
Disco changed the way the music industry marketed music to the public. The genre innovated an industry and changed our interaction with popular music.
The History of the Poet Laureate
Juan Felipe Herrera is the new U.S. Poet Laureate. It is a position that has had a long life, dating back to the Greeks.
![Pieter Brueghel the Elder (1526/1530–1569) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons](https://daily.jstor.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/TowerofBabel_1050x700-600x400.jpg)
Syllables Without Vowels? Pfft, Inconceivable!
Is the syllable universal? Maybe. We look at how languages use (and don't use) syllables, and what this says about language itself.
![Francesco Hayez [Public domain or Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons](https://daily.jstor.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/ChildConcept_1050x700-600x400.jpg)
Wordsworth and the Invention of Childhood
Prior to the 18th century, children were considered little adults. It was only during the Romantic Era that the concept of childhood emerged.
Salvage and Savior: Noah Purifoy’s Assemblage
Noah Purifoy transformed the wreckage from the 1965 Watts riots into art, and in doing so, he transformed much more.
Taylor Swift’s White Colonial Romance
Taylor Swift is a member of the Lion King generation, which means that, for her, African landscapes are nothing more than a rich tapestry of flora and fauna
Taylor Swift: 1989’s Confessional Poet
Since she first came to prominence, Taylor Swift's songs have been read autobiographically.