Published in 1917, Henry W. Shoemaker’s book Extinct Pennsylvania Animals Parts I & II explores the history of the panther in Pennsylvania. The piece draws on old hunting stories and local folklore to glean an understanding of the panther’s physique and habits as well as their relationship with locals. One memorable story recounts a famous circle […]
At a Glance: Extinct Pennsylvania Animals Parts I & II Read More »
Nora Krug’s book Heimat, or Belonging: A German Reckons with History and Home, is a mixed-media memoir in which she reckons with her family’s past and national history. Born two generations after WW II in Karlsruhe, Krug reconciles with the abstract shame that she associates with her German identity by researching her family’s role in
At a Glance: Heimat Read More »
Ryszard Kapuściński describes the events that led to the 1979 Iranian Revolution in his book Shah of Shahs, published in 1982. Unlike today, where most of the historical accounts analyze the influence of international actors, Kapuściński focuses on the relationship between Mohammad Reza Pahlavi and the Iranian people. As in The Soccer War, he fixates
At a Glance: Shah of Shahs Read More »
This graphical adaptation of Yuval Noah Harari’s novel Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind describes the origin and rise of mankind. Focusing primarily on the Cognitive Revolution, Harari contextualizes our origin story with the modern-day world, explaining how our contemporary society influences our ability to interpret and relate to the past. Stylistically, the adaptation into
At a Glance: Sapiens: A Graphic History Read More »
Nic Stone’s Dear Martin grapples with American race relations through Justyce, an Ivy bound 17-year-old who attends a prep school in Atlanta. After being unjustly profiled and arrested, Justyce begins keeping a journal addressed to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Through Justyce’s perspective, readers encounter racist situations where he tries, at least initially, to reconcile
At a Glance: Dear Martin Read More »
Brit Bennett’s debut novel The Mothers grapples with difficult topics, including suicide and abortion, with an equally delicate authorial hand found in The Vanishing Half. Nadia, a senior in high school, begins seeing Luke, the pastor’s son, as she grieves for her mother, who recently committed suicide. After getting pregnant, she decides to have an
At a Glance: The Mothers Read More »
Brit Bennett’s second novel The Vanishing Half tells the story of Desiree and Stella Vignes, twins who grow up in Mallard, a fictional Black community in Louisiana. The twins run away at 16 years old—Desiree marrying and having a child with a man with comparatively darker skin and Stella passing for white. At first glance,
At a Glance: The Vanishing Half Read More »
Tessa McWatt’s novel Higher Ed chronicles the lives of five people living in east London, whose narratives are loosely intertwined. From the onset, the characters are a bit difficult to keep straight. McWatt provides a character index at the beginning of the book, similar to a play’s cast list. Although helpful, the need for the
At a Glance: Higher Ed Read More »
In this relatively compact piece, Fluent Forever provides a framework to building one’s second language skills from the ground up. As an opera singer, Gabriel Wyner initially stresses the importance of pronunciation: “An accurate accent is powerful because it is the ultimate gesture of empathy. It connects you to another person’s culture in a way
At a Glance: Fluent Forever Read More »
“God gave the Portuguese a small country as cradle but all the world as their grave” (Camões). The Lusiads is Portugal’s national epic poem, recounting Vasco da Gama’s voyage to India. The author, Luís Vaz de Camões, was related to da Gama through marriage and later traveled to the Portuguese settlements in Goa and Macau,
At a Glance: The Lusiads Read More »
