There’s that urge in adolescence when you feel like you discovered something, maybe a song, a book, or a painting, that resonates so deeply within you, to protect it, and keep it secret and close, so that you feel like you have claim of something wondrous and all your own. And if you share the […]
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Posted inMember Pick, Nonfiction
The Bomb in the Bag
How America’s first suicide attack changed one man’s fortune forever.
Posted inEditor's Pick
Mastering the Art of French Cooking
E.J. Levy recalls her mother and her cooking, a “weapon” her mother used throughout her marriage. Levy’s memories also reveal her struggle with her identity. Featured in the 2005 edition of The Best American Essays, edited by Susan Orlean.
Posted inNonfiction, Profiles & Interviews
The Man Who Became Big Bird
An interview with Caroll Spinney, who, at 81, has worked at “Sesame Street” as the puppeteer behind Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch for 45 years.
Posted inNonfiction, Reading List
Cultural Changes: A Reading List
September feels like a month of changes, to me. Growing up, the first day of school was my New Year. I made resolutions; I felt like a new person, at least for a little while. Today, I chose six stories about (possibly, eventually, hopefully, revolutionary) changes in television, fashion, religion and more. 1. Netflix Programming: “BoJack […]
Posted inMember Pick, Nonfiction, Story
The Walkable Multiverse According to Charles Jencks
On an abandoned mining site in Scotland, an architectural theorist attempts to bring the mysteries of the cosmos to life on Earth.
Posted inBooks, Nonfiction, Story
Death Made Material: The Hair Jewelry of The Brontës
What can an object tell us about a person’s life? Deborah Lutz investigates the mystery of an amethyst bracelet woven with Emily and Anne Brontë’s hair to explore the rich lives and tragic deaths of the Bronte siblings.
Posted inNonfiction, Podcasts, Quotes
Chaz Ebert on Becoming One With Roger During His Sickness
Chaz Ebert stopped practicing law when she married Roger, and ran the business side of things for him. They worked side-by-side throughout their marriage. As he became sicker, and was only able to communicate through a computer, Chaz’s role grew. At some point, he asked me to be his voice. So we would do some […]
Posted inBooks, Member Pick, Nonfiction, Story
The Holy Junk Heap
Some 300,000 Jewish documents were hidden in a closet in Cairo for hundreds of years. They were discovered by the lady adventurer twins Agnes Lewis and Margaret Gibson and the legendary Rabbinical scholar Solomon Schechter. Here is their story.
Posted inNonfiction, Quotes
‘The Millionaire Couple Who Will End Divorce’ Says Three Things Will Keep Your Marriage Intact
Harville and Helen take turns talking and clicking through a PowerPoint that includes slides in both English and Spanish. Helen explains that half the people here tonight are the “draggers,” the other half are the “draggees,” and that it will actually be that second group that’s more excited by the end of the workshop. “See,” […]
