A short history of ice April 14, 2020 The day I visited Mt. Erebus in Antarctica was Instagram perfect: cold but sunny, and barely a breath of wind. Read More
Books that connect us as citizens of the Earth April 13, 2020 The 50th anniversary of Earth day comes at a time when citizens of the Earth feel uniquely connected—and disconnected—by our current COVID crisis. While the first Earth Day in 1970 saw millions of Americans taking to the street to protest complacency about environmental issues, this year, the world’s largest civic event will be celebrated virtually. Read More
Quarantini: Cocktails to drink (alone) April 09, 2020 Have you heard about the latest cocktail, the Quarantini? It’s a regular martini, except you drink it alone. Read More
The longest seder: A story of Haggadah April 08, 2020 The Haggadah, the text for the Passover seder meal, is supposed to teach the story of Exodus, primarily to the young. It does that poorly, for it assumes that readers are so well versed in the story that they’d prefer to dwell instead on ancient commentaries. Read More
Political incompetence, revolutionary reactions, and present danger April 08, 2020 Are we headed for a new set of momentous revolutions like the iconic French and Russian ones of 1789 and 1917? What causes major revolutions? Can we learn something by looking at not just the French and Russian ones but the twentieth century events such as the Mexican revolution of 1910 or the Iranian one of 1979? Read More
Should an old man engage in politics? April 07, 2020 Around noon on March 5, 2020, Elizabeth Warren suspended her campaign for president of the United States, leaving Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders to run (essentially) a two-man race for the Democratic nomination. Read More
Grace: A keyword for now and then April 07, 2020 Which are the keywords of our time? Black, Brexit, Climate, Trans? New words, old words that have changed, words that have switched users and come to mean different things from before. Read More
In defense of hierarchy April 06, 2020 The seating arrangements for formal meals in Shandong province—the home of Confucian culture, with a population of nearly 100 million people—are rigidly hierarchical. Read More
“Canzone d’aprile” by Giovanni Pascoli April 06, 2020 The Lockert Library of Poetry in Translation embraces a wide geographic and temporal range, from the Tang dynasty to modern-day Europe, from Latin America to the subcontinent of India. Read More
Poems from Szilárd Borbély’s Final Matters April 03, 2020 Szilárd Borbély, one of the most celebrated writers to emerge from post-Communist Hungary, received numerous literary awards in his native country. In this volume, acclaimed translator Ottilie Mulzet reveals the full range and force of Borbély’s verse by bringing together generous selections from his last two books, Final Matters and To the Body. Read More
In Dialogue with Kathleen Graber and Eleanor Wilner: The ethical aspirations of poetry April 02, 2020 Throughout history, poets have rallied against autocracies, served as moral beacons in times of crisis, while others have intentionally avoided moral absolutes. We asked poets Kathleen Graber and Eleanor Wilner what ethical or moral aspirations and obligations they hope their own poems embody or enact. Read More
Where poems may exist, now April 01, 2020 In the building across from mine, inside the top-center window, an American flag hangs vertically. I see it every day, every morning. My desk faces it. I face it. Read More
Remembering William B. Helmreich March 31, 2020 I am very sorry to be sharing the terrible news that our beloved Bill Helmreich, CCNY professor and prolific author, passed away on March 29, 2020. Read More
Learning at home? Try The Joy of SET March 31, 2020 Looking for fun ways to keep kids engaged with math during school closures? Have you ever played the addictive card game SET? Have you ever wondered about the connections between games and mathematics? Read More
In Dialogue with Caitlin Zaloom and Jennifer Morton: Mobility costs and compromises March 30, 2020 Caitlin Zaloom and Jennifer Morton discuss the financial pressures of paying for college and the impact on the lives and well-being of middle-class families. Read More