THE VICTORY OF VOTING

Though embattled, our voting rights are wider and stronger than they used to be.

WONDERSThe AtticOctober 31, 2024Democracy, Democracy in America, American democracy, Voting rights, Voting Rights Act, Election 2024Comment

THE REPORTER AND THE "GHOSTS OF MISSISSIPPI"

When Jerry Mitchell dug into “cold cases,” justice delayed was no longer denied.

HEROESThe AtticOctober 24, 2024Jerry Mitchell, Jackson Clarion-Ledger, Mississippi Burning, Goodman Schwerner Cheney, Freedom Summer, Civil Rights Movement, Byron De La Beckwith, Edgar Ray Killen Comments

HEMINGWAY'S MAGICAL MEMOIR

Broken at the seams, Hemingway stumbled upon an old trunk and brought his Paris back to life.

BOOK-ISHBruce WatsonOctober 17, 2024Ernest Hemingway, A Moveable Feast, Paris, Paris in the Twenties, Memoirs, American memoirs Comments

STORY CATCHER OF THE PLAINS

Nebraska stifled many a soul but Mari Sandoz "willed herself" to become its bard.

BOOK-ISHThe AtticOctober 11, 2024Mari Sandoz, Nebraska, Great Plains, American literature, Native-American history, Old Jules Comments

ROUTE 66'S ARTIST IN RESIDENCE

Raised on Route 66, Bob Waldmire roamed "The Mother Road" sketching it into fine lines.

ART-ISH, American PlacesThe AtticOctober 3, 2024Route 66, Historic Route 66 Comments

POETRY AT MOTEL 6

Heeding a poet's call, Andrew Carroll put poetry books in motel rooms, waiting rooms, hospitals, buses, airplanes. . .

BOOK-ISHThe AtticSeptember 27, 2024Andrew Carroll, American Literacy and Poetry Project, American poetry, American literature Comment

THE SAY-HEY KID AND "THE CATCH"

Seventy years ago, Willie Mays made a play they're still talking about.

HEROESThe AtticSeptember 17, 2024Willie Mays, The Catch, 1954 world series, Baseball greats, Baseball's Greatest Moments Comments

"THE GIFT" AND AMERICAN GIVING

The hardscrabble Osceola McCarty gave her life savings to young students. But was she the only "better angel?"

HEROESThe AtticSeptember 12, 2024Osceola McCarty, Philanthropy, Giving, American generosity Comments

A DIRGE FOR DEMOCRACY?

America's good gray poet went dark for a while. But Walt Whitman surfaced with a new hope for America.

DREAMERS, BOOK-ISHThe AtticSeptember 5, 2024WALT WHITMAN, Walt Whitman, Democracy, Democratic Vistas, Whitman's Democratic Vistas, Malaise Comments

ONCE MORE TO THE BEACH

One last weekend, one last summer -- remembered.

WONDERS, WondersThe AtticAugust 30, 2024Labor Day, Summer, Beach summer, Parenthood, Kids at the beach Comments

GRACIE FOR PRESIDENT

Before Hillary, before Kamala, the zany Gracie Allen threw her hat in the ring.

WITSThe AtticAugust 23, 2024Gracie Allen, Burns and Allen, George Burns, old radio shows, old radio, vaudeville, comedy, American comedy Comment

SPEAKING TRUTH TO TEXAS

Bold, brash and just so funny, Molly Ivins taught us to laugh at the powers that be.

WITSThe AtticAugust 15, 2024Molly Ivins, American politicws, American satire, Newspaper columnists, Molly Ivins' Comments

THE MAN WHO GREENED AMERICA

Central Park. Prospect Park. The Capitol grounds. Emerald necklaces. . . Frederick Law Olmsted spread greenery coast-to-coast.

HEROES, BUILDERSThe AtticAugust 8, 2024Frederick Law Olmsted, Central Park, New York City, Landscape architecture, environmental movement Comments

ROCK OF AGES, CLEFT BY ME

Near Vermont’s mountain of granite, quarrymen carved their dreams into stone.

BUILDERS, WONDERSThe AtticAugust 1, 2024Hope Cemetery, Barre, Barre vermont, Cemeteries, Italian immigrants Comment

THE MAPLE LEAF RAG

Nearly forgotten, Scott Joplin’s ragtime captured an era with its magical syncopation.

ART-ISH, COMEBACKSThe AtticJuly 26, 2024Scott Joplin, Ragtime music, Ragtime, Maple Leaf Rag, The Sting Comments

1969 -- DON'T BELIEVE EVERYTHING YOU HEAR. . .

With “truth” up for grabs, one year responded with hoaxes, clever and convincing.

BATTLING THE B.S., WITSThe AtticJuly 19, 2024Naked Came the Stranger, The Masked Marauders, 1969, The Sixties, Hoaxes Comments