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

THE POET AND HER WILD GEESE

Weaving wonder out of darkness, Mary Oliver became America’s favorite poet.

DREAMERS, BOOK-ISHThe AtticMarch 6, 2024Mary Oliver, American Poetry, Nature Poetry, Best-selling Poet in America, America's best-selling poet, "The Wild Geese" Comments

A GENIUS AND HIS MAGIC CAMERAS

Photography was anything but instant before Edwin Land made a magic camera called Polaroid.

DREAMERSThe AtticFebruary 15, 2024Edwin Land, Polaroid, Polaroid corporation, Polaroid camera, SX-70 Comment

TV'S FINEST DIMENSION

Through the worst seasons of TV’s “wasteland,” Rod Serling brought intelligence and irony to “the boob tube.”

DREAMERSThe AtticJanuary 25, 2024The Twilight Zone, Rod Serling, Televisioin, Television history, "The Twilight Zone" Comments

STAR OF JOY -- THE VOYAGE OF Hōkūle‘a

In one heroic voyage, one craft stirred the pride of Hawaiians and their ancestors.

DREAMERSThe AtticOctober 26, 2023Hōkūle‘a, Mau Piailug, Ben Finney, Kon Tiki, Polynesian Voyaging Society, Hawaii, Hawaiian history, South Pacific, Polynesia Comments

THE CYCLISTS WHO MAPPED AMERICA

Four cyclists, one dream, 4,000 riders coast-to-coast. The Bikecentennial opened America to two-wheeled adventure.

DREAMERSThe AtticJune 23, 2023Bikecentennial, Adventure Cycling, Biking, Cycling, Cross-country cycling, Greg Siple, Missoula Montana Comments

HERE COME THE SUN QUEEN

M.I.T. engineers scoffed but Maria Telkes knew that when you need heat and energy, the sun works wonders.

DREAMERSThe AtticJanuary 19, 2023Maria Telkes, The Sun Queen, Dover Solar House, Solar energy, M.I.T., Solar electricity, Solar panels, Passive solar, Women in engineering, Women in STEM Comments

WHERE THE FUTURE STUDIED

During dark times, an upstart college dared to open the doors to the future — of art, dance, poetry, music. . .

DREAMERSThe AtticOctober 20, 2022Black Mountain College, Rauschenberg, John Cage, American higher education, North Carolina, Asheville, NC Comments

JACKIE SAVES GRAND CENTRAL

The old station was a tomb, slated for demolition. Then the former First Lady stepped up.

DREAMERSThe AtticSeptember 21, 2022Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Jackie Kennedy, Grand Central Station, Historic preservation, Jackie O Comments

THE ECONOMIST AND THE COMMONS

The commons was doomed, economists said. Elinor Ostrom disagreed and won a Nobel.

TEACHERS & HEALERS, teachers & healers, DREAMERSThe AtticJuly 6, 2022Elinor Ostrom, Nobel Prize, Nobel Prize economicsComment

ROCKET SCIENCE FOR BEGINNERS

Back when space travel was science-fiction, Robert Goddard saw no limit to the sky.

DREAMERSThe AtticJune 16, 2022Robert Goddard, Space travel, Apollo 11, Apollo program, NASA, Rocketry, Clark University, Buzz Aldrin Comment

"THE FAMILY OF MAN" -- STILL SHOWING US US

With the Cold War looming, The Family of Man toured the world, creating a family portrait that fought the gloom.

DREAMERS, ART-ISHThe AtticApril 1, 2022Family of Man, Photography, Hope, 1950s Comments

WE SIDEWALK SURFERS, WE SKATEBOARD PIONEERS

The first skateboards were skates nailed to a board. By kids like me. But today the sky’s the limit.

DREAMERS, KIDSThe AtticSeptember 30, 2021Skateboarding, Skateboards, Dogtown, Z-boys Comments

DEMOCRACY FOR A DIME

Books were no bargain until a century ago when the Little Blue Books were born. A half billion books later. . .

DREAMERS, teachers, BOOK-ISHThe AtticAugust 19, 2021Publishing, Little Blue Books, Emanuel Haldeman-Julius, Democracy Comments

THE ART OF REBUILDING A NEIGHBORHOOD

As a potter, Theaster Gates learned to shape clay. Now he is reshaping a Chicago neighborhood — and lives.

DREAMERSThe AtticJuly 15, 2021Theaster Gates, South Chicago, Rebuild Foundation, Urban Renewal, Inner city Comments

THE MAN ON THE FLYING CARPET

Swimming the Panama Canal, flying to Timbuktu, crossing the Alps on an elephant, Richard Halliburton enthralled a housebound America.

History, DREAMERSThe AtticJune 18, 2021Richard Halliburton, Travel, Adventure, Roaring Twenties, Daredevil Comment