THE NUN WHO WENT POP

When Pop Art flared in the 1960s, Sister Mary Corita saw the light. Her brilliant colors soon preached love, peace, and hope.

JAMES TURRELL AND THE LIGHT DELICIOUS

Light dazzled the ancients but it took James Turrell to use everyday radiance as a paint brush.

ART-ISHThe AtticJuly 4, 2020James Turrell, Light, Roden Crater, Light art Comment

THE DECLARATION -- FARMER STYLE

Income equality? Unions? Co-ops? Busting up corporations? The radical left? Nah, just American farmers.

REBELS, DEMOCRACYThe AtticJune 26, 2020Populism, Declaration of Independence, American Farms, AgricultureComment

SCIENCE FARCES ON

A Wasabi Alarm? Astrology Charts for Bacteria? Scheduled Earthquakes? The Ig-Nobels are science for wise guys.

JUNETEENTH!

Slavery continued in Texas for months after the war. Then came the word — on Juneteenth.

History, REBELS, DEMOCRACYThe AtticJune 11, 2020Juneteenth!, Juneteenth, Slavery Comments

GARY SNYDER -- THE POET WHO OUTGREW THE BEATS

After reading with Ginsberg, teaching Zen to Kerouac, Gary Snyder followed his own path to become “the poet laureate of deep ecology.”

BOOK-ISHThe AtticJune 4, 2020Gary Snyder, Beats, The Beats, Beat poetry, Eco-poetry, Turtle Island Comments

THE WIT OF JFK

Presidents are rarely known for their humor, at least not their intentional humor. JFK was.

Humor, WITSThe AtticMay 29, 2020JFK, JFK wit, JFK humor, Presidential humor Comments

THE BICYCLE THAT FLEW THE CHANNEL

Human-powered flight was just a dream until the Gossamer Albatross pedaled into the sky.

SISTER ROSETTA, GODMOTHER OF ROCK

Before Elvis, before Chuck Berry, Sister Rosetta Tharpe preached the gospel of rock n’ roll. Never heard of her? Hear her now.

ART-ISHThe AtticMay 21, 2020Sister Rosetta Tharpe, American blues, Blues, Rock music Comment

CRADLE OF MOUNTAIN CULTURE -- APPALSHOP

Mocked, belittled, stereotyped, the folks of Appalachia had never told their own story until the birth of Appalshop.

FOLKIESThe AtticMay 14, 2020Appalshop, Appalachia, Kentucky, Folklore, Bluegrass Comment

THE BOOK THAT BEFOULED BASEBALL

Our National Pastime thrived on legend until Jim Bouton toppled the pedestals. Was that Mickey Mantle pinch hitting with a hangover?

WITS, BOOK-ISHThe AtticMay 8, 2020Jim Bouton, Ball Four, 1960s Comments

JOSEPH BRODSKY -- "IN PRAISE OF BOREDOM"

Dartmouth grads expected the usual boring commencement speaker. But Joseph Brodsky spoke about boredom itself, aka “your window on time.”

IF YOU CAN READ THIS...

That teacher you had? The one who “got” you? Did you ever thank THAT teacher?

teachersThe AtticMarch 26, 2020Tteachers, Teaching Comments

"THE MOST AMERICAN THING" -- CHAUTAUQUA

From a small summer gathering on a remote lake, Chautauqua tapped America’s “hunger of mind.”

teachersThe AtticMarch 20, 2020Chautauqua, 19th century America Comments

THE LITTLE TRAMP AND HIS MASTERPIECE

Silent film was dead. Scandal tainted his career. His mother died. The Depression began. And Charlie Chaplin made “City Lights.”

LESLIE MARMON SILKO -- THE STRENGTH OF STORIES

Like Thought Woman of Laguna lore, Leslie Marmon Silko dreams whole worlds of reality and myth.