THAT ADORABLE GENIUS

More than “Henry’s brother,” William James opened his mind to spirits, drugs, life. . .

TEACHERS, teachers, TEACHERS & HEALERSBruce WatsonJune 14, 2023William James, Henry James, The James Family, Pragmatism, The Varieties of Religious Experience Comments

SECRETARIAT IS ALL ALONE!

Fifty years ago, when America needed a lift, an astonishing horse answered the question.

WONDERS, WondersThe AtticJune 9, 2023Secretariat, Triple Crown, Belmont Stakes, 1973 Comments

THE KINDLY CAREER OF WAVY GRAVY

From Woodstock to world humanitarianism, the former Hugh Romney has spread joy and healing.

WITSBruce WatsonJune 7, 2023Wavy Gravy, Woodstock Festival, 1960s, Sixties Counter-culture, Humanitarianism, Seka Foundation Comments

AMERICA THE PHILOSOPHICAL

Out of the academy and into the agora, Americans are thinking and questioning in ways that would make Socrates smile.

TEACHERS, teachers, BOOK-ISHBruce WatsonMay 25, 2023philosophy, American philosophy, Michael Sandel, justice, education Comments

ART BY POPULAR DEMAND

Modern art was elitist, so Komar and Melamid asked people what they wanted. Then they painted it — by the numbers.

WITS, ART-ISHThe AtticMay 19, 2023Komar and Melamid, Vitaly Komar, Alexander Melamid, Pop Art, Soviet art, America's Most Wanted paintingComment

THE OTHER WASHINGTON MONUMENT

D.C. had its doyennes and its demons but there was only one Alice Roosevelt.

REBELSThe AtticMay 11, 2023Alice Roosevelt Longworth, Theodore Roosevelt, Washington DC, American politics Comments

MAPS FOR CURIOUS MINDS

The Attic reads and reviews this curious collection of curious (and insightful) maps.

BOOK-ISHThe AtticMay 9, 2023American maps, Maps for Curious Minds, Book reviews Comments

SCHOOL FOR WISE WITS

Once just a pack of Ivy League smartasses, the Harvard Lampoon is now the stepping stone to comedy careers.

WITSThe AtticMay 4, 2023Harvard Lampoon, National Lampoon, Doug Kenney, Henry Beard, American humor, Sit-coms, The Simpsons, Harvard University Comments

APPALACHIA'S MUDDY INFO-HIGHWAY

When the Depression cut off Appalachia, women on horseback brought books into dark hollows.

teachersThe AtticApril 27, 2023Packhorse Libraries, Packhorse librarians, Appalachia, Eastern Kentucky, WPA, Works Progress Administration Comments

VIEQUES RISING

Twenty years ago, after decades of protest, this Puerto Rican island ejected the U.S. Navy and restored peace. And paradise perhaps.

American PlacesThe AtticApril 20, 2023Vieques, Puerto Rico, Vieques Puerto Rico Comments

MUSIC'S MASTER TEACHER

Classical was a bore until Leonard Bernstein aired his “Young People’s Concerts.” (As seen in “Maestro.”)

TEACHERS & HEALERS, teachers, ATTIC AT THE MOVIESThe AtticApril 13, 2023Leonard Bernstein, Young People's Concerts, New York Philharmonic, classical music Comments

MARATHON WOMEN

Women couldn’t run 26 miles. Impossible. Then women jumped into the pack in Boston, and ran and ran. . .

HEROESThe AtticApril 6, 2023Katharine Switzer, Boston Marathon, 1967 Boston Marathon, Jock Semple, women's running Comment

THE CATHEDRAL OF BASEBALL

In April 1923, the national pastime welcomed a stadium, a legend, and the first field of dreams.

American PlacesThe AtticMarch 30, 2023Yankee Stadium, Babe Ruth, New York Yankees, Old Yankee Stadium, The House that Ruth Built Comments

THE AUDACITY OF VIOLINS

Blending Bach with Biggie, "Black Violin" challenges every tired old touchstone.

REBELS, ART-ISHThe AtticMarch 24, 2023Black Violin, Music, Violin music, Kev Marcus, Wil B Comments

GENTLE ON THE RIVER

“Gentle on My Mind” made him famous but John Hartford’s heart was always on the Mississippi.

FOLKIESBruce WatsonMarch 13, 2023John Hartford, Gentle on My Mind, Bluegrass music, Newgrass music, Nashville, Nashville sound Comment

CRUISIN' WITH DAVID FOSTER WALLACE

On the verge of Infinite Jest, DFW took a cruise. His witty, acerbic, heartfelt account bore all the brilliance of his novels.

WITS, BOOK-ISHThe AtticMarch 10, 2023David Foster Wallace, DFW, Infinite Jest, Post-modern literature, Post-modern lit, A Supposedly Fun Thing, Harper's Comments

KINDER, COOLER, SMARTER

NOW IN OUR TENTH YEAR!

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