FINDING ZORA

Her books forgotten, her style only a memory, Zora Neale Hurston died a pauper’s death. And then. . .

BOOK-ISH, COMEBACKSThe AtticNovember 15, 2023Zora Neale Hurston, Alice Walker, Their Eyes Were Watching God, African-American literature, American literature Comment

THE COMEBACK CLINIC

His arm blown out, his career finished, Tommy John tried the surgery that led to a thousand comebacks.

WONDERS, COMEBACKSThe AtticNovember 1, 2023Tommy John, Tommy John surgery, Dr Frank Jobe, Los Angeles Dodgers, Baseball 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

DEEP DOWN IN CARLSBAD CAVERNS

A century after becoming famous, America’s biggest hole in the ground has yet to touch bottom.

American PlacesThe AtticOctober 20, 2023Carlsbad Caverns, Carlsbad Caverns National Park, New Mexico travel, Southwest travel, Jim White Comment

THE WONDERFUL WORDSMITH OF OZ

From Oz to the moon, Yip Harburg’s lyrics captured America’s hopes and dreams.

WITS, ATTIC AT THE MOVIES, ATTICATTHEMOVIESThe AtticOctober 12, 2023Yip Harburg, E.L. Yip Harburg, Wizard of Oz, Somewhere Over the Rainbow, Finian's Rainbow Comments

PROJECT 562 -- REBIRTH OF NATIONS

Native-American portraits were stuck in the past. So Matika Wilbur set out to photograph all 562 nations.

HEROES, ART-ISHThe AtticOctober 3, 2023Project 562, Matika Wilbur, Native Americans, Native American photographs Comments

MOWING STRAIGHT ACROSS IOWA

When his brother had a stroke, Alvin Straight headed across the Plains to see him. On a lawnmower. (As seen in “The Straight Story.”)

WONDERS, ATTICATTHEMOVIES, ATTIC AT THE MOVIESThe AtticSeptember 29, 2023The Straight Story, Alvin Straight, Iowa, Great Plains, David Lynch Comments

TRUTH'S OWN HISTORIAN -- JILL LEPORE

Despite three jobs — professor, New Yorker writer, mother — Jill Lepore solved the mystery. “Who Killed Truth?”

BATTLING THE B.S., TEACHERS, teachers, TEACHERS & HEALERS, DEMOCRACYThe AtticSeptember 21, 2023Jill Lepore, American history, These Truths, The New Yorker, Harvard University Comments

HANK WILLIAMS -- SON OF A GUN

Many songwriters write but only a handful embody the music, the life, the legend. Happy 100th, Hank!

FOLKIESThe AtticSeptember 14, 2023Hank WIlliams, Country music, Grand ol' Opry, Your Cheatin' Heart, Jambalaya Comment

LOWRIDERS -- CRUISIN' LOW AND SLOW

With pride, paint, and persistence, Low Riders are “one of the greatest things that ever happened to Mexican-Americans.”

REBELS, ART-ISHBruce WatsonSeptember 8, 2023Low Riders, Gypsy Rose automobile, Jesse Valadez, East Los Angeles, Cholo, Car clubs Comments

CHUGGING THROUGH THE PAST

The Attic rides Colorado’s narrow gauge RR through mountains and magic.

American Places, WONDERSThe AtticSeptember 2, 2023Narrow gauge railroad, Denver and Rio Grande, Durango, Colorado, Silverton Colorado, Railroad history, Historic railroads Comment

STEINBECK AND "THE HARVEST GYPSIES"

When Dust Bowl refugees came to California, a newspaper sent a novelist to tell the story.

REBELS, BOOK-ISHThe AtticAugust 17, 2023John Steinbeck, Grapes of Wrath, The 1930s, The Depression, Migrant labor, The Dust Bowl, The Harvest Gypsies, Dorothea Lange Comment

DOWN THE OFF-BEATEN PATH

Tired of traditional travel? Wander the world’s weirdness with Atlas Obscura.

American PlacesBruce WatsonAugust 10, 2023Atlas Obscura, Travel, Vagabonds, Gastro Obscura, Joshua Foer, travel websites, travellogues, travel blogs Comment

AMERICA'S FIRST PLAYGROUND

Before Disney, before Six Flags, the capital of fun was Coney Island.

American PlacesThe AtticAugust 2, 2023Coney Island, George Tilyou, Luna Park, Steeplechase Park, Brooklyn, Amusement parksComment

KEEPING A WATCH ON BIRDS

Using apps and A.I., Cornell’s Lab of O keeps our eyes on the birds.

TEACHERS, TEACHERS & HEALERS, teachersThe AtticJuly 20, 2023Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Birds, bird watching, Audubon society, citizen science Comments

TAKE THE WORLD OUT TO THE RODEO

This was, in fact, their first rodeo. And when 20 teachers from 20 countries cheered cowboys and cowgirls, new trails were blazed.

American PlacesThe AtticJuly 13, 2023rodeo, Cross-cultural, Western history, American West, Oakley Rodeo Comments

KINDER, COOLER, SMARTER

NOW ENTERING OUR TENTH YEAR!

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