Before SNL, “Your Show of Shows” blew American comedy wide open.

WITSBruce WatsonFebruary 19, 2025Your Show of Shows, Sid Caesar, Imogene Coca, 1950s television, Mel Brooks, Carl Reiner Comment

WIT, WEIMARANERS, AND WEGMAN

“It’s not all about the dog,” William Wegman says. Meet Man Ray, Fay Ray and his other famous Weimeraners.

WITS, ART-ISHThe AtticFebruary 5, 2025William Wegman, Weimeraners, Man Ray dog, Post-modern art Comments

"IMMIGRANTS -- WE GET THE JOB DONE!"

Central and Union Pacific agreed. Without immigrants — Chinese and Irish — the mighty Transcontinental RR would not have been.

BUILDERSThe AtticJanuary 26, 2025Transcontinental Railroad, Chinese-Americans, Irish-Americans, Railroads Comments

IN SEARCH OF THE POE TOASTER

He came out of the darkness, left cognac and roses on Poe’s grave. Then disappeared. Who was he?

BOOK-ISHThe AtticJanuary 10, 2025Edgar Allan Poe, Poe grave, The Poe Toaster, Baltimore's Poe Toaster Comments

THE MAN WHO KNEW IT ALL

Along with writing classic science fiction, Isaac Asimov explained. . . everything!!!!

BOOK-ISHThe AtticJanuary 2, 2025Isaac Asimov, Science fiction, Foundation Trilogy, I, I Robot Comments

THE UNIVERSE TURNS 100

A century ago, Edwin Hubble expanded our horizons beyond imagination.

DREAMERS, WONDERSThe AtticDecember 19, 2024Edwin Hubble, Big Bang Theory, Astronomy, History of astronomy, expanding universe Comments

POTLUCKS: A GUIDE FOR THE PERPLEXED

With the season upon us, The Attic offers ten rules of etiquette.

WITSThe AtticDecember 12, 2024Potluck, Potluck dinners, Potlucks, Holiday dinners Comments

THE BAREFOOT PROPHET OF WHOLE FOODS

Wheatgrass and sprouts? Carrot juice and raw nuts? What would that kooky Gypsy Boots eat next?

DREAMERSThe AtticDecember 6, 2024Natural foods, Whole foods, 1960s culture, 1960s Comments

THE ARTIST AND THE REDNECK

Divided by politics, by Jim Crow, brothers Barry and Tommy Moser rarely spoke, until. . .

teachers, TEACHERS, teachers & healers, TEACHERS & HEALERS, THE HEALERSThe AtticNovember 29, 2024Barry Moser, American racism, Southern culture, American illustration Comments

DEMOCRACY -- THE NEXT GENERATION

In a nation where half the citizens don’t vote, who cares about civics? Kelley Brown and her students, that’s who.

TEACHERS, teachers & healers, DEMOCRACYThe AtticNovember 21, 2024American democracy, Civics education, We the People competition Comments

WHEN DEMOCRACY SPOKE. . . AND LISTENED

With America flat on its back, “Town Meeting of the Air” revived the conversation of democracy.

DEMOCRACYThe AtticNovember 14, 2024Town Meeting of the Air, America's Town Meeting of the Air, democracy, American democracy, Old radio Comments

TOQUEVILLE'S TAKE ON AMERICA

Setting out to describe democracy, he created a lasting portrait of Us, the People

DEMOCRACYThe AtticNovember 8, 2024Tocqueville, American democracy, "Democracy in America", Alexis de Tocqueville Comments

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