Month: December 2014
Guest post by Susan J. Noonan The transition to a new year often brings mixed emotions. For example, some past years are just not worth celebrating or hanging onto. These are the ones with unpleasant, sour experiences that override the good stuff in our lives and do not merit our remembering. The chain of events…
Guest post by Susan J. Noonan The transition to a new year often brings mixed emotions. For example, some past years are just not worth celebrating or hanging onto. These are the ones with unpleasant, sour experiences that override the good stuff in our lives and do not merit our remembering. The chain of events…
Guest post by Christopher Darnton The United States and Cuba have reached a historic agreement, putting an end to a half-century of frozen relations. Reciprocal speeches by Presidents Barack Obama and Raúl Castro, and gestures like the exchange of high-profile prisoners convicted of espionage, suggest that the two countries will open not only embassies but…
By Janet Gilbert, JHUP Staff “Three things in human life are important. The first is to be kind. The second is to be kind. And the third is to be kind.” – Henry James Frankly, I wondered how I could possibly write this post about civility without coming off as the Purveyor of Politeness, the Diplomat…
Guest post by Jerry Griswold "'Twas the night before Christmas" begins Clement Moore’s "A Visit from St. Nicholas," that immortal poem generally credited with popularizing Dutch customs (Santa and gift-giving) and shaping the American holiday as we know it. But, as I suggest in my study of American childhood classics called Audacious Kids, a case…
Guest post by Jerry Griswold "'Twas the night before Christmas" begins Clement Moore’s "A Visit from St. Nicholas," that immortal poem generally credited with popularizing Dutch customs (Santa and gift-giving) and shaping the American holiday as we know it. But, as I suggest in my study of American childhood classics called Audacious Kids, a case…
The JHU Press publishes beautiful, influential, award-wining books on a variety of subjects. From a history of the Folger Shakespeare Library to a full-color celebration of Amish quilts to an insider’s look at the Large Hadron Collider, books from JHUP make terrific gifts for series readers. For reviews and more information or to place an…
The JHU Press has an award-wining list in history, with acclaimed books on Lincoln and the Civil War, a fascinating account of the linothorax (the linen armor of the ancient world), and a new family-friendly guide to historic travel in the Mid-Atlantic. Read more about them or place an order by clicking on the titles…
An expert’s perspective: James R. Spotila In recent weeks, sea turtles have been stranding in historic numbers along the beaches of Cape Cod. A recent article in the New York Times tells the story of heroic volunteer efforts to rescue the stranded turtles, and it highlights the uncertainties (and the hunches) as the scientific community tries…
Jane Austen was born on December 16, 1775, in Steventon, Hampshire, England. Today, on her 239th birthday, Austen’s life and work continue to attract enormous world-wide interest. In 2016, the Folger Shakespeare Library will host an exhibition called Will & Jane: Shakespeare, Austen, and the Cult of Celebrity, exploring how these writers became literary superheroes.…