Monthly Archives: December 2011

The Mechanical Magic of the Movies

Martin Scorcese’s “Hugo” pays homage to fantasist Georges Méliès and the history of the movies.

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Time, You Old Gypsy, Will You Not Stay?

Poet Ralph Hodgson compares time to a caravan that will not stop for us.

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Quiz: Identify These Famous Figures

Two wonderfully light poems give readers a chance to test their knowledge of cultural history.

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Velvet Shoes, Walking in Snow

“We shall walk in velvet shoes,” writes poet Elinor Wylie, describing the experience of walking in snow.

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The Brainiest Detective and the Brain

How well did Sherlock Holmes anticipate future studies of the brain? Not very well.

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Holly & Ivy Dance to the Music of the Moon

A Scott Bates version of the “Holly and Ivy” carol shows how multiple religious traditions blend seamlessly in Christmas rituals.

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Braveheart Is NOT a Christmas Movie

GOP members of the House were citing “Braveheart” in their recent battle with the Senate, but “It’s a Wonderful Life” is the movie we should be talking about at this time of year.

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Dickens Helped Shape Our Christmas

Charles Dickens helped solidify the idea of Christmas in the minds of 19th century England by his descriptions in “The Pickwick Papers.”

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Night before Christmas on the Moon

Scott Bates’s “The Night before Christmas on the Moon” delightfully sets Clement Moore’s beloved poem in a lunar landscape.

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