All Arts & Culture
Joshua Tree in pictures: Visions and vistas in the high desertIn Joshua Tree National Park, our photographer and essayist find an irresistible allure 鈥� of art, beauty, and a landscape that feels older than time.
In a WordHow tongue twisters delight word lovers across the globeAccording to Guinness World Records, the most challenging English tongue twister is 鈥淭he sixth sick sheikh鈥檚 sixth sheep鈥檚 sick.鈥�
鈥楳ass鈥� filmmaker explores forgiveness and reconciliation after tragedyIn an effort to understand the reasons for and effect of mass shootings, Fran Kranz wrote and directed the new movie 鈥淢ass,鈥� which offers lessons for a divided world.
鈥楴o Time To Die鈥� offers Bond fun, but what鈥檚 next for 007?As the latest James Bond movie 鈥淣o Time To Die鈥� is released, the Monitor鈥檚 film critic considers what kind of big-screen spy today鈥檚 world really needs.
In a WordHow the 鈥榖ootstrap鈥� idiom became a cultural idealWhat's in a phrase? How "pulling yourself up by your bootstraps"聽went from describing聽an absurd, impossible feat聽to an American ideal.
鈥楢 revolutionary posture鈥�: Singer Dar Williams takes a stand for optimismFor singer Dar Williams, the way to stay buoyant in the face of global challenges involves interacting with others via 鈥減ositive proximity.鈥�
First LookAfter 13 years, Britney free of father's 'toxic' conservatorshipOn Wednesday, a judge put an end to James Spears鈥� role as conservator of Britney Spears鈥� life and money. A total end to the pop star鈥檚 conservatorship is likely to follow. 鈥淚 am so excited for what she has to do with the rest of her life,鈥� said a fan.聽
Lights, camera, exhibits: Movie museum debutsBeyond reveling in ruby slippers, the goal of the new Academy Museum of Motion Pictures should be to inspire visitors to literally think big.
鈥楳y Beautiful Black Hair鈥�: How a little sister鈥檚 struggle led to a celebratory bookWhat options are there for supporting Black women who face hair discrimination? One author鈥檚 solution: Reinforce the beauty of natural hair.
In a WordThe explosive origin of 鈥榟oist by one鈥檚 own petard鈥�Former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo has been 鈥渉oist on his own petard." But what, exactly, does that phrase mean?
First LookNew windows of National Cathedral will have racial justice themeThe Washington National Cathedral has chosen Kerry James Marshall, a renowned Black artist, to design new stained-glass windows to replace former ones that featured Confederate imagery.聽The cathedral seeks to correct a 鈥渇alse narrative of what America once was.鈥�
In a WordExplaining the 鈥榬oyal order鈥� of adjective placementIt's a 鈥渂ig black dog鈥� and not a 鈥渂lack big dog" 鈥� but why? Parsing the聽grammar that native English speakers know, but don鈥檛 know we know.
Is 鈥楶ersuasion鈥� the Jane Austen story we all need right now?How relevant is the work of Jane Austen to a society making its way through a pandemic 鈥� and a racial reckoning?
Titian paintings reunite after centuries apart. How receptive are museumgoers?Where does viewing art fit among our other attention-demanding options? In Boston, a rare exhibition of聽Titian聽paintings tests the appeal of quiet contemplation.
Going 鈥榖old鈥�: How the pandemic is changing New York鈥檚 Lincoln CenterAfter being stopped in its tracks by the pandemic, New York鈥檚 Lincoln Center moved forward, finding new ways for the arts to celebrate humanity.
In a WordCurbing our use of the 鈥榝undamentalist鈥� labelThe word's connotations can lead to the dismissal of certain ideologies, closing off the chance to dig into understanding why people might hold them.
In a WordWhat makes 鈥榮tatue鈥� and 鈥榮tatute鈥� so alike?These words are indeed similar 鈥� and swapping the the word聽statue for聽statute聽would not have been an error in the Middle Ages.
First LookEd Asner left his mark as blusterous and beloved 'Lou Grant'Ed Asner, a prolific character actor who became a star as the news editor in the hit comedy 鈥淭he Mary Tyler Moore Show鈥� and later in the drama 鈥淟ou Grant,鈥� died Sunday.聽
鈥極n Broadway鈥� filmmaker explores the pull of the stageThe new documentary 鈥淥n Broadway鈥� explores the resiliency of the theater 鈥� and why it matters in people鈥檚 lives today.
Amid food pressures, Newfoundland sees a root cellar renaissanceIn Newfoundland, an old-fashioned means of food preservation is finding new life amid pressures from climate change and the pandemic.
