All Arts & Culture
Great Expectations: The Sons and Daughters of Charles DickensDespite a world-renowned father and merry times at Christmas, the lives of the 10 children born to Charles Dickens were anything but easy.
Tate Stevens wins 'X Factor' and $5 million record dealTate Stevens, the country singer from Belton, Mo., won Season 2 of 'The X Factor.' Tate Stevens beat out Carly Rose Sonneclare and the girl-band 'Fifth Harmony.'
Top Picks: International light displays, the albums of classical music Grammy nominees, and moreThe website Complex provides a behind-the-scenes glimpse into Amazon's warehouses, PBS airs the history of a renowned ballet company, and more.- Verbal EnergyVivid verbs defended with verveConstance Hale's 'Vex, Hex, Smash, Smooch' is a good read on writing, especially on the power of verbs.
Egg nog pieEgg nog can easily be incorporated into a quick custard pie using ingredients you probably already have on hand.
Brothers Grimm: 4 gruesome plot twists you may have forgottenThe stories by the Brothers Grimm have a lot of gruesome little subplots that you may not remember 鈥� or even know. How many of these do you recall from childhood?
3 YA books just perfect for adultsThese young freedom fighters are worthy of readers of all ages.
Code Name VerityThis young adult novel of female friendship and peril amid World War II is an unexpected gem.聽
Kids online will now be protected by new federal guidelinesChildren's personal information, such as photos, videos and geolocation information, can now no longer be collected by online services and online 'cookies' can't be used to send kids personalized ads, among other new rules.
2012: the year of self-publishingThe most recent sign that self-publishing is on the rise? New York Times book critic Michiko Kakutani chose a self-released book as one of her favorite titles of the year.
The rifle: Its history and its place in the futureHistorian Alexander Rose chronicles the history of a ubiquitous and deadly weapon.
Brothers Grimm: Why Disney is the master of adapting their storiesThe stories by the Brothers Grimm have become part of our collective cultural knowledge and so, of course, some of the most famous have been turned into movies.
Kids and violent video games: One senator calls for researchViolent video games and programming affect the lives of American children, says Sen. Jay Rockefeller. Legislation introduced by Rockefeller this week will investigate their long-term effects.
'Les Miserables': Is the story of Jean Valjean a model for newly released inmates today?I should have tried to get Jean Valjean into a couple of local prisons.聽
Christmas without butter?! Norway's perpetually uncertain butter supplyIs it Christmas without butter? Norway may offer lavish social benefits from universal healthcare to generous parental leave, but it doesn't have enough cows to produce enough butter.
The top 5 things never to ask your child right after schoolTalking to your child after school about their day can be difficult. How to quash the melodramatic sighs from your teenager and still be engaged with your kid's life at school? Check out the top 5 questions to avoid asking. (Hint: each question holds an expectation.)
Olivia Culpo, a 'cellist nerd,' takes Miss Universe crownOlivia Culpo, a Boston University sophomore, won the Miss Universe competition Wednesday. Olivia Culpo, a cellist, won the Miss Rhode Island contest in a rented $20 dress with a hole in it and then began working out, dieting, and studying current events on flashcards to compete for the Miss USA crown.
Hunting for hidden gemsSelf-released albums were king in 2012.
Bestselling books the week of 12/20/12, according to IndieBound*What's selling best at independent bookstores across America.
A Mayan dinner party for 12.21.12Mayan end-time talk got you down? Forget superstition and learn something about today's Mayan culture with these recipes from the 'Flavors of Belize' cookbook.
