All Culture
The transforming power of a thank-you noteRevisiting connections sparks newfound appreciation for old friends and lessons learned.
They can鈥檛 all be Scrooge: How holiday films shineAs two Christmas classics turn 20, we鈥檙e reminded of the genre鈥檚 true gifts. More than making you laugh or cry, good holiday films often reinforce that life has meaning.
In Pictures: In Lebanon, the art of resistance enduresProtests in the streets of Beirut may feel like a distant memory. But the spirit of the 2019 鈥淥ctober Revolution鈥� lives on in vibrant murals.
At the 100-year mark, Disney offers nostalgia, hope, and 鈥榃ish鈥�Disney鈥檚 latest animated offering leans heavily on references to a century鈥檚 worth of prior films. Our columnist suggests that the retelling of familiar narratives helps people 鈥� motivating them to work together for common goals.
America鈥檚 last lighthouse keeper is retiring. She, and her light, are ready.For many, lighthouses offer a certain nostalgic draw. But as America鈥檚 last keeper retires, she insists that the beauty of the beacon need not be locked in the past.
What鈥檚 the best way to capture Leonard Bernstein?Dramatizing the life of a great artist can be fraught. The biopic 鈥淢aestro鈥� focuses on conductor and composer Leonard Bernstein鈥檚 personal life. But what of his art?
鈥楢 ray of light鈥�: How I found gratitude in trying timesI was doing gratitude wrong.聽It turns out I was looking for it聽in the wrong places.
Chicken soup for the frazzled soulWhen the world goes to pieces, I go to the kitchen. Cooking calms my rattled nerves.
鈥楳inister of music鈥�: Courtney Bryan fuses protest with the sacredAt a time when many people take to the streets to protest injustice, Courtney Bryan turns to her piano. The recently named MacArthur fellow calls music a way to grapple with the emotions of things, rather than become numb to others鈥� pain.
Taylor Swift is having a moment. So is girlhood.With a record-breaking tour and yet more Grammy nominations, Taylor Swift is building an unprecedented career on the nostalgia and heartache of girlhood. Yet more deeply, she is showing the power of friendship.
Battered Marvel finds an unexpected champion in 鈥楲oki鈥�Superhero films are not pulling people in the way they once did. But one Marvel TV offering 鈥� about an anti-hero who forms bonds that transform him 鈥� illustrates the importance of relationship-building, our columnist writes.聽- Battered Marvel finds an unexpected champion in 鈥楲oki鈥�Superhero films are not pulling people in the way they once did. But one Marvel TV offering 鈥� about an anti-hero who forms bonds that transform him 鈥� illustrates the importance of relationship-building, our columnist writes.聽
FocusWhat a Texas-sized battle over state history meansWhat is the purpose of studying the past? A lawsuit against a Texas historical organization was really, both sides say, about how the narrative arc of history will bend in the future.
Please don鈥檛 buy my booksIt wasn鈥檛 until I set out to sell my old books that I realized the precious memories they held.
Analytics or heart: Can old-school baseball reclaim sport鈥檚 soul?Analytics have taken over everything from sports to shopping. But do numbers always have the answer? Baseball fans point to the Rangers as an example that prioritizing heart over data can lead to big wins.
Hey kids, don't try this at home!A childhood spent perusing DIY magazines ushers in a life of mechanical mishaps.聽
Outdated? Patriarchal? Why I still celebrate the Hindu festival of love.Though it鈥檚 criticized as outdated, Karwa Chauth symbolizes love and romance.
Hiking boots welcome: Why gourmet eateries thrive near national parksForget bagged lunch and s鈥檓ores. The culinary scene outside national parks has evolved in recent years, delighting taste buds and giving visitors another reason to make the trek.
鈥楾he Holdovers鈥� offers a prep school Scrooge a shot at redemptionWhat makes people change? In 鈥淭he Holdovers,鈥� a teacher of ancient history faces his own past to find a way forward.聽
Escaping North Korea: 鈥楤eyond Utopia鈥� documents one path to freedomMost Westerners know little about North Korea or what it鈥檚 like to live in 鈥� or leave 鈥� the rigid country. 鈥淏eyond Utopia鈥� shows the lengths defectors are willing to go to experience freedom.聽聽
