All Culture
Viola Davis shines in true story of elite female fighting force鈥淭he Woman King鈥� explores African history rarely seen in film. Its deep dive into a fierce, female fighting force replaces stereotypical depictions of Black characters with dignified ones.
Coming-of-age: Messy, beautiful, and real in 鈥楪rowing Up鈥�A showrunner for the new Disney+ series, 鈥淕rowing Up,鈥� shares her thoughts on聽telling new coming-of-age stories, and the importance of opening up about our vulnerabilities.
In a WordColorful stories of acronyms are often falseNo, 鈥済olf鈥� does not mean 鈥済entlemen only; ladies forbidden.鈥� Rather, its dry etymology leads us back to the Middle Dutch聽word 鈥渃olf鈥澛爋r 鈥渃olve.鈥�
Tales from either side of the tillTwo essayists reflect on the humanity and serendipity springing from 鈥� of all places 鈥� the lingering, long wait at the checkout line.
In a WordNeed just the right word? Why German probably has it.Given the relative freedom of compounding and metaphorical extension, German speakers can manufacture a word for nearly anything they want.
Flops and wobbles: How paddleboarding taught me to be a kid againIn a burst of optimism, I bought an inflatable paddleboard and headed for a lake deep in the Maine woods, out of sight of potential critics.
From 鈥楻eservation Dogs鈥� to 鈥楶rey,鈥� Native people expand their portrayalA shift is underway in Hollywood, one that gives Indigenous people an opportunity to shed the sidekick or villain image for more culturally accurate representations.聽
In the starring role of my dreamsIt鈥檚 five minutes till curtain:聽Can I learn the song lyrics in time? Wait a minute 鈥� I can鈥檛 sing!
In a WordWhy we send 鈥榗ongratulations鈥� but not 鈥榗ongratulation鈥�Some grammarians put "congratulations"聽on the list of "pluralia tantum," words that occur only in plural, like聽belongings,聽leftovers, and聽trousers.
From Middle-earth to Westeros: How fall shows build worlds 鈥� and bridgesSci-fi and fantasy programs are abundant now. What new views are they offering on conflict and cooperation?
Inner dialogues: How songwriter Cass McCombs moves forwardWith the arrival of his 10th album, 鈥淗eartmind,鈥� acclaimed songwriter聽Cass McCombs discusses what inspires him to progress.
The curse of cursive: Why Dave and I need forensics for our cookwareOur moms were masters of the Palmer Method,聽sending the same graceful cursive gazelles loping across the page. Now, how do we tell the difference?
In a WordTaking a 鈥榮afari鈥� through Swahili-inspired words"Safari," one of Swahili鈥檚 best-known contribution to English, has Arabic roots 鈥� a result of close ties between Oman and the Tanzanian coast.
I discover my own, new way to playReturning to piano as an adult, I struggled with pieces I鈥檇 mastered in my youth. Then I set a new goal.
First LookIn Massachusetts, Native Americans call for respect from local museumMembers of the Wampanoag tribe are calling for the boycott of the popular living history museum, Plimoth Patuxet. They say the museum, which interprets Pilgrim and Native American life from the early 17th century, has failed to create a 鈥渂i-cultural museum.鈥�
Gun rights vs. music festivals: How do you keep people safe?Many gun owners feel safer carrying guns. But the Music Midtown festival canceled instead of allowing firearms. It speaks to shifting views of safety.
In a Word鈥業f鈥� brings us into the realm of possibilitiesThinking and talking about possibilities and imagined futures is essential to the way we humans navigate our lives.聽
Beyonc茅鈥檚 latest album embraces the revolutionary act of choosing joyWith her new album, 鈥淩enaissance,鈥� Beyonc茅 focuses on supporting her fans, suggests our columnist, many of whom are hungry for joy.
First LookHow a video game kitty is helping real cats find homesA new video game called 鈥淪tray鈥� is inspiring people to do more than just play the game. The stray-cat centric video game is inspiring a new empathy for the stray cats of the world and has generated thousands of dollars donated to animal shelters.
A wordless welcome to rural ItalyNeither of us spoke the other鈥檚 language. But we had one communication tool in common: neighborliness.
