All Culture
In a WordFeeling reluctant to admit your 鈥榬eticence鈥�?"Reticent"聽has meant 鈥渞eluctant鈥� almost as long as it's meant 鈥渞eserved.鈥澛燣anguage mavens have agitated against this "new鈥� use dating from the 1800s.
The universal scent of summer hayAmid the fields and pastures of Switzerland, our columnist is transported back to south-central Indiana.
On film: Leonard Cohen鈥檚 journey culminates in 鈥楬allelujah鈥�A new documentary about Leonard Cohen鈥檚 most celebrated song, 鈥淗allelujah,鈥� lays out his spirituality 鈥� and hope.
In Pictures: In Romania, ancestral villages swell each wedding seasonEach year, the sleepy hills of northern Romania explode in population as summer wedding season brings back locals working abroad.
I needed a fence builder. He turned out to be a rock star.Carpenter Grant is compelled to do excellent work.聽Even boulders erode, eventually. But integrity endures.
In a WordHow lawyers assumed the title of 鈥榚squire鈥�The U.S. Constitution prevents the government from issuing titles of nobility, but the not-quite-a-title聽esquire聽slipped through.
Party favor or art? Preserving the craft of the pi帽ata.Pi帽atas are not just for smashing. In creating more complex designs, artists are changing what people think about the worth of these handmade objects.
In a WordWhy does English have so many words for 'lawyer'?The聽solicitor聽general reports to the attorney聽general, who heads the Department of Justice. The president鈥檚 lawyer is the White House counsel. Why?聽
Seeking the right size for the next momentAttics, garages, and staying put encourage accumulation 鈥� it聽sneaks up like a silent invader. A big move spurs a purge.聽
In a WordHow did 鈥楯uneteenth鈥� get its name?The vagueness of聽-teenth聽might be intentional, to symbolize the way liberty was experienced, piecemeal, on different days as the news spread.
Kate Bush: The 鈥�80s icon is back. Her influence has been here all along.An 鈥�80s music icon is topping new charts, thanks to a popular Netflix show. Along with her signature sounds and style, Kate Bush the innovator is also coming into focus.
First Look'Broadway got its groove back': Tony Awards celebrate joy, diversityThe 2022 Tony Awards highlighted tales of triumph and heartbreak Sunday night as Broadway proved diversity is a formula for success. The season also marked a return to theaters after nearly two years of pandemic-mandated shutdowns.聽
Commentary鈥楽tar Wars鈥� and race: It鈥檚 complicated, but improvingActors of color in 鈥淪tar Wars鈥� stories often face scrutiny and backlash. A speedy official response recently suggests an effort to help society move toward more tolerance.
First LookJan. 6 hearings: Investigative proceedings or primetime blockbuster?The nation has spent the past year grappling with the chain of events on Jan. 6 that led to the Capitol insurrection. Now a TV producer is helping the House committee retell that day in vivid detail. Can a polished storyline change American minds?
Who gets to save the world? 鈥楳s. Marvel鈥� debuts Muslim superhero.The small-screen debut of 鈥淢s. Marvel,鈥� a Muslim teen with special powers, is one indicator of the shifts happening in representation and equality in fantasy offerings.
Not just seascapes: Winslow Homer鈥檚 rendering of Black humanityWinslow Homer is known for his paintings of New England鈥檚 coast. But he also documented the harsh realities of Black people鈥檚 lives after slavery.聽
鈥楩or the Birds鈥�: Music project celebrates birdsong to save itA new project, led by a sought-after Hollywood music pro, hopes to bring attention to birds and their songs 鈥� and the preservation of both.
In a WordMonkeys in sleeves and other delightful idiomsIn English, the cat is out of the bag. But our Dutch-speaking friends talk of monkeys coming out of sleeves.
Fly-fishing, silence, and common ground: A stepfather鈥檚 giftThe noise from the river precluded any conversation, and he made it clear that we weren鈥檛 here to talk anyway.聽
In a WordSorting out the changing meaning of 鈥榞rooming鈥�It鈥檚 鈥済rooming鈥� when we take care of our聽dogs, cats, and horses.聽A more sinister sense predominates, however.
