Books
395 results
Page 31
Freeman Dyson's 'Dreams of Earth and Sky'
The iconoclastic generalist
As a scientist who has wrestled firsthand with the moral quandaries of mass destruction and total war, Dyson is quite aware of the seemingly intransigent problems that continue to plague humanity. But he's confident that science, free inquiry, and democracy will yet allow the better angels of human nature to prevail and prosper.
Articles
4 minute read
Steven Pinker’s 'Sense of Style'
It's not that hard, people
Steven Pinker’s explication of the underlying sense of English grammar and advocacy of clear prose make his Sense of Style a must-read for anyone who wants to be a better writer.
Articles
3 minute read
Philadelphia's Erotic Literary Salon
Forbidden words
With the release of Fifty Shades of Grey, everyone’s talking about sex, even if they haven’t seen the movie. At the Erotic Literary Salon, writers have been talking about sex for years.
Articles
5 minute read
'Impromptu Man: J.L. Moreno and the Origins of Psychodrama'
Theater as interpersonal encounter and spontaneous experience
This fascinating book about psychodrama founder J.L. Moreno written by his son, Penn professor Jonathan D. Moreno, covers many aspects of 20th-century life and thought, including improvisational theater. Although the book bears a great deal on the fields of psychology, psychiatry, and self-help/personal growth, this review highlights Moreno’s contributions to theater and dramaturgy.
Articles
5 minute read
Steven Pressfield's 'War of Art'
Battling the demons of Resistance
The title of The War of Art, a little book on how to break through creative blocks and finish projects, is apt because author Steven Pressfield doesn’t pull any punches.
Articles
4 minute read
A flag for Robert Stone
Remembering novelist Robert Stone, who died on January 10.
'Death Comes to Pemberley'
Using Austen's characters for nefarious purposes
Phyllis Dorothy James died recently at the age of 94. While her most recent book was a murder mystery based on Pride and Prejudice, she is better served if you remember her for all the work that went before.
Articles
5 minute read
'The Sweetness of Life' by Paulus Hochgatterer
The dread that arises from winter darkness
It’s not a holiday thought, but let’s consider briefly the matter of crushing heads.
Articles
3 minute read
S. Clay Wilson's ABC
A left turn in Lawrence
The work of underground artist S. Clay Wilson has been compared to Breughel’s and has hung in museums beside Bosch. An alphabet series connected with his illustrations of Hans Christian Andersen and the Brothers Grimm has just been published.
John Lahr's biography of Tennessee Williams
Rethinking the life and work of Tennessee Williams
After enduring youthful austerity, Tennessee Williams sought relief from his suffering through chaotic sexual liaisons and cravings for admiration, alcohol, and drugs. Yet, at his best, he was able to use his inner conflicts to create dramatic works that transformed the American theater and cinema. The characters in his plays, as John Lahr takes pains to show, were mirrors of what was going on inside him.
Articles
6 minute read