All Culture
John Gould still waits to welcome you homeEven 80 years after his first essay ran in the Monitor, and 19 years since his death, John Gould’s stories reward readers abundantly.
Pockets full of memoriesIn a previously unpublished piece that essayist John Gould wrote for the Monitor, he reflects on a pocketknife his father acquired in 1886.
First LookRetro revival: Roller skating trend renews old sidewalk joysStrap on those helmets and knee pads, roller skating is back. Rinks have been popping up in parks and on roadways, and people of every age are rolling into the trend.
Wash, dry, fold, connect: How I found my center at the laundromatAt a big university in a new city, I longed for a sense of community. It came upon me unexpectedly in a lavender-scented laundromat.
In a WordWords help construct the reality we live inAristotle posited that houses aren’t just material structures of stones, bricks, and timber. They are also “receptacles to shelter ... living beings.”
In Pictures: The sweet embrace of an autumn traditionAs summer melts into fall, New Englanders flock to the apple orchard to savor the fleeting delights of a season in transformation.
First LookSioux artifacts to be returned after century in Massachusetts museumThe Founders Museum in Barre, Massachusetts, will return items to the Lakota Sioux people during an upcoming ceremony. The announcement marks a step toward healing, as the private museum is not legally required to return items to Native American tribes.
In a WordThe words that evoke ‘sound pictures’Stars don’t make sounds we can hear, but saying that they “twinkle” at night is a way of painting a picture with sound.
A John Gould Sampler
‘The First Time I Wore Hearing Aids’: A poet stands up to misunderstandingBritish poet Raymond Antrobus’ latest work, a spoken-word album that emulates how deaf people encounter sound, helps to further his message of understanding and inclusion.
Keepsakes and memories: Finding, in the clutter, a life well livedPacking up to move abroad was a chance to look at the letters, scraps, and notes I accumulated over the decades, seeing who I was and how I’d changed.
‘They teach you’: The art of falconry soars in ItalyHumans often view animals as creatures to be owned as pets or pulled into service. For these Italian falconers, they are teammates.
Solving the mystery of Clayton’s toxic legacyOur old neighbor seemed to delight in illegally dumping his used motor oil. But what is that tree that seems to be thriving in the contaminated soil?
In a WordHuman experience is shared, even if words aren’tJust because you don’t speak Danish doesn’t mean that you can’t experience the particular sense of coziness that the famous "hygge" denotes.
In a WordMeet the ‘noble cousins’ on the family tree of wordsWhen people in Greece make a deal or reach an agreement, they achieve a symphonía. Seeing eye to eye is a “symphony,” which is a beautiful thought.
First coloring, now Lego. More adults discover their inner child.Seemingly trivial hobbies picked up during the pandemic are helping grown-ups rediscover the joys of play and creativity.
‘Spirituals’: Santigold’s latest album rose from pandemic resiliencePop star Santigold found her creativity stalled during the pandemic. But she used the discomfort created by lockdown situations as a tool for evolution – and resilience.
In Pictures: Are New York’s dining sheds here to stay?New York’s restaurant sheds emerged as an emergency stopgap at the start of the pandemic. They’ve since become community fixtures that the city is looking to keep.
Teaching as a heroic profession? ‘Abbott Elementary’ says yes.Television shows are, by nature, feats of celebrity. But our commentator finds humility and heroism center stage in the award-winning sitcom “Abbott Elementary.”
Caught on film, a precious ‘Three Minutes’ in 1938 Jewish Poland“Three Minutes: A Lengthening” builds a documentary around a short home movie clip featuring a Jewish community in Europe shortly before the Holocaust.
