All Culture
- The ExplainerDiwali: Why the Hindu Festival of Lights is spreading around the world
Diwali has been celebrated in South Asia for 2,500 years. But in recent years, the Hindu Festival of Lights has resonated more broadly.
- Difference MakerThis East St. Louis grocer tends an oasis of uplift in a food desert
An East St. Louis corner store is a lifeline for residents who have to travel far to a supermarket for food. It’s also a hive of social connection.
- In a WordHave you tried ‘gongoozling’ and other hobbies?
Many hobbies – from gongoozling to scutelliphily – have odd names. But there's also a linguistic reasoning behind them.
- Everyday feats that are arguably Olympian
Being the world’s fastest human is one thing. What about other records, like forgetting to bring reusable shopping bags to grocery 216 trips in a row?
- First LookDetails emerge showing safety negligence in 'Rust' shooting
How could an accidental, fatal shooting occur on a movie set with a budget of $7 million? Experts are speaking out about “Rust” and the crew’s negligence of weapons management, raising questions about the film industry’s pursuit of profit at the cost of safety.
- Sparked by ‘Sanditon,’ author creates nuanced Black colonial characters
Sparked by Jane Austen’s “Sanditon,” Vanessa Riley features nuanced Black characters in British colonial times in her romances and historical fiction.
- Identity and adoption: ‘Found’ follows American teens as they return to China
The Netflix documentary “Found” puts a human face on China’s one-child policy as three American teens return to their roots.
- Identity and adoption: ‘Found’ follows American teens as they return to China
The Netflix documentary “Found” puts a human face on China’s one-child policy as three American teens return to their roots.
- First LookIn wake of Baldwin's misfire, should CGI replace guns on set?
After Alec Baldwin fatally shot a cinematographer on a film set by accident with a prop gun, a petition was launched over the weekend calling on Hollywood to replace live weapons with computer-generated imagery when filming.
- In a WordA ‘hobby’ wasn’t always considered a good thing
In the 19th century, as middle-class leisure time increased, it became fashionable to pursue activities that would have previously seemed frivolous.
- A bold call for local reform, a quick text to Mom
Abruptly home from college, my son and his friends started a local political party. Then I – his mother – became their candidate.
- Sci-fi classic ‘Dune’ returns to the big screen. Does it succeed?
The novel from the 1960s influenced subsequent sci-fi epics like the “Star Wars” franchise. But “Dune,” by Frank Herbert, looks for its own movie magic.
- In a WordHow ‘gaslighting’ became a common accusation
Instead of two people discussing where their perceptions of reality might differ, accusations of "gaslighting" shut down the conversation entirely.
- Joshua Tree in pictures: Visions and vistas in the high desert
In Joshua Tree National Park, our photographer and essayist find an irresistible allure – of art, beauty, and a landscape that feels older than time.
- An autumn harvest of joy – and apples
Our totes were overflowing. But Sebastian turned toward the trees, lamenting, “But there are still so many apples left.”
- In a WordHow tongue twisters delight word lovers across the globe
According to Guinness World Records, the most challenging English tongue twister is “The sixth sick sheikh’s sixth sheep’s sick.”
- ‘Mass’ filmmaker explores forgiveness and reconciliation after tragedy
In an effort to understand the reasons for and effect of mass shootings, Fran Kranz wrote and directed the new movie “Mass,” which offers lessons for a divided world.
- ‘No Time To Die’ offers Bond fun, but what’s next for 007?
As the latest James Bond movie “No Time To Die” is released, the Monitor’s film critic considers what kind of big-screen spy today’s world really needs.
- From beetles to clouds, finding happiness in nature’s surprises
The power of surprise does not diminish with education. Education only improves your odds of being elated by something.
- In a WordHow the ‘bootstrap’ idiom became a cultural ideal
What's in a phrase? How "pulling yourself up by your bootstraps" went from describing an absurd, impossible feat to an American ideal.