Tag Archives: Culture

Culture/History: The Many Lives Of Abbeys In France

FRANCE 24 (March 21, 2023) – Once important seats of Christian worship, and now treasures of the country’s heritage, French abbeys often have surprising histories. That’s the case of Fontevraud abbey, in the former duchy of Anjou. Run by a woman during its heyday, the abbey was turned into a prison after the French Revolution.

In Alsace, the abbey of Mont Sainte-Odile is famous for its supposedly miraculous spring water. Finally, on the outskirts of Montpellier, Valmagne abbey used to be a wine cellar. Visitors can still observe the gigantic barrels that were once used to store thousands of litres of wine.

Previews: The New Yorker Magazine – March 27, 2023

A figure wearing  very large colorful sneakers poses against a green background.
Art by Sarula Bao

The New Yorker – March 27, 2023 issue:

Will the Ozempic Era Change How We Think About Being Fat and Being Thin?

Two abstract bodies one big and one skinny gravitate towards the top and bottom of the image. The top is yellow while...

A popular, growing class of drugs for obesity and diabetes could, in an ideal world, help us see that metabolism and appetite are biological facts, not moral choices.

How the Graphic Designer Milton Glaser Made America Cool Again

Colors radiating from the tip of a pen.

From the poster that turned Bob Dylan into an icon to the logo that helped revive a flagging city, he gave sharp outlines to the spirit of an age.

The Good Life France Magazine – Spring 2023

The Good Life France Magazine Spring 2023 - The Good Life France

The Good Life France Magazine – Spring 2023:

This issue whisks off to the lovely Loire Valley to discover two historic royal castles – Loches and Chinon as well as – the real Sleeping Beauty castle and gorgeous Villandry which has fairy tale pretty gardens – garden envy guaranteed. Read the extraordinary story of a postman who built a palace from pebbles with his bare hands in a tiny village in the Drôme, southeastern France. Not only that – he did it at night after he finished work – by candle light!

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Follow the history of the Plantagenet English Kings through Anjou and Normandy. Fall in love with exquisite Vaucluse in Provence where nature has a party in the spring. And sigh over chocolate box lid pretty Le Perche in Normandy.

Come with us to the Roman city of Arles, Aigues Mortes – where the sea is pure pink and flamingos roam, and to sunny, festive Sète with its incredible lagoons. Discover delicious Lyon, the gastronomic capital of France, and its surroundings. Explore Brittany and Les Charentes – Charente and Charente-Maritime. Fairy tale pretty Alsace is unmissable – we look at the most picturesque villages and the historic wine route. Plus the magic of sun-kissed Provence captured in photos, will have you dreaming.

The New York Times Book Review – March 19, 2023

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The New York Times Book Review – March 19, 2023:

In Matthew Desmond’s ‘Poverty, by America,’ the Culprit Is Us

This illustration, in shades of red, white, blue and black, shows the silhouetted figures of a family around a table. The parents hover over a large tureen containing black liquid, while, on either side of them, smaller figures — their offspring — lean over smaller bowls filled with the same substance. In the background, red and white vertical stripes are visible, suggesting an American flag.
Credit…Ola Jasionowska

The new book by the sociologist and author of “Evicted” examines the persistence of want in the wealthy United States, finding that keeping some citizens poor serves the interests of many.

Read Your Way Through São Paulo

A woman is reading a book on a bench in a park with the cityscape of São Paulo in the background. A cat is sleeping next to her.
Credit…Raphaelle Macaron

Brazil’s ultra urban megacity overwhelms the landscape and the imagination. Paulo Scott recommends books that peel back its layers.

With Karl Lagerfeld, the Clothes Were Only Part of the Story

A photograph of Karl Lagerfeld surrounded by models, several of them in black sequined dresses. Lagerfeld is wearing sunglasses and has his hair pulled back in a white ponytail. He is in a black suit and tie, a white shirt with a high stiff collar, and is carrying an open fan in his right hand.

The fashion world’s hunger for larger-than-life figures glorified the designer. But a cozy new biography shows him to be more business whiz than artist.

Previews: The New Yorker Magazine – March 20, 2023

Sergio García Sánchez's “Pulling Ahead” | The New Yorker
Art by Sergio García Sánchez, March 2023

The New Yorker – March 20, 2023 issue:

What Conversation Can Do for Us

Two figures talking through speech bubbles that weave into one another.

Our culture is dominated by efforts to score points and win arguments. But do we really talk anymore?

There was once a time when strangers talked to one another, sometimes eagerly. “In past eras, daily life made it necessary for individuals to engage with others different from themselves,” Paula Marantz Cohen explains. In those moments of unpredictability and serendipity, we confronted difference. There were no smartphones, message boards, or online factions. Maybe because life moved at a slower pace, and every interaction wasn’t so freighted with political meaning, we had the opportunity to recognize our full humanity. Nowadays, she argues, we are sectarian and “self-soothing,” having fallen out of such practice. What we need is to return to the basics: to brush up on the art of conversation.

A Coup at the WestView News

Newspapers and a highheel shoe sitting on stairs.

A succession battle involving a fight for the patronage of Sarah Jessica Parker threatens to stop the presses at a Greenwich Village newspaper.

The Little-Known World of Caterpillars

An illustrated collection of colorful caterpillars drawn in marker.

An entomologist races to find them before they disappear.

Caterpillars are to lepidoptera—butterflies and moths—what grubs are to beetles and maggots are to flies; they are larvae. Even among nature lovers, larvae tend to be unloved. For every ten butterfly fanciers, there are approximately zero caterpillar enthusiasts. The reason for this will, to most, seem obvious. The worm in the apple is usually a caterpillar.

The New York Times Book Review – March 12, 2023

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The New York Times Book Review – March 12, 2023:

Big Money, Big Houses and Big Problems in Brooklyn Heights

This is an illustration — done in white, yellow and shades of blue — of a gaggle of fancily dressed people in a well appointed living room. Their faces aren't visible but their jewelry and hair accessories are.

In Jenny Jackson’s debut novel, “Pineapple Street,” readers get a tour of a world they might learn not to envy by the end of the book.

22 Works of Fiction to Read This Spring

Watch for reality-bending explorations of time and space, a Western horror novel from Victor LaValle and new fiction from Han Kang. Plus: Tom Hanks (yes, that Tom Hanks) releases his debut novel.

The Marquis de Sade’s Filthy, Pricey 40-Foot Scroll of Depravity

A new book by Joel Warner traces the fate of the parchment on which the infamous author wrote “120 Days of Sodom,” a trail involving scholars, aristocrats and thieves — and lots of money.

Travel & Culture: Romeing Magazine – March 2023

Romeing Magazine – March 2023:

The ultimate guide to Rome’s historic centre

Guide to Rome's Centro Storico Neighbourhood

Every city has its historic center, but none can compare to Rome’s. Walking through the beloved centro storico – the Second Unesco World Heritage Site in Italy – is unlike any other stroll.

An escape from the city to discover ancient Roman trails, majestic mountains and rustic villages

Trekking near Rome: discover Latium's natural beauty on foot

Latium is not only known for being the region hosting the eternal city of Rome, but also for its picturesque landscapes, beautiful mountain ranges, and stunning natural reserves. One of the best ways to explore its beauty is by trekking: here are five of the most impressive trails the region has to offer, just a stone’s throw from the centre of Rome!

Previews: The New Yorker Magazine – March 13, 2023

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The New Yorker – March 13, 2023 issue:

How Russian Journalists in Exile Are Covering the War in Ukraine

Ekaterina Kotrikadze, TV Rain’s news director, at the studio in Latvia.

Dozens of media outlets have fled to the capital of Latvia, only to encounter a distrustful public and a set of strictly enforced laws and regulations.

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Biomilq and the New Science of Artificial Breast Milk

A baby sucks on a bottle attached to an intricate machine of pipes and beakers that form the silhouette of a breast-feeding mother.

The biotech industry takes on infant nutrition.

Why We Never Have Enough Time

An alarm clock without a traditional clock face; instead we can see inside it to a beautiful nature scene.

In her new book, Jenny Odell argues that structural forces have commodified our moments, days, and years. Can our lost time be reclaimed?

The New York Times Book Review – March 5, 2023

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The New York Times Book Review – March 5, 2023:

Walter Mosley’s New York: Classes Divided, Races at War

His new novel, “Every Man a King,” is a hard-boiled tale of billionaires, white nationalists and a detective with a complicated past.

The Cousins Who Ruled 19th-Century Europe, Miserably

CREDITANNA RESMINI

“Empty Theatre,” a novel by Jac Jemc, reimagines the lives of two eccentric royals, King Ludwig II of Bavaria and Empress Elisabeth of Austria.

For Thomas Mann, the World’s Chaos Is Inside the House

A newly translated story by the German master explores a father’s feelings for his children in a time of fierce social change.

A Louche Life Set to a Show-Tunes Score

In his name-dropping novel “Up With the Sun,” Thomas Mallon fictionalizes the minor career and tabloid murder of the Broadway actor Dick Kallman.

Travel & History: Inside Stories Of German Castles

DW Travel (March 1, 2023) – You’ve likely heard of Germany’s famous Neuschwanstein castle, or Potsdam’s Sanssouci palace. But did you know one of the country’s best-known castles only became famous as a ruin? And that some German castles served as fortified customs offices? Here are some of the biggest misconceptions involving German castles palaces.

Video timeline: 0:00 Intro 0:28 Neuschwanstein – a medieval castle? 2:06 Sanssouci – palace or garden hut? 3:35 Is it too expensive to rebuild Heidelberg castle? 5:00 Why do so many castles line river Rhine? 6:25 Are all German castles and palaces owned by the state?