Tag Archives: Writing

History Today Magazine — February 2025 Preview

January 23, 2025 She Seeks Serene Leave a comment

History Today | The World's Leading Serious History Magazine

HISTORY TODAY MAGAZINE (January 23, 2025): The latest issue features the destruction of medieval England’s Jews, British soldiers in the American Revolutionary War, unreported murder in East Germany, ‘mad duchess’ Elizabeth Cavendish, and more.

Portugal, the Mamluks, and the Age of Discovery

For the Portuguese empire to rise, an old world had to give way. Rivals in Europe’s lucrative spice trade, how much did they know about the powerful Mamluk sultanate?

Behind Donald Trump’s Palace Walls

The vagaries of palace politics are notoriously difficult to record. Historians should pay attention to rumour.

Who to Blame for Early Modern Climate Change?

The changing climate of the Little Ice Age forced radical thinkers to reconsider humanity’s place in the universe.

‘Man-Devil’ by John J. Callanan review

Man-Devil: The Mind and Times of Bernard Mandeville, the Wickedest Man in Europe by John J. Callanan revels in the making of the controversial satirist and philosopher.

Arts & Literature, Books, Magazines, Opinion, Reviews

The New York Review Of Books – February 13, 2025

January 23, 2025 She Seeks Serene Leave a comment

THE NEW YORK REVIEW OF BOOKS (January 23, 2025): The latest issue features…

Urgent Messages from Eternity

An exhibition of Franz Kafka’s postcards, letters, and manuscript pages rekindles our sense of him as a writer deeply connected to his own time and place.

Franz Kafka – an exhibition at the Bodleian Library, Oxford, May 30–October 27, 2024, and the Morgan Library and Museum, New York City, November 22, 2024–April 13, 2025

Guatemala: Democracy Imperiled

Bernardo Arévalo’s inauguration last year as president of Guatemala symbolized the revival of democracy in a notoriously corrupt country. A concerted effort by obstructionist elites now threatens to oust him on specious grounds—and bring repression back.

Farmer George

Bruce Ragsdale’s Washington at the Plow examines the connections between the first president’s commitment to agricultural innovation and his evolving attitudes toward his enslaved laborers at Mount Vernon.

Washington at the Plow: The Founding Farmer and the Question of Slavery by Bruce A. Ragsdale

Arts & Literature, Awards, Books, Reviews

Awards: The Top Science + Literature Books Of 2025

January 22, 2025 She Seeks Serene Leave a comment

Announcing the 2025 Science + Literature Titles - National Book Foundation

NATIONAL BOOK FOUNDATION (January 22, 2025): The National Book Foundation (NBF) and the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation today announced selected titles for the fourth year of the Science + Literature program.

Ramona Ausubel, The Last Animal

Riverhead Books / Penguin Random House

“…follows two teenage sisters who join their mother—a paleontology graduate student—on scientific expeditions near and far. Ausubel’s novel captures the wonder of scientific discovery as Jane and her daughters navigate grief, sexism, and a journey to find a wooly mammoth and themselves.“

Claire Wahmanholm, Meltwater

Milkweed Editions

“…dissects the vulnerability of parenthood and our natural world, with embedded erasure poems of Lacy M. Johnson’s “How to Mourn a Glacier” throughout the collection. Meltwater simultaneously mourns the disastrous effects of the climate crisis while finding moments of joy in the everyday through the eyes of a new mother.“

Ed Yong, An Immense World: How Animal Senses Reveal the Hidden Realms Around Us

An Immense World: How Animal Senses Reveal the Hidden Realms Around Us: Yong, Ed: 9780593133231: Amazon.com: Books

Random House / Penguin Random House

“…invites readers into the remarkable sensory worlds of birds, bugs, crocodiles, dogs, and many other animals to show us how these creatures experience the world. Yong argues that all creatures, humans included, have their own unique way of perceiving their surroundings, making the case for why we must collectively protect our biologically diverse planet.”

News, Newspapers, Opinion, Politics, Uncategorized

The New York Times – Tuesday, January 21, 2025

January 21, 2025 She Seeks Serene Leave a comment

Trump Cites His Own Victories as Sign He Will Lift a Country in ‘Decline’

In his second inaugural address, the president reprised dark themes from his first and laid out an expansive policy agenda.

For Trump, a Vindication for the Man and His Movement

Donald John Trump took the oath of office again during a ceremony in the Capitol, promising a new “golden age of America” four years after he was evicted by voters.

Biden in Final Hours Pardons Relatives and Others to Thwart Trump Reprisals

President Biden used his executive clemency power to protect people targeted by Donald J. Trump, including five members of his family as well as Liz Cheney, Anthony S. Fauci and Mark A. Milley.

A Determined Trump Vows Not to Be Thwarted at Home or Abroad

Wiser about the use of power, the newly sworn-in president suggests that this time he will not take no for an answer, whether in enacting an ambitious domestic agenda or in his expansionist worldview.

Investing, Magazines, Previews, Retirement

Barron’s Magazine – January 20, 2025 Preview

January 18, 2025 She Seeks Serene Leave a comment

BARRON’S MAGAZINE (January 18, 2025): The latest issue features ‘The Picks’…

Arm, Smucker, and 32 Other Investment Ideas From Our Pros for 2025

Stocks are pricey—but there are values to be had. Learn more about our panelists’ picks in this week’s Roundtable installment.

How the Wildfires Could Reshape California Mortgage Lending

If the insurance industry stops writing policies for California homes, it will ultimately hit the mortgage industry.

How California’s Wildfires Could Lead to Higher Insurance Costs for the Rest of the Country

Premiums have been rising sharply in recent years. The L.A. disaster will make matters worse.

Medicare Advantage Plans Are Tightening Their Belts. Now’s the Time to Switch.

Skimpier benefits are coming as insurers look for cost savings. What to know if you want to switch plans.

Magazines, Opinion, Politics, Reviews

The Guardian Weekly – January 17, 2025 Preview

January 16, 2025 She Seeks Serene Leave a comment

THE GUARDIAN WEEKLY (January 16, 2025): The latest issue features ‘Facing Facts’ – Facebook, Trump and the war on truth…

More than 3 billion people worldwide log on to Meta’s apps every day, the sort of reach most aspiring global megalomaniacs can only dream of. It’s also one of the main reasons why the decision by Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta – the company behind Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp and Threads – to scrap its third-party factcheckers in the US is so significant.

That Zuckerberg, who has been under huge pressure from US president-elect Donald Trump, made the decision is hardly surprising. But it should be another worrying moment for anyone who is concerned about the survival of objective truth.

Spotlight | The devastation of Los Angeles
Gabrielle Canon reports from Pacific Palisades, where the traumatised and displaced have been picking over the wildfire-ruined remains of beloved homes and communities

Feature | Caroline Darian interview
The daughter of Dominique and Gisèle Pelicot is coming to terms with being the child of both victim and perpetrator in the biggest rape trial in French history. Angelique Chrisafis hears her story

Feature | The deadliest beings on the planet
Microscopic bacteriophages are everywhere – it’s estimated that they can infect and destroy between 20% and 40% of all microbes every day. But some scientists believe phages can help in the f ight against superbugs. By Jackson Ryan

Opinion | We forget Sudan at our peril
Almost two years into a civil war, Sudan is facing anarchy, famine, genocide – and ambivalence from the rest of the world, writes Nesrine Malik

Culture | By a thread – the art of Doris Salcedo
The Colombian artist Doris Salcedo transforms collective grief into art, confronting the scars of conflict and displacement with delicate yet powerful creations. Tim Adams spoke to her

News, Newspapers, Opinion, Politics, Uncategorized

The New York Times —- Thursday, January 16, 2025

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Negotiators Agree to Long-Awaited Cease-Fire and Hostage Deal for Gaza

The agreement, which must still be approved by the Israeli cabinet, incited joy in the Gaza Strip and Israel, even as some feared that it could fall apart.

How the Cease-Fire Push Brought Together Biden and Trump’s Teams

Rarely have representatives of current and new presidents of different parties worked together at such a high-stakes moment. But the president and the president-elect didn’t quite share credit.

F.D.A. Bans Red Dye 3 in Foods, Linking It to Cancer in Rats

Consumer and food safety groups have long urged the agency to revoke the use of this dye and others. The F.D.A. says studies have shown that it causes cancer in rats, but not in humans.

Shattered in the Fire: A Historic Black Haven

For Black residents, Altadena represented something more than suburban living. It was a foothold in generational prosperity.

News, Newspapers, Opinion, Politics, Uncategorized

The New York Times – Tuesday, January 14, 2025

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Once the Fires Are Out, California Must Remove Tons of Dangerous Debris

Clearing the toxic remnants of burned buildings around Los Angeles will require a complex and expensive mobilization. California has been there before.

This Is Where the Palisades Fire Started

In the hills above Pacific Palisades, there is crime scene tape and scattered debris, clues to what may have caused the initial fire that eventually raged through thousands of structures.

Biden Aides Warned Putin as Russia’s Shadow War Threatened Air Disaster

The White House scrambled to get a message to President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia last year after U.S. intelligence agencies said a Russian military unit was preparing to send explosive packages on cargo planes.

Battles Rage Inside Russia, With Waves of Tanks, Drones and North Koreans

Ukrainian soldiers are describing fierce clashes as Russian forces try to retake territory in the Kursk region that could be key in eventual cease-fire talks.

News, Newspapers, Opinion, Politics

The New York Times – Monday, January 13, 2025

January 13, 2025 She Seeks Serene Leave a comment

Before Taking Office, L.A.’s Mayor Said She Would Not Go Abroad

Mayor Karen Bass of Los Angeles has been criticized for being out of the country when the wildfires broke out. Three years ago, she promised in an interview to cut back on her world travel and focus on the city.

Despite Trump’s Attacks, Republicans Made Big Gains in Mail Voting

As Republican voters embraced a practice that Donald J. Trump railed against for years, softening his tone only slightly in 2024, the party eroded a key Democratic advantage across the country.

Palisades Lost

Days after a devastating wildfire, residents of Pacific Palisades have started sifting through the ruins, and their memories.

Fed-Up Voters in Louisiana Wanted a Change. They Drafted an ‘Old Ball Coach.’

Sid Edwards was a high school football coach who had never run for office. Now, he’s the mayor of Baton Rouge, Louisiana’s second-largest city.

News, Newspapers, Opinion, Politics

The New York Times – Sunday, January 12, 2025

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L.A. Was Prepared for Serious Fires. But It Wasn’t Ready for Four.

“There were too many houses to protect, and not enough engines,” one fire captain in Los Angeles said. Though fire officials say they were well-prepared and simply overwhelmed by the elements, questions are being raised about whether the intensity of modern fires requires a new playbook.

‘We’re in a New Era’: How Climate Change Is Supercharging Disasters

Extreme weather events — deadly heat waves, floods, fires and hurricanes — are the consequences of a warming planet, scientists say.

Inside Mark Zuckerberg’s Sprint to Remake Meta for the Trump Era

After visiting President-elect Donald J. Trump in November, Mr. Zuckerberg decided to relax Meta’s speech policies. He asked a small team to carry out his goals within weeks. The repercussions are just beginning.

Putin Gets a Snub in the Vast Wine Cellars of a Former Soviet Republic

The Russian president celebrated his 50th birthday at a winery in Moldova. After the invasion of Ukraine, it moved the bottles he was given away from public view.