Culture
Today in women’s history: Photographer Diane Arbus was born
March 14, 2014Arbus's photography is known for its portrayal of individuals and groups perceived as "other" or marginal.
Read moreA dramatic meditation on freedom: “The Whipping Man”
March 11, 2014It's1865. Slaves are being freed, soldiers are returning home, and in Jewish homes the freedom festival of Passover is being celebrated. Into war-torn Richmond comes a young, severely wounded Jewish Confederate officer.
Read moreOscars, shmoscars, here are the 2013 Progie film awards
March 11, 2014In an attempt to draw attention to films of social significance with progressive content, I developed The Progie Awards. A collective of international film writers nominates films and actors for these awards.
Read more“Calpurnia Tate”: a girl comes of age in Texas
March 7, 2014Jacqueline Kelly's engrossing young adult novel set on on a Texas cotton and pecan farm with 338 pages that seemingly turn themselves, is a coming of age tale with vast relevance for today's readers.
Read moreAyn Rand, U.S. government, and censoring of Hollywood dissent
March 6, 2014In Dennis Broe's "Film Noir, American Workers and Postwar Hollywood," there is an attempt to categorize the film noir movies of different time periods.
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