Category Archives: History

Manning Marable’s Biography of Malcolm X

Posted on February 9, 2016 by

My new audiobook this month is Manning Marable’s extensively researched biography of Malcolm X. I heard about the book when it was published five years ago, and I had also heard that Manning tragically passed away around the same time … Continue reading →

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“Best of Enemies” Playing at Coolidge Corner Theatre

Posted on August 26, 2015 by

The Coolidge Corner Theatre is playing Best of Enemies, a documentary about the 1968 debates between William F. Buckley, Jr and Gore Vidal, and the influence these debates had in shaping modern punditry as mass entertainment spoon-fed to the masses … Continue reading →

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Women’s History Month: Reading and Viewing

Posted on March 30, 2015 by

I felt overwhelmed when I thought about what I could write for Women’s History Month. Do I write about how the month became commemorated? About the women that made it (and the other, more shaded side of history) happen? About … Continue reading →

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“She’s Beautiful When She’s Angry”: Documentary on Feminism

Posted on March 1, 2015 by

[A/N 4/17/15: For my full review of the film, click here.] In 2013, an assistant professor at the history department of Boston College thought there was a problem with many students’ attitudes on feminism. The few undergraduates who espoused feminist views … Continue reading →

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Boston NOW: August 2014

Posted on July 30, 2014 by

I’m keeping my fingers crossed that this Boston summer’s mild weather continues, and that temperatures don’t significantly rise. Either way, this is no time to stay at home with a fan and the tube: there’s too much to do. Boston … Continue reading →

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Poem a Day 2014: Kings and Queens in Verse (#6)

Posted on April 6, 2014 by

To strike a playful note for today, the poem I chose comes from a lovely children’s book titled Kings and Queens, by Eleanor and Herbert Farjeon, illustrated by Rosalind Thornycroft. This book was first published in 1932, and my new … Continue reading →

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The Historical Flavors of Hysteria in 19th Century Vienna (Abridged)

Posted on August 28, 2012 by

Psychology has taken great strides in establishing itself as a sturdy science. Firmly based on the scientific method, the study of the mind is no longer antagonistic to empirical data and predictable, observable outcomes. But despite psychology’s attempts to distance … Continue reading →

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