After devouring The Devil in the White City, Erik Larson’s deep dive into the infamous serial killer who plagued Chicago at the time of the 1893 World Fair, I promptly bought another of the author’s titles at my local Barnes & Noble. Due to a series of life events (and overall lack of interest in…
Category: Culture
Book Review: Parisians
In case you’re new here, I’m an American who once upon a decade ago, lived in Paris for a year whilst I completed a master’s degree. That year was one of the best and simultaneously most challenging years of my life. I loved the endless charm of the architecture, the smell of the flowers, the…
A journey in purple (part four)
Day twenty-three: We’re in the final push to the end of the class. This is the time to edit out entire paintings and clean the remaining essentials. I don’t particularly enjoy this phase. It feels rather cold-hearted to abandon something that I created from nothing. As I consider this sentiment, I feel like a true…
A journey in purple (part three)
Day seventeen: Today is the first day back after the university’s spring break. I spent the week leading a group of college students on a volunteer trip to the Englewood neighborhood of Chicago. Most of the trip I spent considering whether or not I was an effective and inspirational leader. Most of the trip I…
A journey in purple (part two)
Day seven: We can only use seven pigments of watercolor paint: Cobalt Blue Hue, Prussian Blue, Cadmium Red Hue, Rose Madder, Lemon yellow, Cadmium Yellow Hue and Payne’s Gray. I spend lots of time thinking about (but never researching) if Payne’s refers to a possessive person, place or thing. I spend very little time using…
A journey in purple (part one)
A rumor that might be truth: purple sells paintings. A reality I know to be truth: despite color theory, purple is almost impossible to create using red and blue paints. The fact I’m left with: I probably won’t be selling many paintings. Day one: My introduction to watercolor class, held in the basement (ahem lower…
Book Review: A Promised Land
With the unforgettable events of early January, it is safe to say that America experienced extreme division through its political landscape. So, what better time to read a political memoir? Written by former president Barack Obama, A Promised Land, was my hefty, but timely choice for early 2021. The 701-page, first-person narrative briefly covered Mr….
Book Review: To Shake the Sleeping Self
Two years ago, I set out to add reading back into my life as a practice and a habit — one that inadvertently pairs well with my other established habit of reflective writing. First and foremost, I read and write for my own benefit. The pursuit of knowledge and wisdom is one selfish act that…
Book Review: Uncommon Type – Some Stories
Uncommon Type by Tom Hanks is a collection of fictional stories that all have some connection (if an extremely loose one) to a typewriter. While each vignette starts with a photo of a typewriter, the machinery rarely plays a part in the plot. The one story that did revolve around the actual typing tool —…
Book Review: The Actor’s Life—A Survival Guide
I have been a fan of the American version of The Office since I first saw an episode (roughly 2007). My extended family was collectively enjoying downtime on Christmas break and my uncle popped in a DVD disk of the show. I followed The Office throughout high school and college, frequently quoting memorable lines with…
L.M.Beatty 