Literature

There was a rich man in Changzhou County of what was at that time called Suzhou Province. His name was Long Heng. He was born with a very kind heart and always gave of himself to other people. Long Heng opened a pawnshop and, because of his sense of fairness and justice, his business was […]

One of the most unlikely poems of the modernist period is that by Robert Frost: “The Pasture.” It is unlikely for many reasons. First, it seems more like a Romantic lyric (that is, 100 years too late) because of its rural depiction and its simple, formal diction. Second, its tone is gentle and polite, a […]

Abandon all hope, ye who enter here! So warns the inscription on the gates of the inferno, the first realm of Dante Alighieri’s celebrated work, now known as the “Divine Comedy.” “La Commedia,” as Dante originally named it, is an imaginary journey through the three realms of the afterlife: inferno (hell), purgatorio (purgatory), and paradiso […]

One day, after collecting firewood from the forest, Zhao Zan was on his way home. His mother was in the yard preparing to cook dinner. Then, a tiger ran into the village and directly into Zan’s yard. At that moment, Zan arrived at the village and all the villagers called out to him, “Don’t go […]

A man named Wang Xiang lived during the Jin Dynasty. He was well-known for his filial piety. Wang Xiang’s mother died when he was a child. His father remarried and his stepmother hated him. She frequently beat him and blamed him for the smallest things. Soon, Wang Xiang’s father joined his stepmother in berating him, […]

A basic tenet of ancient Chinese beliefs was that of filial piety, or caring for one’s parents. Both King Wen and his son King Wu were excellent examples of this ideal. King Wen of Zhou’s Filial Piety King Wen of the Zhou Dynasty, also known as Ji Chang, was a sage king in Chinese history. […]

Fox anchorwoman Harris Faulkner’s new book, “9 Rules of Engagement: A Military Brat’s Guide to Life and Success,” reveals how her father achieved the American Dream—and not just the dream of providing well for his family, but the dream as the term was originally coined. In his 1931 book “The Epic of America,” James Truslow Adams […]

“Somewhere in La Mancha, in a place whose name I do not care to remember…” This line, arguably the most famous in the history of Spanish literature, is the opening of “The Ingenious Nobleman Don Quixote of La Mancha” by Miguel de Cervantes, the first modern novel. Published in two parts in 1605 and 1615, this […]

“The Epic of Gilgamesh” has been in Andrew George’s life since he was 15 years old; it’s a poem he’s grown up with and grown older with. “It’s one of those texts that changes as you go back to it. It is so profound and full of meaning that the more life experience you bring […]

News Analysis STOCKHOLM—There won’t be a Nobel Prize in Literature awarded in 2018. The reason: A reckoning following decades of alleged sexual misconduct among the very cream of the Swedish cultural elite. The Swedish Academy is internationally known almost exclusively for selecting the recipient of the world’s most prestigious literary award, the Nobel Prize in […]

NEW YORK—We might form certain notions in our minds about famous people from the way they have been written about in history books, presented in the media, or talked about in everyday conversation. But if we see their autographs—their handwriting in a document, a fleeting note, or an intimate letter—our notions about them may change. […]

Friends of Falun Gong concluded its third annual poetry contest, which attracted over 150 participants from around the globe. The contest was co-hosted by the Society of Classical Poets, an online journal dedicated to the revival of traditional English poetry. Friends of Falun Gong is an American nonprofit organization formed by citizens concerned about the […]

Yu Shun, also known as Chong Hua, had a father, named Gu Sou, who was blind. His stepmother gave birth to a boy named Xiang. Much like his parents, Xiang was very vicious toward Shun. Their father liked Xiang very much and always looked for a chance to get rid of Shun. One day, Shun’s […]

LONDON—Award-winning writer Lionel Shriver has been sacked from a competition panel after describing a publishing giant as “drunk on virtue” in an article challenging the supremacy of diversity over talent. Shriver is perhaps best known for her novel “We Need To Talk About Kevin,” which won the UK Women’s Prize For Fiction in 2005. Writing in the center-right […]

TORONTO—Poetry can offer hope in the darkest times. Especially in today’s age of technological competition and materialism, poetry comes as a reminder of our shared humanity and spirituality. “A bad person cannot write a good poem,” said Romanian poet Ana Blandiana as she stepped on the stage to accept her Lifetime Recognition Award from the […]

Today we fully expect film, television, and theater to use music to shape meaning. The screeching violins of “Psycho” and the menacing “Jaws” theme, for instance, both depend on a shared 20th-century dramatic language in which music indicates mood. Rewind 400 years and it may not seem like the same is true. Take Shakespearean drama. Many modern […]

On May 31, 1988, President Ronald Reagan stood on Soviet soil and addressed a packed audience at Moscow State University. This fourth in a series of summits between Reagan and Soviet General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev was part of their tireless efforts to reduce the nuclear threat at the time. Reagan understood that this wasn’t a […]

Motherhood is getting considerable attention, even if much of the news is concerning. Fertility rates are falling in America as millennials decide not to have children. This should hardly come as a surprise. The cost of raising a child to adulthood has been increasing, and real median household income has only just regained its 1999 level. At this time, when it […]

Artist and documentary filmmaker Masha Savitz recently released her debut book, “Fish Eyes for Pearls: A Magical Realism Memoir.” This “experimental memoir,” as the author has categorized it, is a journey that delves into understandings of aesthetics, memory, relationships, and predestination. Its unique structure redefines what literary nonfiction can be. Savitz is perhaps best known […]

When Ken Ludwig’s daughter was just 6 years old, he, as with most dads, wanted to get to know her and share one of his own loves. As a two-time Olivier Award-winning playwright, Ludwig’s love just happened to be Shakespeare. He started with his daughter and then his son. “I just loved sitting down with […]

Trees were once considered sacred and awe-inspiring: Oaks were worshiped by the European Druids, redwoods were a part of American Indian ritual, and baobabs a part of African tribal life. Ancient Chinese records describe the Ginkgo biloba as a living fossil tree. The ancient Romans and scholars during the Middle Ages venerated trees in their literature. Today we often admire […]

TORONTO—The University of Toronto says it now owns the oldest English-language book in Canada, a 15th century text that introduced ancient ideas to new audiences. The book is an English translation of essays by Roman politician Marcus Tullius Cicero— “De amicitia” (Of Friendship) and “De senectute” (Of Old Age) —published in 1481 by William Caxton, […]

It should be noted that Todd S. Purdum’s “Something Wonderful: Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Broadway Revolution” is not about composer Richard Rodgers (1902–1979) and lyricist-librettist Oscar Hammerstein II (1895–1960) per se. Rather, it’s about what happened when the two men teamed up and the theatrical magic that ensued. Yet despite all the enjoyable nuggets provided in this […]

Poetry can be so elaborate and so profound. Yet in the following poem by J. J. Bitters, a little girl tears us up with a simple yet very sincere verse. Enjoy! Published with the permission of The Society of Classical Poets. The Society’s mission is to preserve humankind’s artistic traditions; to reestablish poetry as one […]

With several books and many films under the Dutchers’ belts, including Discovery Channel’s successful documentary “Wolves at Our Door” (which garnered an Emmy for Jim’s cinematography and one for his wife Jamie’s sound mixing), the couple has produced an enthralling addition to their body of work. Their latest effort, a book called “The Wisdom of Wolves: […]

With its round amphitheater, The Globe is the most famous playhouse associated with William Shakespeare. But long before Shakespeare or his plays appeared at the Globe, another forgotten stage was the Bard’s temporary home. It is even possible that the first purpose-built stage to house Shakespeare was at a playhouse that stood a mile south […]

Author, academic, and home-school expert Susan Wise Bauer’s latest book seems to have flown under the radar since its release earlier this year, but “Rethinking School: How to Take Charge of Your Child’s Education” should be on the nightstand of every parent, every teacher, and anyone invested in the education of our children. While Bauer […]