Books
visiting author
Alumn and author Daniel Kimmel talks business and sci-fi
Author and film critic Daniel Kimmel knows you probably haven’t heard of him. “I’m not a household name — I have no relation to Jimmy,” Kimmel said at the beginning of his speech. A baby boomer in a bow-tie, Kimmel graduated in 1977 with a degree in psychology, later going on to law school, and […]
scary story
CT Recommends: ‘Click-clack the Rattlebag’
My favorite thing about Halloween is the mood and atmosphere. I like it so much, that I try to stretch it out for a whole month, like people do with Christmas. I used to prolong the holiday by watching only horror movies during October, but I don’t have time for that anymore. This month, I’ve […]
Meliora Weekend
Author and smooth talker Ann Patchett visits Strong
Sarah Mangelsdorf welcomed Ann Patchett to Strong Auditorium on Saturday afternoon by listing a few of her accolades — an MFA from the Iowa Writers’ Workshop, a spot as one of Time Magazine’s Most Influential People of 2012, an Orange Prize, a PEN/Faulkner Award — but concluded her opening remarks by saying that her husband, […]
books
‘Infinite Jest’: A must-read in a digital age
These days our technologies — phones, laptops, personal voice assistants — seem to dominate every sphere of our existence. Take a walk through the dining hall, or Rush Rhees, and look around; you’ll be hard pressed to find a person whose eyes aren’t — at least periodically — glued to their phone screen or laptop. […]
bookstores
Browsing through Rochester’s used bookstores
There are few things like a used bookstore. There’s the distinctive smell, probably a cat slinking around, old records in the corner, or maybe a weird sculpture. Piles of books are scattered or spilling off the shelves, the atmosphere is nearly always subdued and warm, with most likely an aging owner presiding over their domain […]
Game of Thrones
Arya Stark and the trouble with narrative endgames
The books and the show are suffering from different strains of the same disease. Read More
anime
Is My Hero Academia the Japanese Marvel?
Perhaps the most well-known superhero franchise is the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The influences of the American superhero culture have spread around the world and inspired many new productions. While the rage of MCU mania continues to boom, “My Hero Academia” is a rising star that provides a breath of fresh air to the superhero genre. […]
comics
What Stan Lee really gave us
We can sling words about Grandpa Marvel all day ― visionary, salesman, genius, liar. But everyone agrees the artistic world would have been measurably different without him. Stan Lee reinvigorated the comic book industry and laid a foundation for a multi-billion dollar movie-verse. But would we have missed this comic-book renaissance without Lee? Do we […]
history
Biographer Ron Chernow offers history and advice at Mel Weekend
Pulitzer-winning biographer Ron Chernow imparted historical perspective and life advice this past Mel Weekend, painting an unconventional but compelling portrait of Ulysses S. Grant along the way. Chernow is known for works on George Washington and Alexander Hamilton — the latter inspiring Lin-Manuel Miranda’s smash-hit musical, on which Chernow served as historical consultant. He visited […]
Books
Orhan Pamuk discusses work at Interfaith Chapel lecture
Pamuk’s talk — a discussion with Sevinç Türkkan, a religion and classic professor — revolved around “The Red-Haired Woman” and how it functions as a conversation between his own memory and existing mythology. Read More
