Born in the summer of 1956, American celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain was a truly one-of-a-kind figure in the world of culinary art. Known equally for his talent and for his unique perspective and humor, his books and television programs were adored by many and secured him as a household name all over the world. BornContinue reading “Anthony Bourdain: Eccentric Rockstar Chef.”
Category Archives: Creating a Collection
Sylvia Plath: America’s Modern Tragic Poetess.
Sylvia Plath was born in the fall of 1932 in Boston, Massachusetts to parents of Austrian and German descent. Destined to become one of the foremost writers of her time and genre, she was born into an intellectual household. Her father was an entomologist, professor of biology, and scientific author. Plath herself began showing herContinue reading “Sylvia Plath: America’s Modern Tragic Poetess.”
Shel Silverstein: Man of Many Talents
Born in Chicago, Illinois in the fall of 1930, Shel Silverstein is remembered as one of the most prominent voices in children’s literature and poetry in the 20th century. His career, however, spanned multiple genres, including cartoons, plays, and music. He was the recipient of two Grammy awards and was among the nominees for theContinue reading “Shel Silverstein: Man of Many Talents”
Milton Friedman: Nobel Prize-Winning Economist and Scholar.
One of the most influential economists of the twentieth century, American economist Milton Friedman received the 1976 Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences for his research on consumption analysis, monetary history and theory and the complexity of stabilization policy. His work is so significant that it is now required reading for any student of economicContinue reading “Milton Friedman: Nobel Prize-Winning Economist and Scholar.”
The Great American Novels of Cormac McCarthy.
Named by Harold Bloom as one of the four great American novelists of his time (alongside Thomas Pynchon, Philip Roth, and Don DeLillo), Cormac McCarthy published twelve novels over the course of his lifetime, spanning the Southern Gothic, Western and post-apocalyptic genres. Economic in style, his fiction was dark and often violent, featuring characters who,Continue reading “The Great American Novels of Cormac McCarthy.”
Virginia Woolf: Avant-Garde Literary Pioneer.
The author of such notable books as Mrs. Dalloway and To the Lighthouse, English writer Virginia Woolf is an established name in the realm of fiction. A pioneer in the use of stream of consciousness as a narrative device, her unique style and method of storytelling has distinguished her as one of the more importantContinue reading “Virginia Woolf: Avant-Garde Literary Pioneer.”
The Portraits of George Washington: Icon of American Patriotism.
The first President of the United States, George Washington served as Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War, and later presided over the 1787 convention that drafted the United States Constitution. He is popularly considered the driving force behind the nation’s establishment and came to be known as the “father of theContinue reading “The Portraits of George Washington: Icon of American Patriotism.”
The Political Life and Legacy of Ronald Reagan.
Widely considered one of the most influential American Presidents to date, Ronald Wilson Reagan remains one of the most iconic figures within the American Republican Party. As the leader of the modern conservative movement, Reagan altered the the political dynamic of the United States and his policies and beliefs have been frequently invoked by severalContinue reading “The Political Life and Legacy of Ronald Reagan.”
Collecting Americana: the Founding Texts of American History.
One of the most fascinating genres to collect, Americana encompasses a broad range of titles, the most rare and desirable being the earliest texts printed in America. Containing resounding messages that played a significant role in the foundation and political history of the United States, among the most important books in American history are ThomasContinue reading “Collecting Americana: the Founding Texts of American History.”
Current Exhibition: Jurassic Park at 30 and the Dust Jacket Designs of Chip Kidd.
Published by Alfred A. Knopf on November 20, 1990, Michael Crichton’s best-selling science fiction novel Jurassic Park definitively established its author as “the most commercially successful science fiction writer of all time” (Robinson, 208). Designed by American artist and graphic designer Chip Kidd, the novel’s striking dust jacket design remains one of theContinue reading “Current Exhibition: Jurassic Park at 30 and the Dust Jacket Designs of Chip Kidd.”