In August 1920 in Munich, a young Adolf Hitler delivered one of his first public speeches before a crowd of some 2,000 people. During his speech, which lasted nearly two hours and was interrupted nearly 60 times by cheers, Hitler touched on a theme he’d repeat in future speeches, stating he did not believe that
READ MOREAt a time when action figures and Barbie dollhouses have been replaced by phones, tablets, and computers, it has never been more difficult to fully experience childhood. I recently rewatched one of my favorite films growing up: The Indian in the Cupboard. And while I expected the film to retain its charm, it also made
READ MOREThe New York Times is widely regarded as the newspaper of record in the United States. Founded in 1851 to appeal to a cultured, intellectual readership rather than a mass audience, the Gray Lady has won a record-breaking 137 Pulitzer Prizes, including for its reporting on the infamous Pentagon Papers. In times of sharp political
READ MOREThe ability to make music has been one of the great blessings of my life. I have played the violin since the age of eight and have sung in my parish choir for a number of years, and have always found music to be, not an embellishment to life, but an integral part of it.
READ MOREAlmost single-handedly, Sir Francis Bacon popularized the scientific method. He’s credited, too, with inspiring “the modern world as we currently know it.” In his remarkable works (such as his famous Essays), Bacon drew heavily on ancient literature and proverbs: He looked to the past as well as toward the future. In our fast-changing times, we
READ MORERecently, when disembarking a flight, the “thank you” I gave the pilot and crew was not perfunctory. Although my gratitude probably didn’t seem effusive from the outside, a depth of emotion touched me after I delivered it. Airline travel is one of the miracles of modern living, requiring human cooperation and coordination. Deeply, I felt
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