

Literature and Poetry
Tracy K. Smith, the New Poet Laureate: "Her work travels the world and takes on its voices; brings history and memory to life"
"As someone who has been sustained by poems and poets, I understand the powerful and necessary role poetry can play in sustaining a rich inner life and fostering a mindful, empathic and resourceful culture. I am eager to share the good news of poetry with readers and future readers across this marvelously diverse country." more »
Suspense, Motives, Reactions, and Emotions: How Do Authors Do It?
Joan Cannon writes: Trying to make a dent in a reader's resistance is like trying to freeze the ripples on the water's surface after you’ve tossed a stone. Yet that’s what most writers are trying to do whether we realize it or not. There are a few mentors who have taught that lesson. I remember with awe those who made an effort to encourage such an ambition. more »
Shakespeare and Sexting: Reconsidering Penalties for Teen Sexual Activity
More than 20 years ago, when Russell Foster was 19 and his girlfriend Amber was 15, Montana's laws tore them apart, sending Russell to prison for four years for having sex with a minor.Hoping to spare other young couples severe consequences, the Fosters pushed for a bill the Montana Legislature passed last month that would reduce the penalties for teens caught engaging in consensual sexual activity. The measure also would expand the age range covered by the state’s existing Romeo and Juliet law. more »
Roz Chast: Can't We Talk About Something More Pleasant?
"With a particular New York Jewish sensibility, Chast's humor of complaint offers us all a chance to laugh at the often stressful and absurd world around us. She is an important social satirist who, like so many other Jewish humorists, has helped to shape our culture, and with her moving and honest memoir, she shows us how deeply she can touch our hearts as well." A substantial number of illustrations Chast created for 101 Two-letter Words, a book of two-letter words allowed in the game of Scrabble also appear in the exhibition: an eye-patch-wearing pirate parrot for the word AR and a jar of Grandma Yetta’s Gefilte Fish for OY. more »