Search

Byline: Ben Yagoda In 1947, the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists created the Doomsday Clock, designed to assess the world's 'vulnerability to global catastrophe caused by man-made technologies.' Initially set [...]

Byline: Ben Yagoda My first reaction, when I learned about a new biography of the New Yorker editor Katharine White, was mild surprise: Hadn't there been a White bio fairly [...]

Why is my long-ago fling suddenly acting as if he's my husband? I untangled my IV from the machine and hobbled backward into my crunchy hospital bed, directing my gaze [...]

Byline: Maria Yagoda Why is my long-ago fling suddenly acting as if he's my husband? I untangled my IV from the machine and hobbled backward into my crunchy hospital bed, [...]

Byline: Ben Yagoda'Is it OK,' I asked, 'to put my hand here?''Here' was Jesus' brown hair, on a 700-year-old fresco of the crucifixion, in a cave church in Puglia, Italy. [...]

I had to buy two items at CVS -- a bottle of mouthwash for me and some red yeast rice pills for my wife. I plucked the Listermint from the [...]

Byline: Ben Yagoda'Is it okay,' I asked, 'to put my hand here?''Here' was Jesus' brown hair, on a 700-year-old fresco of the crucifixion, in a cave church in Puglia, Italy. [...]

Byline: Ben Yagoda My wife and I were standing on a bridge by the side of Route 23A, outside of Catskill, N.Y., a bit more than a hundred miles up [...]

"The New York Game" by Kevin Baker is a book that explores the history of baseball in New York City from its beginnings in the 19th century up until World War II. The author argues that baseball is an urban game and that New York City played a crucial role in perfecting its rules and techniques. The book covers significant events in baseball history, such as the first professional team, the Cincinnati Red Stockings, and the introduction of the curveball, bunt, stolen base, and home run. It also addresses the exclusion of black players from Major League Baseball and its impact on the sport. The book is praised for its narrative style and attention to detail, although some readers find the excessive use of italics distracting. [Extracted from the article]

Rules and conventions about when to use and not to use commas are legion. But certain errors keep popping up. If I've seen it once, I've seen it a thousand [...]

'Mr. Bush did meet with [Cindy] Sheehan in June 2004, but she has said that the president was disrespectful to her by referring to her as 'Mom' throughout the meeting.' […]

JOHN Christie and Doug Liman did the crime. They did the time. And on Tuesday, barring any unexpected recidivism, they will be free men. Mr. Christie masterminded the caper, inspired […]

THE Clutters, a Kansas farm family, were all murdered during a botched robbery one day in 1959. Truman Capote spent several years investigating the crime, and emerged with 'In Cold […]

In Philadelphia not long ago, a teen-ager was bludgeoned to death by a gang wielding a baseball bat. What was striking about the local news coverage was how little space […]

STANLEY FISH, a well-known literary critic at Duke University, once published a book called 'Is There a Text in This Class?' The title came from an actual question by an […]

On Sept. 12, 1955, 'Othello,' a film produced and directed by Orson Welles and based on the Shakespearean tragedy, opened at the Paris Theater in New York. Reviewing it in […]

"The House of Doors" by Tan Twan Eng is a captivating novel that explores the life of W. Somerset Maugham, a famous writer, and his interactions with his hosts in Penang, Malaysia. Set in the early 20th century, the novel delves into themes of forbidden love, cultural appropriation, and the power of storytelling. Tan Twan Eng, a native of Penang, skillfully uses Maugham's biography to critique the myopic and privileged colonists of the time. With elegant prose and vivid descriptions, the novel offers a cross-cultural exploration that leaves a lasting impression. [Extracted from the article]

"Why We Love Baseball: A History in 50 Moments" by Joe Posnanski is a book that explores the rich history of baseball through a collection of significant moments in the sport. The author draws on his extensive research to provide accurate and detailed accounts of these moments, debunking misconceptions and filling in gaps in knowledge. The book combines storytelling with rigorous analysis, making it an engaging read for baseball enthusiasts. While the book may not appeal to those who are not fans of the sport, it is a must-read for anyone who has a love for baseball and wants to delve deeper into its history. [Extracted from the article]

In this article the author discusses frequent mistakes that college students make when writing for college assignments. The author presents a hypothetical example of the most common mistakes he sees in the writing of his students and provides his explanation regarding the grammatical errors found in the passage. He argues that these common errors stem from the uncertainty of students in regards to their writing and comments that length is often favored over brevity in order to students to compensate for this uncertainty.

The authors discusses the history of the use of the word "banter" as an excuse for inappropriate behavior. Topics covered include the claim by U.S. presidential candidate Donald Trump that a remark he made about sexually assaulting women was locker-room banter, 18th-century author Jonathan Swift's thoughts on the word, and the argument that students, especially boys, use the term to defend inappropriate or sexist behavior.

In the article, the author discusses the common errors committed by students in writing classes. He claims that students commit writing errors because they use their instincts when they are not sure of the correct spelling or punctuation to use. He also explains why the journalistic form of writing is like a foreign language.

The essay discusses tension between linguists, who generally favor descriptive grammar, and so-called grammar mavens, who favor prescriptive grammar. Linguists favor tracking changes to English as a result of events and the passage of time. Grammar mavens often lament such changes as examples of social deterioration. Books cited include "The Secret Life of Words" by Henry Hitchings, an example of the descriptive view and "Eats, Shoots & Leaves" by Lynne Truss in the prescriptive view.

Ponders on the essence of style for readers and writers. Definition of style; Information on the classic style of literature; Dominance of several research in the academic study of literature.

Expresses views on the use of adjectives in writing. Reasons for using adjectives; Importance of the creative use of adjective; Uses of unfamiliar adjectives.; Examples of Jon Pareles' use of adjectives in his concert reviews for the "New York Times" newspaper.

The author discusses comments from various music artists such as Beyoncé, Taylor Swift, and Desmond Child regarding the change in music delivery from compact discs to streaming and its impact on the royalties that they receive.

The article reports on Janice A. Radway's view regarding modern romance novels. Radway is an associate professor of American civilization at the University of Pennsylvania and is a feminist. However, she does not agree to the common feminist view that romance novels are retrograde fantasies. She observes a transformation of romance-novels heroes into men who are sensitive to the needs of women.