Rebecca Lemov— Big Data is a topic that is big news, yet it is often raised in academic circles with trepidation. Here are some reasons why our understanding of big data, even as a fashion, can benefit from historical thinking. Big Data is a new(er) concept. The phrase “big data”
Gavin Weightman— What have an old compass and a primitive battery got to do with the invention of the mobile phone? It’s a long story spanning more than two centuries and involves a cast of characters whose ingenuity and inquisitiveness first revealed, and then exploited, hidden forces that could be
Christopher Bollas— Most of us go through the simple realities of each day not giving things much thought. From the routine—like what we make for breakfast—to the unexpected, like road construction blocking our way to work, one event seems to follow another in that unpredictable pattern that just happens to
Robert M. Utley— Billy the Kid and Ned Kelly lived and died at roughly the same age and roughly the same time, the middle of the nineteenth century. Though they never actually met, imagine, if possible, a meeting between the two outlaws. Granted, they lived and died half a world
Paul A. Rahe— The study of ancient Greek history in modern times has always been Athenocentric. It could hardly have been otherwise. Much of what was written about Hellas in antiquity was composed by Athenians, and much of the rest was composed principally with the Athenian audience in mind. In
In the past year, Patrick Modiano has been hailed by American book critics for his Nobel Prize-winning literary art, rightly described as “elegant,” “haunting,” and “urbane.” In books such as Suspended Sentences, Paris Nocturne, and After the Circus, his immense gifts as a novelist—one who melds ambiguous autobiographical and impressionistic details into narratives
Welcome to our weekly roundup of news from university presses! Once again, there is a lot to share this week from our fellow academic publishing houses and much to learn on What SUP at the social university presses. This week, we found conversations on xenophobia in the U.S., the HIV
Want to see a ballet this season but not sure which one is for you? Dance critic and author of The Ballet Lover’s Companion Zoe Anderson has got you covered. So grab a date/the kids/a friend/anyone, and enjoy! Further Reading:
Honor Sachs— In the early 1850s, artist George Caleb Bingham painted a now-iconic image of Daniel Boone leading a party of white families through the Cumberland Gap to Kentucky. In Bingham’s portrait, Boone is saturated with light, his face resolute and determined. He illuminates the passage through darkness like a
John M. Burkey— Many of us struggle to find the right holiday or birthday gift for friends and loved ones. Buying to a person’s needs is almost always a good bet, and this also applies for those who have hearing loss. Offered here are some gifts for the hearing impaired.