Humanities
Shakespeare’s Spreadsheets: Use Data and Charts to Take Reading to Another Level
Shakespeare’s Spreadsheets: Use Data and Charts to Take Reading to Another Level
We can use numbers to better understand literature. That’s right: there are fruitful ways for readers to deepen their analysis…
The Great Gatsby: A Mixed Literary Analysis
The Great Gatsby: A Mixed Literary Analysis
I’m a firm believer that readers can use computational methods to uncover new insights into literature. As I’ve written about…
Did Bob Dylan Really Ruin English Class Forever? Some Say Yes (But They Are Wrong)
Did Bob Dylan Really Ruin English Class Forever? Some Say Yes (But They Are Wrong)
When Bob Dylan won a Nobel Prize, some started to decry the fall of literature–including the teaching of English. In…
Baby and Jesus Are the Top Two Names Used in Popular Music? Go On….
Baby and Jesus Are the Top Two Names Used in Popular Music? Go On….
Want another reason to teach computer science in humanities classes? Check this out. In their latest project, the data journalists…
No One Really Cared About Shakespeare’s Work When He Died, So His Friends Did THIS
No One Really Cared About Shakespeare’s Work When He Died, So His Friends Did THIS
I never knew that Shakespeare’s work wasn’t really that popular when he died. As explained on a recent Annotated podcast,…
Words that End with “-uck”? This Kid Handled the Obvious One with Aplomb
Words that End with “-uck”? This Kid Handled the Obvious One with Aplomb
Well played elementary school student whom I hope to teach one day. Well played indeed. Yet another reason I love…
Moving from Fiction to Non-Fiction
Moving from Fiction to Non-Fiction
Oh, my sides! So much to say about this cartoon from The New Yorker. The librarian is moving the following…
‘Learn’ Used to Mean ‘Teach’ or Why We Should All Read the Dictionary
‘Learn’ Used to Mean ‘Teach’ or Why We Should All Read the Dictionary
I do enjoy me strolls down etymology lane, I’m not gonna lie. Though I never considered that “to learn” actually…
I Need Your Advice, English Peeps: What Texts Should I Focus On for My Next Big Project?
I Need Your Advice, English Peeps: What Texts Should I Focus On for My Next Big Project?
For years now, I’ve been slowly bringing to life a vision for bringing computational methods to secondary English classes. I’m…
Tolkien’s Lesson on Computationality and Creativity–Whilst Smoking His Pipe
Tolkien’s Lesson on Computationality and Creativity–Whilst Smoking His Pipe
On a recent visit to the Tolkien exhibit at the Morgan Library and Museum, I was fascinated to see process…
Why Are Letters on Keyboards So Oddly Arranged? Here’s a Primer on the Origins of QWERTY!
Why Are Letters on Keyboards So Oddly Arranged? Here’s a Primer on the Origins of QWERTY!
Keyboards are literally where human beings communication with computers. Considering how ubiquitous they are, it is odd that many of…
If You’re Teaching Shakespeare, You Might Want to Start with Duke Ellington
If You’re Teaching Shakespeare, You Might Want to Start with Duke Ellington
In 1957, jazz legend Duke Ellington released his album Such Sweet Thunder, which is a collection of songs written in…
228 Issues of Vogue Magazine. Can You Guess How Many Featured Women with Dark Skin? Look.
228 Issues of Vogue Magazine. Can You Guess How Many Featured Women with Dark Skin? Look.
What a fascinating example of data journalism by the folks over at The Pudding. Explore trends in skin color as…
Middle-Earth at the Morgan Library? Yes, Please.
Middle-Earth at the Morgan Library? Yes, Please.
I have 18 days to get myself to the Tolkien exhibit at the Morgan Library, where they have on display…
Let’s Take a Moment to ‘Love’ Shakespeare on the Day of His Birth…and ‘Death’
Let’s Take a Moment to ‘Love’ Shakespeare on the Day of His Birth…and ‘Death’
We often learn to read literature by looking closely at a text. You know: focusing our attention on a word…
Oh Hell Yes. NYPL Resurrects the Mobile Library
Oh Hell Yes. NYPL Resurrects the Mobile Library
What literacy does for individuals and families cannot be overstated. To many in our communities, bringing the books to them…