Tag: Arts & Culture

Fighting Corruption in Small Places: ‘A Stranger in Town’

Should you get involved if you see a problem, or should you just mind your own business? “A Stranger in Town” from 1943 is a vivid example of a man who gets involved with a small town’s problems in spite of himself and ends up inspiring change in a whole community. This is one of…


Arthur Compton’s Discoveries in This World and Beyond

Days before an important conference in 1923, Arthur Compton was sitting in his room late one night. He was exhausted, but his mind kept racing about what his discovery meant. He knew that his theory would be huge, bigger than anything he had discovered in the past. Then he prayed. Deeply religious his whole life,…


Oscars’ New Diversity Rules Rob Winners of Authentic Achievement, Say Critics

Since condemning the recent inclusivity changes made to the Oscars by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), veteran actor Richard Dreyfuss hasn’t back-peddled on his comments nor has there been notable pressure for him to do so. That’s while other entertainment industry experts are also critical, if not skeptical, of the changes…


Cupid: Love Through the Ages

With his image seen most often during February and June (the Valentines’ month and the traditional wedding season), Cupid typically conjures up images of a cherubic infant wielding a bow and arrow, but this wasn’t always the case. The modern figure of Cupid is not exactly the one that Westerners have always known. Cupid has been…


Bill Monroe and The Blue Grass Boys

The rolling hills of Kentucky are adorned with a soft blue hue each spring thanks to Poa, a type of luscious green grass that blooms bright, delicate flowers atop its blades. These flowers can be found across vast pastures and horse farms throughout the state. When musician Bill Monroe needed to come up with a…


Famous Collector Discovers ‘Something We’ve Never Seen Before’

Significant moments in history are often misremembered, even forgotten. Artifacts may be misplaced or discarded. For people like Nathan Raab, the misplaced and forgotten are his métier. Raab is a principal at The Raab Collection, a Pennsylvania-based business that specializes in discovery, purchase, and selling of rare historical documents and artifacts. Those pieces have ranged…


Caravaggio’s ‘Saint Francis of Assisi in Ecstasy’

Artists throughout the centuries have been inspired by Saint Francis of Assisi, including Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio. One of the artist’s early masterpieces is “Saint Francis of Assisi in Ecstasy,” held in the collection of the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art in Connecticut. This is the artist’s first known religious canvas and one of the…


Film Review: ‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse’

PG | 2h 20m | Animated, Superhero, Action | June 2, 2023 For Spider-Man Experts Only Warning: this review of “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” may suffer from Generation Gap-itis. At the press screening, I sat next to a trio of what looked to be Generation-Z critics who were on the edge of their seats for the duration of…


Epoch Watchlist: What to Watch for June 2–June 8

This week, we feature an enduring classic about World War I and an endearing story about a boy who seeks to free his friend, an orca whale. New Release ‘Asteroid City’ This romantic dramedy transports us to a fictional, small desert town in the American Southwest in 1955. It follows the stories of characters as…


Epoch Booklist: Recommended Reading for June 2–8

This week, we feature a Smoky Mountains cookbook with a side of savory stories and a unique slant on one of America’s most beloved illustrators. Art ‘Norman Rockwell’s Models: In and out of the Studio’ By S.T. Haggerty For fans of Norman Rockwell, Haggerty has made a beautiful and unique contribution to the artist’s legacy….