Literature
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The Great Gatsby
The Great Gatsby Turns 100: Why F. Scott Fitzgerald’s Masterpiece Still Resonates This year marks the 100th anniversary of The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald’s timeless novel that first captivated readers when it was published on April 10, 1925. A century later, Gatsby’s glittering world of lavish parties, unfulfilled dreams, and the relentless pursuit of the American Dream remains as compelling and relevant as ever. A Look Back: The Jazz Age in Full Swing Set against the backdrop of the Roaring Twenties, The Great Gatsby captures the era’s excess, glamour, and moral ambiguity. Jay Gatsby, a self-made millionaire with a mysterious past, throws extravagant parties in hopes of winning back…
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John Steinbeck
“Plankton, a shimmering phosphorescence on the sea and the spinning planets and an expanding universe, all bound together by the elastic string of time. It is advisable to look from the tide pool to the stars and then back to the tide pool again.” ― John Steinbeck, The Log from the Sea of Cortez Tidepool, 70 Degrees Collection, 35mm Penguin Books summarized The Log from the Sea of Cortez. “In 1940, Steinbeck and biologist Edward F. Ricketts ventured aboard the “Western Flyer,” a sardine boat out of Monterey, California, on a 4,000-mile voyage around the Baja peninsula into the Sea of Cortez. This exciting, day-by-day account of their expedition wonderfully…
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Letter from Vincent van Gogh to Theo van Gogh
You must in any case go to the museum often. -Vincent van Gogh (1853 – 1890), London, 19 November 1873 “You must write and tell me which painters you like best, both the old and the new, you must be sure to do this, I’m curious to know. You must in any case go to the museum often, it’s good to be acquainted with the old painters, too, and if you get the chance read about art, and especially magazines about art, the Gazette des Beaux-Arts1.” Visit the Van Gogh Museum to see this archival piece in the digital collection www.vangoghmuseum.nl/en/collection/b0012V1962.
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International Children’s Book Day
We honor the life of Hans Christian Andersen with International Children’s Book Day. His work spans from The Little Mermaid (1837), The Ugly Duckling (1843), Thumbelina (1835), The Princess and The Pea (1835), and The Little Match Girl (1845). He wrote an autobiography and other pieces that have become iconic childhood stories. There is a Hans Christian Andersen Museum in Solvang, CA. It contains the vast collection of narratives he wrote along with historical elements from his life. Although he himself never visited Solvang, this Danish town honors this man’s enduring legacy. In the words of the folklorist himself, “Life is the most wonderful fairy tale of all!” This quote…
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Charles Dickens
Happy Birthday, Charles Dickens! We encourage you to read The Guardian article “Charles Dickens and the Women Who Made Him” written by Dickens’ great-great-great-granddaughter Lucinda Dickens Hawksley. Here is an excerpt: “The real women in Dickens’s life were very different from his domesticated and compliant creations, including three remarkable women in his family. Charles’s paternal grandmother, Elizabeth Dickens, was a servant in the household of Lord Crewe. She began as a housemaid and, after being widowed and left a single mother, worked her way up to the role of housekeeper. Her grandson retained vivid memories of her warm personality and storytelling.”
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Little Women
Happy Mother’s Day! We celebrate your love and enduring support. You are remarkable! “Touched to the heart, Mrs. March could only stretch out her arms, as if to gather children and grandchildren to herself, and say, with face and voice full of motherly love, gratitude, and humility–‘Oh, my girls, however long you may live, I never can wish you a greater happiness than this!'” -Louisa May Alcott, Little Women, Chapter 47 Today marks 150 years since Little Women was initially published. Watch @pbssocal Masterpiece Classic on Sundays, May 13 & May 20, 8:00 p.m. “Whether you’re a Jo, Amy, Beth, or Meg … or Laurie, this one’s for you! 150…
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UCI Libraries
Orange County has a unique tie to The Bard with Madame Modjeska. You will find elements of her story in UC Irvine’s Spring 2018 exhibit that makes the connection from Stratford to the OC. Professor Marcy Froehlich, UCI Claire Trevor School of the Arts – Drama, made an incredible presentation last evening about her professional career in fashioning actors in period pieces on stage and the film set. “Costuming the Leading Ladies of Shakespeare reflects the evolution of stage costuming for women of Shakespearian plays, from the late 16th century to early 21st century, and examines costuming choices for their roles through rare finds and materials found in UCI’s Special…
