Edgar Allan Poe: Master of Mystery and Melancholy

Edgar Allan Poe: Master of Mystery and Melancholy

By Grace Alvarez | January 24, 2024 | Comments Off on Edgar Allan Poe: Master of Mystery and Melancholy

Edgar Allan Poe, a literary icon of the 19th century, is renowned for his tales of mystery, macabre, and melancholy. Born on January 19, 1809 in Boston, Massachussetts, Poe’s life was as enigmatic as his stories. His works, characterized by dark atmospheres and psychological depth, have left an indelible mark on the world of literature.…

Read More >
Langston Hughes: Writing African American Identity.

Langston Hughes: Writing African American Identity.

By Susan Christiansen | May 6, 2021 | Comments Off on Langston Hughes: Writing African American Identity.

One of the most celebrated figures of the Harlem Renaissance, poet, novelist and social activist Langston Hughes is widely considered one of the most important American writers of the 20th century. Through his poetry and fiction, Hughes sought not only to portray the experience of working-class blacks in America, but redefine, expand, and celebrate African…

Read More >
Spokesman of a Generation: The Influences and Legacy of Bob Dylan.

Spokesman of a Generation: The Influences and Legacy of Bob Dylan.

By Susan Christiansen | May 18, 2020 | Comments Off on Spokesman of a Generation: The Influences and Legacy of Bob Dylan.

    Born in Duluth, Minnesota on May 24, 1941, Bob Dylan‘s interest in music and performance began in his high school years and, after moving to Minneapolis to attend the University of Minnesota in 1959, he emerged on the American folk music scene. He soon dropped out of college and moved to New York…

Read More >
The Poetic Voice of Leonard Cohen.

The Poetic Voice of Leonard Cohen.

By Susan Christiansen | October 3, 2018 | Comments Off on The Poetic Voice of Leonard Cohen.

Although he is now best known for his award-winning songwriting, Canadian musical artist Leonard Cohen had a successful career as a poet and novelist throughout the 1950s and 60s, before the release of his first album, Songs of Leonard Cohen, in 1967. Cohen published his first poems in 1954 as a student at McGill University…

Read More >
The Transatlantic Literature of Henry James

The Transatlantic Literature of Henry James

By Adrienne Raptis | March 9, 2018 | Comments Off on The Transatlantic Literature of Henry James

Born on April 15th 1843, American author Henry James was regarded as a key transitional figure between literary realism and modernism, and is considered by many to be among the greatest novelists of the English language. James is one of the major figures of trans-Atlantic literature. His works frequently juxtapose characters from the Old World, embodying a feudal civilization that is “beautiful, often…

Read More >
Celebrating Black History Month and African American Literary Achievements.

Celebrating Black History Month and African American Literary Achievements.

By Susan Christiansen | February 22, 2018 | Comments Off on Celebrating Black History Month and African American Literary Achievements.

Initially proposed by a group of African American educators at Kent State University in February of 1969, Black History Month was officially recognized by President Gerald Ford as a month of national observance in 1970 during the United States Bicentennial where he urged American citizens to “seize the opportunity to honor the too-often neglected accomplishments of…

Read More >
Rare Books for a Romantic Valentine’s Day

Rare Books for a Romantic Valentine’s Day

By Adrienne Raptis | February 4, 2018 | Comments Off on Rare Books for a Romantic Valentine’s Day

[fusion_text]Rare books are a unique and meaningful gift all year long, regardless of the occasion, but as Valentine’s Day is approaching, we thought we would put together a few interesting titles that we have in stock that we think would make a nice gift for that very special Valentine. [/fusion_text][fusion_text] For your beloved one: a…

Read More >
The Life and Works of Alfred Lord Tennyson

The Life and Works of Alfred Lord Tennyson

By Susan Christiansen | October 3, 2016 | Comments Off on The Life and Works of Alfred Lord Tennyson

Described by T.S. Eliot as “the saddest of all English poets”, Alfred Lord Tennyson is considered, to this day, to be one of Britain’s greatest poets. Heavily influenced by the strictly metered and often melancholic style of the English Romantic poets, Tennyson’s verse illustrated a mastery of rhythm and descriptive imagery drawing on both the…

Read More >