Alexander longs to be a champion wrestler—he yearns to train at an elite palaestra and receive the laurel crown of victory from none other than the Caesar, Marcus Aurelius. He’s naturally gifted and has never been defeated, but for the time being he merely fights in disreputable matches (upon which drunks and criminals wager) arranged …
In 2017, a report by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission found that “every major Hollywood studio systematically discriminated against hiring female directors,” even though “the graduating classes of America’s top film schools are 50/50 male/female.” Moreover, Smokler was surprised to discover that “articulate, well-heeled, filmgoing friends” were uninformed about women’s contributions to cinema, such as …
“At home, my confidence shows, / at home, my bravery glows.” But when the young narrator is out and about, everything changes. Interacting with other kids at the park is “a big task.” “I try to play, I try to shout, / but my brave voice just won’t come out!” Though the protagonist looks forward …
Two big-eared rodents—Pépin, who wears a blue bow tie, and Cosette, who sports a pink flower—accompany Grand-mère to the museum, where they gaze at Hawkins’ cartoonish interpretations (or MousterWorks) of well-known paintings by Edward Bannister, Johannes Vermeer, Claude Monet, and others. The enthralled Cosette eagerly engages with the art, imagining the scents and sounds the …
“Dowdy” Isabella Pasternak is on the bottom rung of the career ladder, writing about things like chickpea trends and cheese options for Comestibles magazine. After unexpectedly stepping in to do an Instagram Live on chocolate soufflés that ends in disaster, she is unceremoniously fired. The same day, after rescuing her best friend, Owen, from a …
“Dowdy” Isabella Pasternak is on the bottom rung of the career ladder, writing about things like chickpea trends and cheese options for Comestibles magazine. After unexpectedly stepping in to do an Instagram Live on chocolate soufflés that ends in disaster, she is unceremoniously fired. The same day, after rescuing her best friend, Owen, from a …
Carson, a member of the class of 2009 in conservative Midwestern America, finds herself falling in love with her best friend, Ash, during their senior year. Their relationship begins to shift into something more than friendship, but they’re also navigating feelings for other people, exploring different plans for the future, and grieving the loss of …
Carson, a member of the class of 2009 in conservative Midwestern America, finds herself falling in love with her best friend, Ash, during their senior year. Their relationship begins to shift into something more than friendship, but they’re also navigating feelings for other people, exploring different plans for the future, and grieving the loss of …
The Juneteenth block party brings the whole neighborhood together with food and games. Our 5-year-old narrator, hair adorned with twists, knows that everyone comes together on this day to “celebrate our freedom.” But what did the first celebration look like? The child turns to an older cousin, Katelin, who describes the first Juneteenth that she …
The Juneteenth block party brings the whole neighborhood together with food and games. Our 5-year-old narrator, hair adorned with twists, knows that everyone comes together on this day to “celebrate our freedom.” But what did the first celebration look like? The child turns to an older cousin, Katelin, who describes the first Juneteenth that she …
