Jack Kerouac goes on the road again
KEROUAC’S ROAD: THE BEAT OF A NATION explores Jack Kerouac’s legacy through stories of modern “on-the-roaders” and those who knew or were inspired by him. Featuring Josh Brolin, W. Kamau Bell, Matt Dillon and more, it reveals a rarely seen side of Kerouac and offers a fresh take on On the Road and its lasting impact on America.
Read more
"If you understand each other you will be kind to each other"
This one hour documentary, produced in 2011 by Mentorn Media for BBC Four, follows Melvyn Bragg as he travels from Oklahoma to California to examine the enduring legacy of the Nobel Prize-winning author, John Steinbeck. In novels such as The Grapes of Wrath, Of Mice and Men , and Cannery Row , Steinbeck gave voices to ordinary people who were battling pove…
Read more
Get ready for a Moomin celebration!
On the 9th August, do something special for Moomin Day ! This year marks 80 years since ‘The Moomins and the Great Flood’ was first published and everybody is invited to this global celebration. How will you take part?
Read more
Meet the women of Union Street
A Pat Barker classic is ’ Union Street ’, a fantastic collection of stories which brings together the lives of women both young and old, who face the harsh challenges of a precarious world. ’ Union Street’ was first released in 1982 and was also Pat Barkers first book published. But it has remained a masterpiece and tribute to Pat Barker’s ability to tell…
Read more.jpg)
Take a journey to Wyoming with Annie Proulx
You may have seen the film but have you read the story? Annie Proulx’s masterful language and love of Wyoming are evident in this collection of eleven short stories. If you’re a fan of short stories, then ’ Close Range ’ is one collection you may want to read … or even revisit!
Read more.jpg)
The most daring thing is to create stable communities
Ralph Nader is known for his progressive activism but in ’ The Seventeen Traditions ’, Ralph Nader takes a look back at the values he absorbed from within his own family and redefines what it means to be American. Nader’s political background includes consumer rights, humanitarianism and democratic government. In this collection of essays, Ralph Nader expl…
Read more
Have you read Pat Barker's Regeneration trilogy?
Regeneration is the first novel in Pat Barker's Booker Prize-winning Regeneration trilogy - a powerfully moving portrait of the deep legacy of human trauma in the First World War. Craiglockhart War Hospital, Scotland, 1917, and army psychiatrist William Rivers is treating shell-shocked soldiers. Under his care are the poets Siegfried Sassoon and Wi…
Read more
Where will history take you?
The Imperial War Museum North makes full use of its renowned architecture to present powerful and inspiring stories. Explore a vast collection of objects and learn about the impact of world-shaping events on ordinary people’s lives. Also, check out the IWM's new collection of books which have been published to mark 80 years since Victory in Europe Day …
Read more
Welcome back to the German Democratic Republic
After World War Two, the German Democratic Republic, also known as East Germany, was founded as a second German state, alongside the Federal Republic of Germany, which was more commonly known as West Germany. This partition reflected the victorious US, French and UK forces on the West, who during WW2 had joined forces with the Soviet Union in the East. Whi…
Read more
Beyond the headlines, explore the world of Arab Americans
Arab Americans are a diverse community that come from 22 Arab countries stretching from northern Africa to western Asia. But once they settle in the U.S., according to the Arab American National Museum , they become as American as they are Arab. Ralph Nader is known for his lifetime of activism and fearless critique. Yet in this fresh and inspiring book Th…
Read more
The power of words and the love of a good book
It was Charles W. Eliot who stated that “Books are the quietest and most constant of friends; they are the most accessible and wisest of counselors, and the most patient of teachers.” Braille is universal and available in every language in the world. It is currently used by six million blind people around the world. While the first hieroglyphs appeared in…
Read more
The influence of and connection to Islamic art
Aloma Treister doesn’t remember much of her childhood. She recalls being taught Arabic at school and the fact that her family’s social life revolved around their immediate family. “Our closest friends were our cousins,” she told The Australian Jewish News . It was how many Jewish families in the Middle East grew up – all related to each other and all frien…
Read more
Pope: ‘We cannot imagine Iraq without Christians’
Pope Francis pens the preface to the book " The Christian Heritage in Iraq " by German journalist and theologian Matthias Kopp, spokesperson for the German Bishops' Conference (DBK) and consultor for the Dicastery for Communication. The book, published by Herder and currently available in German, traces the history of Christianity in Iraq, wi…
Read more.jpg)
Boxing for his life. The story of Victor ‘Young’ Perez
“Ladies and Gentlemen! Welcome to the Palace of Sports in Paris, France where 16,000 wildly excited fans are ready for the main event of the evening tonight, October 24th 1931! This match is for the World Flyweight crown!” Have you heard the story of Victor 'Young’ Perez, the flyweight boxing champion who was originally from Tunis but died in the Holoc…
Read more
Scholar highlights contributions of early Arab immigrants to US society
Linda Jacobs is a familiar scholar in the Middle East where she spent decades studying archaeological sites and economic development of the region. Later on, she became a historian whose main academic interest was the history of Arab diaspora in the US and how they integrated to the American society. As Saeb Rawashdeh explains, on Tuesday, the American Cen…
Read more
Captivating Strangers: Early Arab Immigrants in the United States
In her latest work, Linda Jacobs explores the untold stories of the first Arab immigrants to the United States. From North African acrobats who performed before the Civil War to western-educated doctors, merchants, and entrepreneurs who spread across the country in the 20th century, the book highlights the incredible variety of careers and contributions th…
Read more
From Jordan to the Vatican: Celebrating Christianity in the Holy Land
In February 2025, the halls of the Vatican Museums will unveil a unique exhibition, “ Jordan: Dawn of Christianity / Giordania: Alba del Cristianesimo ,” a collection of 90 artefacts carefully curated to bring to life the enduring legacy of Jordan as a cradle of Christianity, bridging millennia of history and faith. As Sophie Constantin writes, the exhibit…
Read more
Vatican to host ‘Jordan: Dawn of Christianity’ exhibition
The exhibition “ Jordan: Dawn of Christianity ” will debut at the Vatican’s Palazzo della Cancelleria on January 31, offering a profound exploration of Christianity's roots in Jordan. As Khitam Al Amir explains, organised by Jordan’s Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities in collaboration with the Jordan Tourism Board, the event was officially introduced …
Read more.jpg)
Midwinter Murder by Agatha Christie
There's a chill in the air and the days are growing shorter... It's the perfect time to curl up in front of a crackling fireplace with this winter-themed collection from legendary mystery writer Agatha Christie. But beware of deadly snowdrifts and dangerous gifts, poisoned meals and mysterious guests. This compendium of short stories, some featuri…
Read more
Murder on a Winter's Night: Ten Classic Crime Stories for Christmas
The halls might be decked, and the mistletoe hung, but in these ten classic crime stories you're more likely to come across a corpse under the Christmas tree than a present. From a Santa Claus with a secret to a violent theft that snowballs into something quite unexpected, pull up a chair, throw another log on the fire ... and let history's greates…
Read more
