This article features Dr. Lydia Pyne, Historian and Author of “Bookshelf.” “Bookshelves exist as a series of relationships…what moves on a bookshelf and what is fixed—the shelf itself or what is on it.” Here are some examples of bookshelves that were(n’t) on the move! Chained bookshelves In the Middle Ages, books were expensive. Like REALLY expensive. […]
Three “Unfinished” Architectural Oddities in California (that you can actually visit)
The Integratron, Landers (1953–1978) The Integratron is an octagonal, minimalist style white building located just outside the desert in Joshua Tree. The oak-lined upstairs is now used for New Age sound baths and meditations. Yet in the first floor, visitors are able to learn about the building’s unusual history. The Integratron was built between […]
Five Times Kanye Said Something You’d Hear in an American Studies Class
Fans of rapper Kanye West are struggling to see the artist who announced that “George Bush hates black people” wearing a MAGA hat and tweeting praise at Elon Musk. But Kanye’s observations from the era of Blkkk Skkkn Head to the current moment aren’t totally disconnected—they are all exploring American culture and history. A lot of what […]