Tim Gautreaux’s “Welding with Children” and Reading about the South this Summer
The Nordic countries have their hygge, a cozy aesthetic embracing and romanticizing long and harsh winters. In the South, we have a […]
Edward Eager’s “Half Magic” and the Full Magic of Summering Well
“Still, even without the country or a lake, the summer was a fine thing, particularly when you were at the beginning of […]
Effortless: The Complex Art of Soft Life
It’s another year of “Soft Girl Summer,” a season of relishing feminine pursuits and the finer side of life. I enthusiastically proclaimed […]
When Raising Kids, Sometimes Less Really is More
Writing at the Federalist recently, I offered some thoughts on a study from earlier this year on the rise of mental disorders […]
Noel Streatfeild’s “Ballet Shoes”: The Rhythms and Routines of Life and the People Who Make them Happen
Summer is the time in between, a time for reimagining the patterns of ordinary life. Once September is underway with a crush […]
The Pattern of a Beautiful Summer in Wallace Stegner’s “Crossing to Safety”
Wallace Stegner, the legendary author of the American West, also spent time teaching in New England. A keen observer, he recreates the […]
Summer and Keeping the Big Picture in Mind
It’s easy to wax poetic about summer: endless open time, seemingly endless hours of evening light. The reality can involve more children […]
Scheduling Childhood Away: In Defense of Summer, an Image of Eternity
In a country that graduates illiterate students from high school, some people question the value of summer vacation. It was made for […]