Ah, footnotes. Nothing endearing or sexy about them—unless you’re such a geek of letters, language, history, and research that you’ve developed a fetish for their unique supporting role. But the humble footnote also knows how to... Read More

Brush, charcoal, chisel, file, lathe, and potter’s wheel, yes, but what is it about artists’ tools like the chainsaw and welding torch that fail to impress so many art lovers and critics—as if real art can’t possibly come from... Read More

Artists lean toward the eccentric, it’s true—each artist in their own way. When asked about his early decision to exclusively paint still lifes of flowers and fruit, Eric Wert had this to say: “Because I’m not very social, and... Read More

Am I missing something? Who among us hasn’t whispered those words while piecing together disparate plotlines in a novel, or drew blanks at the use of symbolism and allusion practiced by certain intellectual writers—subtle references... Read More

Be so kind as to suspend your beliefs about psychoactive plants like ayahuasca and instead consider alternatives: that ayahuasca is “an intelligent entity”; “a gift of nature conveying messages from the biosphere”; “a portal to... Read More

A New Age is upon us. Thankfully, a handful of publishers have stepped in to provide the esoteric materials needed to spread the mind-body-spirit word, initiate the Wiccan masses, introduce the magick leaders, starry-eye the astrologers,... Read More

The aftermath of the bloodbath that was World War II did not leave any of the victorious states much reason to be jubilant. Scarred and wary of each other, Russia, China, and the United States all maneuvered geopolitically to advance... Read More

Due to their isolated position in the East China Sea, the islands of Okinawa developed with strong influences from both China and Japan. But in the years following Japan’s 1609 invasion and a subsequent ban on weapons, Okinawans turned... Read More