Culture

‘Watch Our Show?’: By Joe Blair

Joe Blair grew up in Westford, Mass., and now lives in Iowa. He is the author of By the Iowa Sea: A Memoir, a story about a family in a small town which Oprah’s magazine “O” described this way: “so raw and true you’ll gasp.” On his Facebook page, Joe…

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Food Nostalgia

Food is a big part of Thanksgiving. For several weeks we’ve seen articles and features about how to cook a turkey or how to make new or traditional side dishes. With the division of labor in our house making me the primary cook, I pay attention to these things. Thanksgiving…

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Tom Sexton: A New Poem

Our regular contributor from Alaska, Tom Sexton, sent us a new poem that shines a light in the darkness in these days that are getting shorter, with the news often disturbing. As he wrote on Sunday, October 24th, “At least the Pats won.” We need every and any reason to…

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On All Hallows’ Eve

On All Hallows’ Eve By Malcolm Sharps I don’t know why it is, but so often what gets written about the world makes it seem like a worse place than it actually is. According to every book and newspaper article I’d read before I came to Livonia, Livonians hate Russians…

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Marvelous Marvin Hagler and the Godfather

Marvelous Marvin Hagler and the Godfather By Charles Gargiulo My Uncle Arthur was more than an Uncle. He was my Godfather, which is like being picked to become Vice-President. You get an important sounding title but you never have to do anything unless the main guy dies or fails to…

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Traveling with My Adventure Gang

Braiding the Sweetgrass in a Subaru Outback: Traveling with My Adventure Gang My Adventure Gang at an overnight campsite Road trips are a staple in American culture. And it’s not surprising that from a nation of immigrants came a nation of travelers. Here, Old World pilgrimages follow new paths: Route…

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