What We’re Reading 2023
Enjoy a fresh batch of year-end book reports from all of the readers, writers, and editors at JSTOR Daily!
Shortcomings Shows the Loneliness of Refusing to “See” Race
Adrian Tomine’s graphic novel forces the reader to surveil the world through the eyes of its protagonist, Japanese American theater manager Ben Tanaka.
Mary Taylor, Charlotte Brontë’s Cool Friend
An independent traveler and business owner, Taylor inspired many of Brontë's own enterprises, including her relocation to Brussels.
The Tricky Politics of Swedish Folk Music
In the early twentieth century, folk music in Sweden was connected with right-wing nationalists, leaving a complicated inheritance for today’s music fans.
A Tale of Two Visionaries
What roiled the mind of Nebraska poet John Neihardt with whom Black Elk, the iconic Lakota holy man, shared his story?
The Lasting Influence of Denise Scott Brown
Recognizing Scott Brown’s work is necessary for understanding American architecture in the second half of the twentieth century.
Lady with an Ermine Meets Nazi Art Thief Hans Frank
Leonardo da Vinci’s famous painting bore witness to the administrative acts that enabled the crimes committed against Polish Jews during World War II.
The Short Life (and A New Revival) of The Brownies’ Book
A new anthology celebrates the life and impact of one of the earliest American periodicals written for Black children.
The Climate Canvasses of the Little Ice Age
Low Country artists of the late Renaissance and Early Baroque eras captured the happiness and hardships of snowy winters—an ever rarer phenomenon now.
