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Posted by: Peter Armenti
Today’s theatrical release of James McTeigue’s The Raven, inspired by the life and writings of Edgar Allan Poe, is noteworthy for the ease with which it casts one of America’s best-known poets and writers as an action star. While other major poets during the past decade have been featured in serious biopics, including Allen Ginsberg …
Posted in: Digital Resources
Posted by: Peter Armenti
Sunday, April 15, marks the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the RMS Titanic. For those of us who recall the tremendous outpouring of poetry written in response to the September 11 terrorist attacks, it is no surprise that in the days and weeks following the wreck, thousands of American and British citizens turned their …
Posted in: Collections, Digital Resources
Posted by: Peter Armenti
Here are two quick questions to consider on Major League Baseball’s Opening Day: 1) What is your favorite baseball poem? 2) What is your favorite baseball poem—other than “Casey at the Bat”? Most people can easily answer the first question, but are stymied by the second question because, in all likelihood, they’re unable to name …
Posted in: Collections, Digital Resources
Posted by: Peter Armenti
One of my jobs as a digital reference specialist is to answer questions submitted through the Poetry and Literature Center’s Ask a Librarian form. The questions I receive tend to cluster around two or three major categories, such as how to find literary criticism on a novel and how to locate the full text of …
Posted in: Ask a Librarian, Digital Resources
Posted by: Peter Armenti
To mark the beginning of Women’s History Month, which follows on the heels of African American History Month, From the Catbird Seat would like to recognize Phillis Wheatley’s major impact on both literary history and women’s history. In 1773, Wheatley became the first African American woman to publish a book. Wheatley’s book, a volume of …
Posted in: Collections, Digital Resources
Posted by: Peter Armenti
From the Catbird Seat decided to combine our celebrations of Valentine’s Day and Presidents’ Day—not an easy thing to do!—by highlighting the youthful poetic efforts of George Washington. Yes, well before Washington was Commander in Chief of the Continental Army or President of the United States, he was just another teenage boy who turned to …
Posted in: Collections, Digital Resources