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Architecture
"Ride
over for Houston's Carousel House." Houston architectural
advocates lose a battle to save a Modern icon--one with a unique story
involving fast cars, high-powered attorneys, and the occasional exotic
dancer. Architectural Record, January 24, 2008.
"Mayne
tapped for Dallas Museum of Nature & Science." The
pioneering museum selects architecture maverick Thom Mayne to design
their new headquarters. Architectural Record, January 9, 2008.
"Remember
not to touch the Alamo." The challenges of preserving the
icon of Texas' liberty. Architectural Record, May 2007.
"Fort
Worth Museum of Science and History: Legorreta + Legorreta unveil
Fort Worth Design." Architectural Record, May 2007.
"Masterpieces:
I.M.Pei's 'Le Grande Louvre.'" The Louvre is more than a museum;
it's a symbol of Western culture. So when a Chinese-born American architect
wanted to slap a giant glass pyramid in the center of its courtyard,
the French did more than turn up their noses at the idea. Mental
Floss, May-June 2006.
"Toward
a Living Architecture" Christopher Alexander takes on contemporary
architectural design and practice with a four-volume book he claims
can make the world a more beautiful place. The World & I Online,
Nov. 2005.
"Masterpieces:
Antoni Gaudí’s Sagrada Familia: In the age of the Victorian
gingerbread, Antoni Gaudí was something of an architectural fruitcake.
But in the 21st century, he’ll probably be best remembered for Sagrada
Familia, the whacked-out, sky-scraping cathedral he obsessed over for
the majority of his life." Mental Floss, Nov./Dec. 2005.
(PDF--see note.)
Art
and Archeology
"When
Opposites Attack: Artistic Rivalries that Got Ugly." They say
the pen is mightier than the sword. But between Handel's duel and Gabriel
Garcia Marquez getting punched in the face, we learned that some artists
are happiest using both. Mental Floss, May-June 2007.
"Edward
Hopper's 'Nighthawks.'"
Who knew an image of nighttime New Yorkers hunched over their coffee
would capture the mood of the city better than any breathtaking skyline
ever could? Mental Floss, Nov.-Dec. 2006.
"An
Unlikely Alliance: Archaeologists,
collectors and Native Americans have often been at odds with each other.
But recently a huge collection of artifacts was returned to the Chickasaw
Nation as a result of three parties working together." American
Archaeology, Fall 2006. (PDF--see note.)
"Rodin's
'The Thinker.'" It's
one of the most recognizable images in Western Art. But "The Thinker"
isn't just fodder for The New Yorker's cartoons. It's one of
the supreme achievements in the history of sculpture and the crown jewel
of the 19th century French sculptor Rodin. Mental Floss, July-August
2006.
"Masterpieces:
Henri Cartier-Bresson's 'Place de l'Europe." They say a picture
speaks 1000 words. And with Henri Cartier-Bresson behind the lens, it
does so in the split second of a camera's shutter. Mental Floss,
March-April 2006.
Essays
"Window
Wisdom." An essay about heat guns, paint scrapers and neighborly
advice. Old House Journal, December 2006.
Literature
"Voltaire's
Candide." How
absurd does a book have to be bring down the entire Age of Reason? In
the case of Candide, pretty absurd--and pretty revolutionary.
Mental Floss, March-April, 2008.
"Masterpieces:
Philip Roth's Portnoy's Complaint" There's really
no two ways about it. Portnoy's Complaint is a dirty book. And
yet, this novel has ended up on almost every great-books ranking out
there. . . But how did such a salacious tome become a beloved American
classic? Mental Floss, Jan.-Feb., 2006.
"Masterpieces:
Kurt Vonnegut's Slaughterhouse Five."
This book review explains what happens, why it happens and why it's
important--plus the connection between Kurt Vonnegut, The Canterbury
Tales and the band Phish. Mental Floss, July/August 2005. (PDF--see
note)
Historic
Preservation
"Historic
Hotseat: For better or worse, historic districts tie homeowners'
hands." Fort Worth Weekly, October 20, 2004.
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