Author Archives: Steve-O

By James K.A. Smith, IMAGE The long human grind of mere survival, still a daily reality in too many places, has always threatened to consume any time or energy for play. Plato’s philosopher-kings banish poetry from the city, while consumerism’s … Continue reading →

By Matt Gross Once upon a time, in 1830s New York City, a woman named Jane McCollick noticed a barefoot 11-year-old selling newspapers at Washington Market. McCollick had an idea for the “plucky young waif”: He should offer to clean up the meat … Continue reading →

CNN – The first two Native American women elected to Congress hugged on the House floor Thursday after being officially sworn in. Democratic Reps. Deb Haaland of New Mexico and Sharice Davids of Kansas shared the tender moment just before new House … Continue reading →

By Robert D. McFadden•       Dec. 26, 201 Sister Wendy Beckett, a Roman Catholic nun who interrupted a cloistered life of prayer in England in 1991 and soared to international stardom with lyrical BBC documentaries that made her one of the most improbable … Continue reading →

“Growing up, Christmas was about tamales, guacamole, caroling, and cousin skits,” writes Jenna Bush Hager in Southern Living, a magazine where she serves as editor at large in addition to her work on The Today Show. “But mostly, it was … Continue reading →

By Andy Greene, Rolling Stone The powerful voice behind the 1963 “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)” on the holiday classics she loves to sing most. Over the years the song became a holiday classic, helped in no small part by David … Continue reading →

By Jon Meacham In the summer of 1948, George H. W. Bush loaded his car in distant Connecticut and headed to the Lone Star State, a move that would shape the man and launch the future president’s political career: “Within … Continue reading →

By Steve Beard As families and friends gather on Thanksgiving to watch football, meticulously avoid politics, and feast on holiday favorites, the day will be starkly different for the first responders and fire victims in California. Accounting for dozens of … Continue reading →

By Bruce Springsteen Big wheels roll through fields Where sunlight streams Meet me in a land of hope and dreams This train carries saints and sinners This train carries losers and winners This train carries whores and gamblers This train … Continue reading →

When he poses the question, “What do I love when I love my God?” St. Augustine responded: “Not the beauty of any bodily thing, nor the order of seasons, not the brightness of light that rejoices the eye, nor the sweet … Continue reading →