The word “literature” derives from the Latin littera, meaning “letter.” Though it originally described written work, the term today extends to oral traditions that were eventually set down in writing. Literature serves purposes well beyond entertainment, functioning as a vessel for knowledge, cultural memory, and historical record. The oldest recognized major work of world literature…
Things I Like: Legally Blonde (2001 Film)
Legally Blonde is a movie that most Millennials, the so-called Oregon Trail mini-generation, and Gen X genuinely adore. It came out in 2001, right as I was starting high school, so part of my fascination came from looking up to the college-age world as a teenage boy and being genuinely dazzled by the whole environment…
Fun Facts and Trivia About Emperor Augustus
Born Gaius Octavius Thurinus in 63 BC, the man who would become the Emperor Augustus came from a family of comfortable means but no particular political distinction. His path to prominence began with loss. His father died when he was four years old, and he was raised primarily by his mother and his grandmother, who…
Things I Like: Rush Hour (1998 Film)
I was only 10 years old in 1998, so I don’t think I actually caught Rush Hour during its original theatrical run. But it clearly made a big enough splash to become genuinely culturally significant, especially given that this was a pivotal era for Jackie Chan’s rise to fame in America. It also marked one…
Fun Facts and Trivia About The Chemical Element Terbium
Terbium is a chemical element with the symbol Tb and atomic number 65. It is a silvery-white rare earth metal that is both malleable and ductile. As the ninth member of the lanthanide series, terbium is a fairly electropositive metal that reacts with water, releasing hydrogen gas in the process. It never occurs in nature…