51 Results with the "Culture" genre


    • Chapter 25 — Contentment Cover
      by LovelyMay Chapter 25 – Contentment explores a fundamental tension in American identity: the belief that anyone can rise to greatness, paired with the restlessness this belief creates. From the earliest days of the republic, the ideal that a farm boy could become president has inspired generations. Yet this dream, while empowering, also plants a quiet dissatisfaction in the hearts of many who believe that their current position, however stable or honorable, is somehow insufficient. This cultural wiring encourages…
    • Chapter 4 — The Outer and the Inner Woman Cover
      by LovelyMay Chapter 4 – The Outer and the Inner Woman examines the growing trend of shoplifting among well-educated and seemingly refined women, attributing it to a cultural fixation on outward appearances rather than inner substance. The author suggests that this behavior is a result of rapid and immature prosperity, where the desire for luxury and social display overtakes the pursuit of genuine quality or comfort. In societies where wealth is often equated with value, fashion becomes a central focus, with women…
      Culture • Society • view
    • Chapter 36 — American Society in Italy Cover
      by LovelyMay Chapter 36 – American Society in Italy explores the myth and eventual unraveling of a unified American social circle in Italy, particularly in cultural hubs like Rome and Florence. Once imagined as a thriving expatriate community, it is instead revealed as fragmented, fluid, and more aspirational than substantial. The author recalls a distant past—roughly forty to fifty years earlier—when Rome harbored a quiet colony of American creatives and intellectuals, people who sought inspiration in the ruins…
    • Chapter 15 — A False Start Cover
      by LovelyMay Chapter 15 – A False Start offers a critical examination of the imbalance in cultural refinement between American men and women, particularly within elite and international circles. While American women are praised for their grace, tact, and adaptability in cultured environments, the same cannot be said of their male counterparts. The author attributes this disparity to a national focus on material achievement at the expense of broader intellectual development. This skewed value system, cemented during…
      Culture • Society • view
    • Ghosts in the Library Cover
      by LovelyMay Ghosts in the Library is a haunting yet poetic vision of how the spirits of those who once cherished books now inhabit the very shelves that hold their literary treasures. As the world drifts into slumber, the library itself comes alive with echoes from the past. The spirits of former patrons, ranging from revered historical figures to the lesser-known, move silently through the aisles, drawn to the very texts that once captivated them. Napoleon, the French emperor whose ambitions shaped European history,…
    • Chapter 26 — The Climber Cover
      by LovelyMay Chapter 26 – The Climber opens with a satirical exploration of those driven less by purpose and more by prestige, shedding light on individuals who climb social ranks not out of necessity, but to gain validation from proximity to wealth or aristocracy. While ambition rooted in improvement or moral betterment is respected, the author distinguishes this from the hollow motives of social climbers obsessed with exclusivity. These characters are portrayed as fixated not on achievement, but on…
    • Chapter 5 — On Some Gilded Misalliances Cover
      by LovelyMay Chapter 5 – On Some Gilded Misalliances explores the often disappointing results of marriages between American women and foreign aristocrats. Through the experiences of an insightful American lady in Rome, the author reflects on the rarity of truly successful unions in these circumstances, challenging the romantic ideal of marrying into nobility. Once viewing these international unions as fairy-tale endings, the author’s perspective evolves over time, shaped by years of observation and the harsh…
      Culture • Relationship • Society
    • Chapter 37 — The Newport of the Past Cover
      by LovelyMay Chapter 37 – The Newport of the Past draws a vivid contrast between the Newport of today and the deep, storied past that lies just beneath its polished surface. While summer guests indulge in regattas, charity balls, and garden parties, few pause to consider that this seaside playground was once the stage for centuries of exploration, trade, revolution, and reinvention. In fact, long before the city's colonial charm became a magnet for wealth and leisure, legends suggest that adventurous Norse sailors…
    • Chapter 16 — A Holy Land Cover
      by LovelyMay Chapter 16 – A Holy Land traces a heartfelt journey through a landscape once sacred to the author's childhood, now reshaped by the hands of progress. This region, near Grant’s tomb, affectionately called the “Holy Land,” wasn’t just a patch of ground but a canvas for youthful wonder and familial memory. It brimmed with stories—some imagined, others historical—that gave texture to long summer days. From a wooden house said to have hosted Washington to the sweeping view of the Hudson and…
      Culture • view
    • Literary Forgeries Cover
      by LovelyMay Literary Forgeries have long held a captivating and dangerous allure in the world of book collectors. These deceptive imitations of famous literary works blend art, illusion, and obsession, drawing many into their complex and often treacherous web. One of the most infamous figures in this shadowy world was Jean-Baptiste Duval, a French bibliophile whose passion for rare books led him to commit the ultimate betrayal of trust—creating forgeries of some of the most sought-after works in literary history.…
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