Is Eustace Conway ‘The Last American Man?’
By Amanda Festa Elizabeth Gilbert’s biography of Eustace Conway began as an article for GQ in 1998, but her affection for Conway began some time…
Author: Amanda
Happy Birthday, Julia: Celebrating the Centenary of a Culinary Icon
by Amanda Festa One of my most vivid memories of childhood is the distinct voice of Julia Child wafting, or more accurately, booming, from my…
Cheryl Strayed Talks “Wild” and “Beautiful” at Harvard Book Store
By Amanda Festa As I approached Harvard Book Store in anticipation of hearing Wild author Cheryl Strayed read from her latest work, Tiny Beautiful…
Happy Birthday, James Ponce: The Breakers’ Historian and Living Landmark turns 95
By Amanda Festa Courtesy of The Breakers According to his biography, “Esteemed historian, James Ponce, knows more about The Breakers and the destination of Palm…
Hiking Gear to go ‘Wild’ For
By Amanda Festa Cheryl Strayed documented her 1,100 mile solo hike in her memoir, Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail. When…
Woman Gone ‘Wild’: Cheryl Strayed Traveling Solo
By Amanda Festa In her memoir, Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail, Cheryl Strayed hikes 1,100 miles on the PCT, which…
Literary Fiction 101: A DIY Syllabus for Fall 2012
by Amanda Festa For students of all ages, fall brings the start of a new semester and, along with it, the crisp pages of class…
A Farewell to Average Travel: Would you stay at a Hemingway Hotel?
by Amanda Festa There is no shortage of unique options when it comes to choosing travel accommodations. There are hotels submerged completely underwater and, if…
Beat the Heat with Cinematic Summer Reading
by Amanda Festa It is no surprise that the balmy weather of summer inspires many to spend lazy hours reclining in lounge chairs, inhaling an…
Ode to England Inspired by Kazuo Ishiguro
by Zoe Smith “Memories, even your most precious ones, fade surprisingly quickly. But I don’t go along with that. The memories I value most, I…