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Photo of J.D. Salinger

Faith and Fiction: Did Salinger’s Work Give in to Vedanta?

The impact of Vedanta philosophy on Salinger’s life is obvious, but is open to debate as far as his writing is concerned. Having been deeply influenced by the Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna and Vedantic thought, Salinger created characters who, a few scholars have said, seem to spread the author’s faith in Vedanta.

Donald Trump speaking behind a podium reading "Trump Pence" in front of a crowd

Plurality Trumps Homogeneity: Listening to Different Voices Makes Us Great Again

From its bloody beginnings to its glorious establishment, America has always been a country of immigrants, of diverse groups, of different skin tones and dialects, of the tired and poor. What made America great, and what could make America great again, is this multitudinous quality, this possibility, this richness of variety.

Round-Up: The Passing of William Trevor, a Poem by Anne Frank, and the Shanghai Children’s Book Fair

Round-Up: The Passing of William Trevor, a Poem by Anne Frank, and the Shanghai Children’s Book Fair

From the passing of William Trevor to the auction of a handwritten poem by Anne Frank, here are this week’s biggest literary headlines: Irish writer William Trevor has passed away. The novelist, playwright, and short story writer won the Whitbread Prize three times and was short-listed for the Booker Prize four times. He was a…