Maria

"Natalie has just arrived at summer camp and soon realizes it isn't anything like the brochure. Instead of spending the summer with her best friends, Zoe and Flo, Natalie is stuck with her ex-BFF, Lily, and someone even more annoying than the endless mosquitoes: Millie Flatbottom. Even worse, she's constantly pushed out of her comfort zone and forced to come face-to-face with some of her greatest fears. Although summer camp isn't at all what Natalie...

Castle Rackrent is a sharp critique of class dynamics, the moral ambiguities of loyalty, and the intricate nature of landlord-tenant relationships in Ireland. Edgeworth delves into the flaws and excesses of the Anglo-Irish gentry, depicting a society where privilege and neglect coexist, often to the detriment of the lower classes. Through the narrative of Thady Quirk, the novel exposes the economic and social consequences of mismanagement and exploitation,...

Maria Edgeworth takes on issues of gender and race in her early editions of "Belinda", and although later editions tone down some controversial material to appease audiences, the alterations were most likely made by Edgeworth's father. Edgeworth's story centers around Belinda, a young woman who is navigating the complicated path of courtship and the limitations of domesticity. When Belinda is sent to live with the fashionable Lady Delacour, in hopes...

Kim Lord is an avant-garde figure, feminist icon, and agent provocateur in the L.A. art scene. Her groundbreaking new exhibition Still Lives is comprised of self-portraits depicting herself as famous, murdered women--the Black Dahlia, Chandra Levy, Nicole Brown Simpson, among many others--and the works are as compelling as they are disturbing, implicating a culture that is too accustomed to violence against women. As the city's richest art patrons...

Born in Prague when it was part of the Austro-Hungarian empire and recognized today as a master of verse, poet Rainer Maria Rilke was considerably less well known in 1902 when he received a heartfelt letter from an aspiring poet. A 19-year-old student sent Rilke some of his verses, seeking an opinion of their worth. Rilke declined to offer a critique, instead encouraging the student to rely upon his own inner judgment: "Nobody can advise and help...

"For the first time in her life, Natalie feels confident. Her talents are being recognized, she has supportive friends, and she's spending a ton of time with her crush, Derek! But when Derek tells Natalie that he just wants to be friends, Natalie's self-confidence quickly changes to self-doubt. As she tries to recover from her broken heart, Natalie casts aside her talents and even her friends. With no one to turn to, Natalie will have to pull herself...