Four historians weigh in, with takes ranging from "(he) resolved to be a good king and even a reformer" to "one of the most lamentable tenures of England's medieval monarchs" to "his reign was too short to give a definitive answer." - History Today
I didn’t have any ambition to be a “novelist.” I just had the strong desire to write a novel. I had no concrete image of what I wanted to write about—just the conviction that I could come up with something that I’d find convincing. - The New Yorker
Pratt, originally from Alabama, "moved between the worlds of literature, scholarship and activism over nearly five decades as the LGBTQ+ community achieved gains such as legalization of same-sex marriage and greater recognition of trans and nonbinary identities. But Ms. Pratt rarely adopted a celebratory tone." - Washington Post
Shall it be the will in the cupboard, or the will from the sofa cushions? "I think they all wish this had been settled a week after she passed away. ... But they’re not blaming anyone — it is what it is." - The New York Times
"Biermann was born under Nazism, in 1936, and raised in West Germany. As a teenager, he defected to the East and made a career as a singer of witty, folk-inspired songs — until an anti-authoritarian streak in his music began to trouble the Communist authorities." - The New York Times
"Nero was a national treasure. He appeared with Frank Sinatra, Mel Tormé, Andy Williams, Johnny Mathis and other headliners; released 72 albums; conducted the Philly Pops for 34 years, often with one hand while the other played a piano." - The New York Times
Over the decades, Carter had formed a “repertory company of writers, editors, designers, illustrators, and photographers,” as David Kamp, a member of the troupe, put it, and they were soon called upon to join his new venture. - Columbia Journalism Review
He was a virtuoso, able to match any jump by Nureyev or Baryshnikov (and he worked with both). But, at 5'2", he'd never dance romantic leads. That gave him time to do theatre and movies and TV, party with Elton John and Freddie Mercury, and become a household name. - The Guardian
In a report in the Financial Times, three women employed in the Accra, Ghana office of Adjaye's firm accused him of sexual harassment, a toxic work culture, and even sexual assault. Adjaye admits to inappropriate personal involvement with employees but denies other charges. - ARTnews
In its nearly half-century as a fixture on the region’s vibrant theater scene — GALA (short for Grupo de Artistas Latinoamericanos) orbited around Hugo’s Medrano's vision. His spirit accommodated a wide range of plays in Spanish and English on GALA’s stage. - Washington Post
"For nearly 70 years, Bob Sherman worked his radio magic at WQXR, wearing almost every imaginable hat along the way. … In addition to his work at WQXR, Bob was a music critic and columnist for The New York Times for over 40 years." - WQXR (New York City)
"(His) background in improvisation and knack for comic drama were cornerstones of his genre-hopping career that yielded enduring characters from the 1960s comedy The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming to Little Miss Sunshine and Argo" — for each of which he landed an Oscar nomination. - Yahoo! (Los Angeles Times)
We can learn to anchor our identities not to what we do – but to why we do it. Thinking of our identities in this way can make us more resilient in the face of change. - Washington Post
"He covered cultural news stories and profiled stage luminaries such as director Jose Quintero, playwright Edward Albee and actors Julie Harris and Carol Channing. Some of them may not have relished his revealing dive into their off-the-clock personalities." - MSN (The Washington Post)
