Domestic Art

A few years into her marriage and feeling societal pressure to surrender to domesticity, Joanna Biggs found herself longing for a different kind of existence. Was this all there was? She divorced without knowing what would come next. Newly untethered, Joanna returned to the free-spirited writers of her youth and was soon reading in a fever—desperately searching for evidence of lives that looked more like her own, for the messiness and freedom, for a possible blueprint for intellectual fulfillment.

We’ve all been around those people who can leave us feeling drained after an encounter with them. Some people can leave us feeling agitated or annoyed or even just feeling really bad about ourselves. The most important thing you need to understand when dealing with someone like this is that their behavior toward you has nothing to do with you, and more often reflects their inner mental and emotional state. Identifying their harmful behavior is the first step to minimizing their impact. You might not be able to change what they do, but you can change what you do with it.

Sixteen-year-old Sarah can't draw. This is a problem, because as long as she can remember, she has "done the art." She thinks she's having an existential crisis. And she might be right; she does keep running into past and future versions of herself as she wanders the urban ruins of Philadelphia. Or maybe she's finally waking up to the tornado that is her family, the tornado that six years ago sent her once-beloved older brother flying across the country for a reason she can't quite recall.

Ah, 55. Gateway to the golden years! Professional submitting. Emotional maturity. Easy surfing toward the glassy blue waters of retirement...Or maybe not? Middle age, for Sandra Tsing Loh, feels more like living a disorganized 25-year-old's life in an 85-year-old's malfunctioning body. With raucous wit and carefree candor, Loh recounts the struggles of leaning in, staying lean, and keeping her family well-fed and financially afloat - all those burdens of running a household that still, all-too-often, fall to women.

Rising culinary star Chef Kristin Sollenne has been making headlines for her contemporary food philosophy, approachable cooking tips, and re-imagined healthy dishes. Rather than the sometimes-overwhelming cookbook approach, Kristin has provided you with the ultimate go-to guide for cooking and entertaining by the seasons.