Times and Places

All writers in this collection speak for themselves—and themselves alone.

After Ferguson: St. Louis’ Decaying Black Suburbs Are About to Be Forgotten. Again.

Sarah Kendzior and Umar Lee, writing for Politico Magazine, describe life in Ferguson, Missouri.

Description • Times & Places • Mixed Person • Discussion Questions & Writing Prompts • Connect with Kendzior | with Lee

The Allegory of the Cave (Book VII of Plato's Republic)

The Greek philosopher Socrates contrasts two visual experiences to help his students discover Truth.

Analogy • Times & Places • Third Person • Discussion Questions & Writing Prompts

Crabs

Novelist Edwidge Danticat describes a meal that she will never forget.

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A Fiesta Fit for a Princess — for Those Willing to Pay

Los Angeles Times reporter Marisa Gerber describes how the traditional quinceanera has evolved over the past 40 years.

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Finally, a Gravestone for Little Viola Vanclief

In this piece from the Los Angeles Times, reporter Garrett Therolf depicts the resting place for a victim of child abuse.

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If You Shouldn't Call It the Third World, What Should You Call It?

Marc Silver, blogger of National Public Radio's intriguingly titled "Goats and Soda: Stories of Life in a Changing World," considers how best to classify the countries of the world.

Classification & Division • Times & Places • Mixed Person • Discussion Questions & Writing Prompts • Connect with Author

A Journey into My Colon — and Yours

Former Miami Herald Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist Dave Barry finally gets a colonoscopy (and we all get to read about it).

Narration • Times & Places • First Person • Discussion Questions & Writing Prompts • Connect with Author

The Market as God

Harvard professor of divinity Harvey Cox takes a theological approach to understanding the business world.

Analogy • Times & Places • First Person • Discussion Questions & Writing Prompts • Connect with Author

New York vs. London: Two Cities to Rule Them All

After a study named New York "the greatest city in the world of the future," the editors at the Atlantic detail the similarities between New York and London.

Comparison & Contrast • Times & Places • Mixed Person • Discussion Questions & Writing Prompts

The Other Side of the Living Sea

Author Tiphanie Yanique describes Vega Baja, Puerto Rico, the place where her grandmother was raised.

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Rise and Shine: What Kids Around the World Eat for Breakfast

See what the rest of the world feeds its children. Hint: it's not Pop-Tarts.

Example & Illustration • Times & Places • Mixed Person • Discussion Questions & Writing Prompts • Connect with Author

The Vietnam in Me

Novelist Tim O'Brien, a Vietnam veteran, explores war, love, history, depression, and loss.

Narration • Times & Places • First Person • Discussion Questions & Writing Prompts

The Volcano That Changed the Course of History

English professor Gillen D’Arcy Wood describes the global impact of Mount Tambora's 1815 eruption.

Cause & Effect • Times & Places • Third Person • Discussion Questions & Writing Prompts • Connect with Author

Why Time Travel Stories Should Be Messy

Blogger Charlie Jane Anders classifies the different types of time travel stories.

Classification & Division • Times & Places • Mixed Person • Discussion Questions & Writing Prompts • Connect with Author