In conversation with John Brown, Duke's new vice provost for the arts

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RECESS  |  CULTURE

Staff selections: The best of my quarantine watchlist

By Jack Rubenstein | August 1, 2020

Here are items from my own quarantine binging that I think can serve as a temporary distraction from the current moment.

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RECESS  |  CULTURE

'Waiting for Eden' is a devastating story about loving and letting go

By Bates Crawford | July 25, 2020

There are some books that beg to be finished in one day: they pull you in with heroic characters and moving stories and transport you to a world that is foreign but familiar. Elliot Ackerman’s “Waiting for Eden,” published in 2018, is exactly one of these novels.

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The astronomical rise of esports

By Derek Chen | July 22, 2020

If you’re bored during quarantine and looking for a fun, popular and lucrative way to pass the time, consider picking up a controller to join the world of esports.

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'Animal Crossing' and coping with pandemic stress

By Kerry Rork | July 21, 2020

As odd as it is for me to say, "Animal Crossing" provides a sense of stability in an otherwise uncertain world.

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'Miss Juneteenth' is a timeless story embedded in modern America

By Megan Liu | July 13, 2020

“Miss Juneteenth” quietly discusses African-American embodiment in a modern, yet traditional world — a world that has consistently failed them.

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The enduring relevance of 'Avatar: The Last Airbender'

By John Markis | July 10, 2020

When “Avatar: The Last Airbender” first aired on Nickelodeon in 2005, George W. Bush had just begun his second term in office, Mario’s “Let Me Love You” was the most popular song on the Billboard Hot 100 and YouTube was less than a week into sharing videos to the world.

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RECESS  |  LOCAL

Shipshowz is a Durham haven for radical queer liberation

By Stephen Atkinson | June 30, 2020

Founded by Duke alumna Miss B. Haven, Trinity ‘18, and Jaylan Rhea, Shipshowz is more than just an outlet for drag performances: It is a transcendental performance showcase and a symbolic statement — a vision of radical queer liberation and of a world unbound by capitalist self-gratification. 

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Book review: 'The End of October' anticipates global pandemic

By Lena Yannella | June 29, 2020

Lawrence Wright’s “The End of October” is a fictional account of a virus that is first unleashed in Indonesia before quickly spreading around the globe.

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Kevin Bacon on 'You Should Have Left' and masculinity in horror movies

By Skyler Graham | June 28, 2020

On June 19, Blumhouse Productions and director and screenwriter David Koepp released their latest psychological thriller, “You Should Have Left.” Based on German author Daniel Kehlmann’s 2017 novella of the same name, the film explores how duplicity and paranoia can destroy a family.

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"Men We Reaped" is a true story of loss and community

By Bates Crawford | June 25, 2020

There are few authors who have a command of language like Jesmyn Ward. 

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'Cooks in Quarantine:' Duke students recreate their favorite campus dishes

By Paige Carlisle | June 15, 2020

Duke students may be apart physically, but they’re still connecting in the kitchen. For many, quarantine comes with extended free time, and some students have devoted it to recreating the dishes they miss most from Duke’s eateries.

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Duke Jazz director John Brown appointed vice provost for the arts

By Sarah Derris | June 11, 2020

Duke University Jazz Program director and professor of the practice of music, John Brown, has been named Duke’s vice provost for the arts, Duke University Provost Sally Kornbluth announced today. 

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The harsh reality of adolescent self-discovery in 'The King of Staten Island'

By Skyler Graham | June 11, 2020

In his latest film, “The King of Staten Island,” director Judd Apatow collaborates with Pete Davidson to deliver a brutally honest portrayal of every burnout’s most dreaded question: “What are you going to do with your life?” 

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Doc Studies course Small Town USA wraps remotely

By Sawyer O'Keefe | June 8, 2020

For the first time in its 13-year history, the documentary studies course Small Town USA: Local Collaborations underwent a complete curriculum change to adjust for remote learning.

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Rina Sawayama breaks out on debut album 'SAWAYAMA'

By Ajay Dheeraj | June 7, 2020

After showing great potential with her 2017 EP “RINA,” Rina Sawayama has returned with her debut full-length album "SAWAYAMA" — perhaps one of the best pop records of the year so far.

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Interview with Duke alum and poker star Pratyush Buddiga

By Sibani Ram | June 7, 2020

Duke alum Pratyush Buddiga, Trinity ’11, is no stranger to championship culture. As an Economics major, former professional poker player and the 2002 Scripps National Spelling Bee Champion, Buddiga might just call competition his drug of choice. 

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'Little Fires Everywhere' questions traditional ideas of success

By Hannah Miao | June 7, 2020

A good education, respectable job, beautiful home and a nuclear family — these metrics have long been the emblems of success in America.