academyoftheheartandmind non-fiction, Other

You Will Scream It At The Clouds If You Don’t Say It

By Heather Box I've been to what feels like too many whiskey-drenched nights, filled with shock, loud laughs, tears, subtle nods, and people collapsing in their grief. The way people work to create a silver lining so immediately after someone dies hurts so bad. In all the deaths I’ve seen, I have yet to find … Continue reading You Will Scream It At The Clouds If You Don’t Say It

academyoftheheartandmind Historical Work, non-fiction, Other

“B is for Bath” : An Alphabetical Retelling of the Bath School Massacre and its Legacy

By Abbey Toner A: Alphabet  During elementary school, kids are aged 5-11. All elementary schoolers should, in theory, know how to read. They should learn the alphabet in preschool, at the ages of 3-4.  In the 1920s, schools often combined all grades. During elementary school, kids would have been aged 5-14.  Psychologists would say that … Continue reading “B is for Bath” : An Alphabetical Retelling of the Bath School Massacre and its Legacy

academyoftheheartandmind Essays, non-fiction

12 Days of the Holidays: “Christmas in Venice” by Benedicte Grima

The sirens began sounding at midnight, and then again at 6AM. I was in Venice, where my aunt Adelaide – aka Tadé - had invited me to spend Christmas with her and her Venetian friends. It had snowed heavily the previous day, so that San Marco’s Square was thickly carpeted, as were the red tile … Continue reading 12 Days of the Holidays: “Christmas in Venice” by Benedicte Grima

academyoftheheartandmind Essays, Historical Work, non-fiction

Neomedievalism: The Contemporary Era in Medieval Reflections

By Antonio Ambrosino When history repeats itself, the Middle Ages return in 2025 In the silent flow of modern days, a strange echo rises — as if the past, long buried, were whispering through the cracks of our present. Despite scientific and technological advances, our society reveals unsettling similarities with the medieval past. From Berlin’s … Continue reading Neomedievalism: The Contemporary Era in Medieval Reflections

academyoftheheartandmind Announcements, Essays, non-fiction

November “The Thursdays” Contest: Bronze Winner: “Pets” by Oleg Daugovish

The camp fire dies down, and so does the conversation. The darkness blacks out the imperfections of the dusty Californian chaparral. Under the Big Tree, four slumped silhouettes sit, dissolving the week’s worries with cold brews. “Woof, woof, woof!” cry chops the stillness, urgency increasing with every bark.  “Where’s that dog’s owner?” Maura’s logic becomes … Continue reading November “The Thursdays” Contest: Bronze Winner: “Pets” by Oleg Daugovish

academyoftheheartandmind Announcements, non-fiction

13 Days of Halloween: Mannequins in the Hobbit Barn by S.G. Benson

When I purchased the old Shepard Place—one hundred sixty acres in northern Nebraska—I felt as if I’d stepped back in time. In 1925, Old Man Shepard ordered a house kit from the Sears & Roebuck catalog. It came by rail, arriving at the depot in town, about twenty-five miles away. Mr. Shepard and his brother … Continue reading 13 Days of Halloween: Mannequins in the Hobbit Barn by S.G. Benson