Books

April 22, 2025

Prominent Civil Rights Figure Ruby Bridges Publishes Love Letter to Her First-Grade Teacher

In November 1960, a shouting mob swarmed around William Frantz Elementary School in New Orleans. At the center of the commotion was Ruby Bridges, a 6-year-old girl accompanied by U.S. Marshals. She was the first Black student to integrate the school, at the height of the civil rights movement. That year, several white parents withdrew their children from the school, and all teachers except for one refused to teach while a Black child was enrolled.

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February 3, 2025

Embroidery Artist’s New Book Shines Light on the Art of Slow Stitching [Interview]

If you are someone who enjoys embroidery and textile art, you'll be thrilled about the newest book by illustrator and embroidery artist Sara Barnes. Barnes, who was also a staff writer at My Modern Met for nearly a decade, is the creative mind behind Bear & Bean. Through Bear & Bean she specializes in stitching animals and pet portraits, and with her writing she shares the work of other contemporary embroidery artists.

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January 4, 2025

Meet the World’s Most Imaginative, Bizarre, and Creative Playgrounds in This Coffee Table Book

As the renowned playwright George Bernard Shaw once remarked, “We don’t stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing.” This belief is central to the work of the artists, designers, and architects featured within a new book by Emmy Watts. Published by Hoxton Mini Press earlier this fall, The Art of Play catalogs more than 80 of the world’s most imaginative playspaces.

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My Modern Met

Celebrating creativity and promoting a positive culture by spotlighting the best sides of humanity—from the lighthearted and fun to the thought-provoking and enlightening.