Behind Beauty

Behind The Scenes

Kimberly Nelson | Chicago | 16th October 2023

What it is really like to be an extra in major motion pictures. It is a lot like jury duty, in the sense that it involves long hours of waiting around for minimum wage pay. Days can start at 3am and end after dark. Being selected to hold a prop or sit next to a principal actor is entirely a matter of chance. And in the end, the shots that feature you may well end up on the cutting room floor (1,640 words)

The Beauty Of Chalk

Roy Peachey | Plough | 24th October 2023

Review of a book about mathematicians and their chalkboards. The act of writing with chalk forces the mind to slow down and thus to encounter new concepts at a pace conducive to understanding. It makes collaboration easier than with a computer screen. There are no glitches or errors that can prevent the ideas flowing out. And it forces a cerebral discipline into the physical realm (1,110 words)