Author Archives: Paul Elish

Grove Street Cemetery and my hometown have a few important similarities: both have streets with names, and nothing really happens in either place after 5 p.m. Thankfully, the residents of my hometown are alive, at least as far as I can tell. While I can’t say as much for New Haven’s hottest National Historic Landmark »

Fatigue, despair, and excruciating pain: all clues point in the direction of midterm season. Or Valentine’s Day, depending on your circumstances. Unfortunately, I can’t help you with your love life, but I do have something even better: studying tips! But seriously, one of the most exciting parts of entering Sterling Memorial Library lies in that »

I’m something of a map enthusiast. While planning room furnishing with future suitemates this past summer, I made one promise: I would bring maps. And I did. And naturally, I quickly learned about Yale’s Map Collection in Sterling Memorial Library. But when I finally visited this past weekend, I was little prepared for the locked »

Yale prides itself on intellect, but sometimes it takes something more to recognize the University’s brainpower. And by “something more,” I obviously mean more than 400 human brains and tumors preserved in glass jars. For those especially cerebral days, the Cushing Center in the Medical School’s Medical Library packs just the right neural punch. Opened »

There are treasures of Yale, and then there are treasures of Yale. The former include those hallmarks of the university that whirlwind tours trumpet – visions of Old Campus and Beinecke’s glowing marble come to mind. But the treasures have the added value of another flight of stairs, an extra block’s walk, or the simple »

“Can you hear me now?” – the eternal question from the Verizon Wireless “Test Man” came to represent nearly a decade of television commercials, but Paul Marcarelli, the man behind the glasses, remained anonymous long after his ubiquitous persona emerged on the national stage. Today, though still on contract with the company, Marcarelli talks of »

Q. What sets a botany survey course apart from other science classes? A. Sometimes plants get forgotten. Plants are something that students are surprised by — by how integrated they are in our everyday lives. They have such an interesting way of living. Q. From the perspective of a plant biologist, which plants in New »

With its intimate discussions of love, John Cariani’s “Almost, Maine” promises to be personal in nature for any audience member. Nevertheless, for me, the play strikes a chord particularly close to home. Cariani’s work is based on his and my hometown of Presque Isle, Maine. You might say I’m from Almost. Described simply, Cariani’s piece »