The 98th Academy Awards are tonight, and several nominated films are book adaptations, like Train Dreams and Hamnet. But according to Smithsonian magazine'sMichelle Mehrtens, even some of those that aren't may be best enjoyed alongside written material. The arts and culture correspondent put together a list of 10 books that complement this year's Oscar-nominated movies. Click here for a refresh on all the nominees ahead of the show, airing live at 7 p.m. ET on ABC and Hulu. — the Nice News team
Featured Story
Are You an Active Listener? 6 Strategies for Helping Others Feel Seen, Heard, and Understood
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Most of the time, we hear others when they're talking to us. But are we truly listening to them and letting it be known? The answer to this question is what separates passive listeners from active ones — the former may retain what people are telling them, but the latter takes steps to show that they're engaged in the conversation and seeking to fully understand what they're being told. Paying close attention when people are speaking is a skill worth pursuing: Research suggests that active listeners are better liked and more adept at making others feel seen, while leaders who listen attentively may be considered more trustworthy. And in general, it's a simple way to show that you care. "It helps people feel more understood and strengthens relationships, as it signals a willingness to sit with the other's perspective and empathy for their situation instead of a singular focus on oneself," clinical psychologist Sabrina Romanoff told Verywell Mind. In honor of March being Listening Awareness Month, click below to learn six strategies for boosting your active listening skills.
After a long day, making dinner is often the last thing you want to figure out. That's where Forkful comes in. The chef-prepared meal service gives you healthy, ready-to-eat meals so you can go from "What's for dinner?" to "Dinner's ready!" without the big effort or kitchen cleanup. The menu is thoughtfully curated for your unique lifestyle — from keto and paleo to plant-based and gluten-free — and each meal uses premium ingredients you can actually feel good about. Forkful makes your busy days run smoother without overhauling your routine or relying on takeout. Get 50% off your first box with code CMD50 and stock your fridge with premium meals like garlic-butter filet mignon, spicy rigatoni, and buffalo chicken.
Once-in-a-Decade Wildflower Bloom Brings Life to Death Valley
Will Lester—MediaNews Group/Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/Getty Images
Spring may still be a few days away, astronomically, but you wouldn't know it looking at Death Valley right now. Wildflowers are popping up in what's likely to be the park's greatest bloom since 2016. And the best may still be yet to come, as many of the higher elevation flowers haven't opened yet, according to the National Park Service. The lush growth at one of the driest places on Earth comes thanks to three conditions aligning: well-spaced rainfall across autumn, winter, and spring; warm temperatures; and favorable wind conditions. The bright yellow desert gold seen in the photo above (aka Geraea canescens) is especially prominent at the moment, but other blooms are expected to join the colorful party later this month, with even more emerging from April through June. "Whether it rises to the status of a superbloom is in the eye of the beholder," botanist Naomi Fraga of California Botanic Garden told SFGATE, noting the bloom appears somewhat localized compared to previous years. Superbloom or not, if you decide to see the scene for yourself, keep four words in mind: Don't doom the bloom. In other words, stay on marked trails and off the flowers! And if you're not local, feast your eyes on more pics here.
Health
Busting Myths: 45% of Older Adults Improved Cognitively or Physically With Age in New Study
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Getting older isn't synonymous with "decline" — and believing that can make a difference in how we age. That's the takeaway from a recent study out of Yale finding that nearly half of adults aged 65 and older actually showed measurable improvement in cognitive or physical function over time. "Many people equate aging with an inevitable and continuous loss of physical and cognitive abilities," lead author Becca R. Levy said in a statement. "What we found is that improvement in later life is not rare, it's common, and it should be included in our understanding of the aging process." For the study, researchers followed more than 11,000 participants for up to 12 years. They found that 45% improved either cognitively or physically — and that those with more positive age beliefs were significantly more likely to show improvements in both areas, even after controlling for age, sex, education, chronic disease, and depression. "What's striking is that these gains disappear when you only look at averages," said Levy. "If you average everyone together, you see decline. But when you look at individual trajectories, you uncover a very different story. A meaningful percentage of the older participants that we studied got better." Learn Levy's method for embracing aging with joy.
Humanity
Forgiving Others Is Good for You, Study Finds
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Offering forgiveness to someone who's hurt you is often easier said than done — but recent research adds to a body of evidence suggesting it can actually be a gift to yourself as well as the person you're giving it to. In a study published earlier this year, researchers analyzed data from more than 200,000 people across 23 countries, measuring participants at two points roughly a year apart. The team first assessed how often people forgave others, then followed up on well-being outcomes such as health, happiness, relationship quality, and financial stability. They found the habit of forgiving was most consistently linked to better psychological and social well-being, including higher optimism, a stronger sense of life purpose, and greater relationship satisfaction. Those who forgave more readily also tended to feel more grateful and more motivated to promote good in the world. While the improvements were modest, lead study author Richard Cowden said forgiveness can have a ripple effect — and it can be practiced. He told PsyPost: "If we consider these findings alongside intervention studies that show forgiveness can be cultivated, strengthening people's capacity to practice forgiveness more consistently (when safe and appropriate) may benefit well-being." Here's how to use a five-step model to cultivate forgiveness.
Late '80s sitcom Married With Children launched Christina Applegate's decades-long career, which also includes highlights like Anchorman and Dead to Me. But when she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2021, her role as an actor seemed like it may be over. The debilitating illness not only caused her to be bed-bound but also reawakened a wash of traumatic memories from her childhood and rise to fame. In this vulnerable memoir, Applegate turns to the diaries she's kept over the years to share her story with readers, in the hopes it will help others like her feel less alone.
Michelle Pfeiffer and Kurt Russell star in Yellowstone co-creator Taylor Sheridan's latest western offering, The Madison. Set in Montana's Madison River Valley, the Paramount+ series follows the Clyburn brood, who relocate from New York City to Big Sky Country following a family tragedy. Per a press release, the intimate series is "a heartfelt study of grief and human connection." The first three episodes dropped yesterday, and the remaining three will hit the streamer March 21.
This Week in History
The First Vincent van Gogh Retrospective Is Held
March 15, 1901
Mitch Diamond—The Image Bank Unreleased/Getty Images
While the story that Vincent van Gogh only sold one painting in his lifetime is almost certainly apocryphal, it's true that the Dutch painter did die in relative obscurity, having achieved acclaim only within avante-garde art circles during the final two years of his life. But 11 years after his death, the first retrospective of Van Gogh's work took place at the Bernheim-Jeune gallery in Paris, a pivotal milestone on his posthumous path to widespread fame. The exhibition featured 71 paintings, infused with emotion and boasting the artist's signature bold brushstrokes and vibrant colors. Today, his artwork is on display in museums across the world, as well as in the hands of wealthy private collectors — in 2022, his 1888 painting "Verger avec cyprès" sold for over $117 million at auction. Take a virtual tour of a recent yellow-themed exhibition at the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam.
Lean Into Green With TribeTokes This St. Patrick's Day
TribeTokes is making the case that the greenest thing you can do this March 17 isn't at the bottom of a pint glass — it's with plant-powered CBD alternatives that leave you feeling good the next morning, too. The women-owned brand's Wellness Gummies contain CBD for stress reduction and CBG for focus and uplifted mood.
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