May/June 1999

Editor's Note

Theme and Variations in Blue

A Conversation with . . .
Blues legend B.B. King talks about his life, career, the meaning of the blues, and of course, his guitar Lucille.

Destination Delta
Making the pilgrimage to a repository of the blues. By Anna Maria Gillis

Pacific Overtures

The Paradoxical General: MacArthur
A new film explores the complexities of an extraordinary commander. By Sara E. Wilson

At War's Painful Core
A legacy of loss from three wars is chronicled by the American Wars in Asia Project. By Rachel Galvin

From There to Here

Riding Ancient Waves: A Polynesian Adventure
Guided only by stars and the sea, a thousand years ago these explorers created an empire of ocean. By Lisa Rogers

Uncommon Directions
Some unusual maps trace the progress of the soul and the arc of life. By Robin Herbst

Around the Nation

Book List 1998
A list of NEH-supported books published in 1998.