tagged w/ Literature
-
Another bugaboo of mine – and it’s a related issue – is that of narrative. Many contemporary writers these days are deeply invested in the storytelling potential of verse, and as a result we see a lot of poems that are, in my view, way too concerned with the “what happened.” Some do it well. Most, though, do little more than prove my point, which is that if you want to tell a story, prose is the tool that was built specifically for that purpose. Using poetry to tell stories is like using a clarinet to dig postholes. You can probably make it work, sorta, but what really is the point?Another bugaboo of mine – and it’s a related issue – is that of... more
-
-
May 16th marks the 100th anniversary of Studs Terkel’s birth and an occasion to memorialize one of the most prolific writers and cultural critics in the history of Chicago letters. As an author, broadcaster and oral historian, legendary Chicagoan Studs Terkel celebrated the lives of ordinary Americans. Some of Terkel’s many friends and fans are hoping to return the favor with a series of events marking the 100th birthday of a man whose work is a chronicle of the 20th century.
The Studs Terkel Centenary, a group headed up by Terkel’s friends, including Chicago Tribune reporter Rick Kogan, on Saturday will rededicate the Division Street Bridge, which was named after Terkel 20 years ago. On Wednesday, The Newberry Library will host a birthday party featuring guest speakers who will share stories about Studs. Terkel’s friends will ensure that his memory lives on with a day of Studs-only programming on WFMT-FM on his birthday, with performances of passages from Terkel’s 2001 book “Will the Circle Be Unbroken?” at Steppenwolf Theatre next week and by phoning in personal anecdotes about Terkel to a hotline set up by Chicago’s Hull House Museum.
This piece includes a number of photographs, an animated short and five documentary short films about the life and works of Studs Terkel.
http://disembedded.wordpress.com/2012/05/16/the-studs-terkel-centenary-chicago-celebrates-legendary-studs-terkel/May 16th marks the 100th anniversary of Studs Terkel’s birth and an occasion to... more
-
-
If there could be any one person responsible for the “cool” of my generation, and well, all those to follow, it would be Maurice Sendak. But his influence goes far beyond what hip, creative things he inspired in us 40-somethings with his array of stories and pictures. He wasn’t just a children’s writer, in fact he despised being categorized that way.
Straight talking, wild eyed and honest, Maurice gave us “kids” a taste of truth, of beauty, of pain, and of love.If there could be any one person responsible for the “cool” of my... more
-
-
Two new poems - "Boulder Ghost Tour" and "Harlot" - at the S&R Lit Journal. Good stuff.Two new poems - "Boulder Ghost Tour" and "Harlot" - at the S&R... more
-
-
In my New York Journal of Books review I compare Jonathan Galassi’s new book Left-Handed: Poems to the movie Beginners and recommend it “to all poetry lovers and to all readers who find they must radically change their lives in order to live more authentically.”In my New York Journal of Books review I compare Jonathan Galassi’s new book... more
-
-
Will Europa Editions' newly published English translation of Italian writer Diego De Silva's comic novel I Hadn't Understood appeal to Jewish New Yorkers? In my New York Journal of Books review I compare Mr. De Silva's sense of humor to those of Woody Allen and Philip Roth. Read the review and then the book and decide for yourself.Will Europa Editions' newly published English translation of Italian writer Diego... more
-
-
“The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore” is an award-winning animated short film by author/illustrator William Joyce and Co-Director Brandon Oldenburg at Moonbot Studios, which won the Oscar for Best Animated Short Film last night at the 2012 Academy Awards. Drawing on inspirations from Hurricane Katrina, The Wizard of Oz and Buster Keaton, the amazing and inspirational short film combines a variety of animation techniques to tell the story of people who have a passion for books.
This piece includes a number of colorful illustrations, as well as the acclaimed animated short film.
http://disembedded.wordpress.com/2012/02/27/the-fantastic-flying-books-of-mr-morris-lessmore-wins-2012-oscar-for-best-animated-short-film/“The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore” is an award-winning... more
-
-
"There are always discussions which are important, that often get dominated by, or can't prevent the inclusion of, people who not only have no idea what they're talking about, but also who can't manage to construct a linear thought. The Internet has been a godsend to these people. Beforehand, they could only interrupt and annoy their families, and friends, if any. Now they can interrupt an annoy everyone..."
American Culture, Arts & Literature, Internet, Telecom & Social Media, Journalism, Media & Entertainment, Politics, Law & Government, United States"There are always discussions which are important, that often get dominated by,... more
-
-
Cabal
-
added this
-
3 months ago
- |
-
We’re in the beginning of an Arizona/Grand Canyon Western film set, so stop after just fifteen minutes down the piste to shoot some B roll. Bea discovers the key to the room at Gourma, so Abdul returns to Douentza while we shoot, crack jokes, get burrs in our pants, are visited by wandering Peuls, and…. finally our faithful driver returns and we’re on our way. Taking it easier. And of course today happens to be Tabaski here (it’s a locally defined thing), so still no food.
And as we move into Dogon country something happens. As if the cliffs are living. The Telems were here first. In the eleventh century. You can sense their world – veldt, savannahs, jungle with lions, buffalo, elephants. The wild dangers led the Telems to live in impossible-to-reach cliff houses, like Chaco Canyon or Mesa Verde. You can see these astonishing dwellings in a documentary of a Dogon cliff funeral made by Jean Rouch Cimetieres dans La Falaise . I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THAT YOU STOP whatever you are doing and spend 18 minutes with the Dogons. It’s in Dogon and French and awesome.
Bob Holman is the host of a new travel series focused on endangered languages called ON THE ROAD WITH BOB HOLMAN on LINK TV. He traveled to West Africa, Middle East and Asia and these are his blog stories from his travels. More information at http://www.rattapallax.com/blog/on_the_road/We’re in the beginning of an Arizona/Grand Canyon Western film set, so stop... more
-
-
Charles Dickens biographer Claire Tomalin has this week claimed that kids these days can no longer read his "amazingly relevant" works because their attention spans are ruined by "dreadful" TV. So to celebrate Charles Dickens 200th birthday British tabloid The Mirror have boiled down his books to 140-character easily understandable tweets.If you haven't read any Dickens don't read the below, spoiler alerts!
Barnaby RudgeMystery murder: Essex nutter with a pet raven conned into rioting in London, dodgy MPs, couple of hangings, murder solved. Lovers wed. #Aah!The Pickwick Papers Nice rich old man Sam Pickwick & chums travel round the UK countryside and write about findings. Cue funny scrapes inc Mr P getting jailed.A Tale of Two Cities French Revolution, boozy lawyer defends Brit toff spy, falls for his lover & helps her save him from guillotine. #Bestof timesworstoftimesNicholas Nickleby Nick's dad loses money & dies. Nick, ma & sis have to live with horrid rich uncle. Posh ppl cruel, but Nick comes out on top #HappyeverafterA Christmas Carol Miserly Scrooge mean to all inc Bob C who's got sick son Tim. Spooked by 3 ghosts on Xmas Eve. Wakes changed man, buys big bird. #happyxmas!The Old Curiosity Shop Nell lives in shop wiv grampy who gambles to save for her future. Loses shop to mean moneylender. They flee, get hunted down - and die. Sob.The Adventures of Oliver Twist Orphan flees workhouse, snared by villain Fagin, gets caught pickpocketing, old gent takes pity, gets kidnapped then rescued. #Happyending!Our Mutual Friend Bloke due to wed to ensure fortune "drowns". Cash goes to working class Boffins. Blackmail, villainy then dead hero returns to #wed and winThe Mystery of Edwin Drood Orphan falls foul of opium-soaked choirmaster who obsesses over his betrothed. Dickens dies before he finishes the story. #hence the mysteryDavid Copperfield Mean stepdad sends Dave to work in London, he flees to live with Aunt, becomes a lawyer, falls for boss's girl and defeats enemy Uriah Heep.
Bleak House Saintly Ester pressured to marry man she doesn't love. Murder, inheritance battle and case of spontaneous human combustion. #tons of twistsHard Times Dour milltown teacher tries to reform circus lass while own kids go off rails & get into robbery. Local worker tries to dump his drunk wife.Little Dorrit Amy Dorrit & dad Bill live in debtor's jail. He's freed, she falls for pauper Arthur. Strange secret and villain with two names in the mix.Great Expectations Pip's a gent cos of cash windfall. Gets greedy, disowns family, discovers benefactor is escaped con. Mad Miss Haversham fries, #he gets girl
Dickens in numbers
1812 .. born Charles John Huffam Dickens on Feb 7, PortsmouthTen ..children with Catherine Thomson Hogarth, who he married aged 2412 ..age he started work labelling polish for 6s989 characters in all his stories put together325 ..adaptations for film & TV (so far!)Six ..number of weeks it took to write A Christmas Carol to get it ready for festive season58..the age he died, following a strokeCharles Dickens biographer Claire Tomalin has this week claimed that kids these days... more
-
-
If you have a child currently enrolled in public school be warned: a heavy dose of religion may accompany his or her studies.
According to Kimberly Winston of Religion News Service, a number of state legislators are now pushing some legislation that would introduce studying the Bible as a choice in their state's public schools, and other legislation that would teach creationism as valid.
Bible courses, offered as elective "literature" classes, are being considered by lawmakers in Arizona and have already been approved in South Dakota, South Carolina, Texas, Georgia, Oklahoma, and Tennessee. Since these classes are not mandatory and are supposed to be taught with religious neutrality, there has not been a great deal of public opposition to them. Some school districts within the states where they are allowed still choose to not offer them at all.
To read the rest of this article by AHA Executive Director Roy Speckhardt, click here: http://hmn.st/xXKSCIIf you have a child currently enrolled in public school be warned: a heavy dose of... more
-
-
The author Thomas C. Foster has written a book called Twenty-five Books That Shaped America. While reading this book I agreed with some selections. However, I disagreed with about 75% of them. I don’t think the author took into account that the books that changed America should be transformative and not personal favorites. The criteria for books should be if the authors provoke social or philosophical change in the way we American’s view ourselves. Without further adieu, here is the 1Lovejoy’s list.The author Thomas C. Foster has written a book called Twenty-five Books That Shaped... more
-
-
I have been a bookworm all my life. Bookworm being the old fashioned word for what is now termed a pathology, bibliophile?, loner? I have only recently downloaded my
first e-book onto a cheap pad I got. It's Bleak House for free. I used to have a complete set of Dickens from about 1880. It yellowed and fell to pieces. Couldn't hold
the books at all. I collect antique books, nothing fancy just what I like. Bulwers Works, Ben Hur, almost all of Dauphne DeMurier. I would be one of those folks with
shelves cutting through the middle of the living room if I could get away with it, piles of books like towers everywhere. Now I suppose I could collect books on hard drives, but that lacks the aesthetic appeal; or the smell. The new soy inks don't have that lovely off gassing smell of chemical inks.
I remember the day I learned how to read, like lightening striking, like learning to breath under water. It was a fantastic, trippy experience as some part of my six year old brain exploded into awareness. When I would laugh at jokes about Dick and Jane, I would feel a little guilty sadness because they had done so much for me. I won prizes in second grade for reading the most books, could read college level by the age of 12. Granted I can read and comprehend well, but that doesn't translate into writing skills as my high school teachers hated teaching diagramming so any syntax or grammer I have is by accident. I don't know anyone who reads like I do. My daughters have to read
because they are in school but they don't rush home to read like I did, high in the magnolia tree like a strange monkey. I have never caught them reading with a
flashlight lost in a world of knights and poetry. They don't lie in bed all saturday morning finishing up the last of a book that they saved for a morning thrill. None
of my husbands read all that much, a magazine, internet. My second husband was a lawyer so he had to read and he did like Hunter S. Thompson, but other than that.
So for the New Year I wanted to list all the books I read in 2011. I can't make a reading list for 2012 as I don't know where my mind will take me. But I can tell you where I have been. Did you know you can get a list of all the books you have borrowed going back at least five years from your local library?
View my blog for the complete list and feel free to let me know what you have read this last year. Happy New Year
viewsfromanoldwhitewoman.blogspot.comI have been a bookworm all my life. Bookworm being the old fashioned word for what is... more
-
-
The death of Christopher Hitchens on Thursday night, of complications from esophageal cancer at the age of 62, ended one of the greater intellectual careers of the last 40 years. Born in Portsmouth, England, and educated at Balliol College, Oxford, Hitchens started his career as a Trotskyite at “The New Statesman,” working along with noted authors, Martin Amis and Ian McEwan, who would become his lifelong friends. In the early 1980s, he moved to the United States, becoming a citizen in 2007, and began working for liberal magazine “The Nation,” writing some of his earliest attacks on the conservative government and American foreign policy.
A prolific author, Hitchens left behind a massive body of critical writing, with more than a dozen books and hundreds of essays targeting everyone from the British Monarchy to Bill Clinton to George Orwell to God, usually with wit and more often than not, vicious and cutting remarks. Even those who hated his politics could not help but admire his skill as a writer and ability to craft a sharp turn of phrase, and many called him a friend.
Perhaps his most famous book was “The Missionary Position,” a scathing attack on Mother Teresa and her Missionaries of Charity church, an organization that he called a cult. Hitchens described Mother Teresa as a “fraud” and accused her of glorifying poverty to enrich herself and the Catholic church, rather than truly helping the poor. The book infuriated Roman Catholics around the world, as well as politicians and celebrities who he claimed had used the charity and her reputation to mask their own evil deeds.
A later work, “The Trial of Henry Kissinger,” accused the former Secretary of State of “war crimes,” and argued that Kissinger should be prosecuted for “crimes against humanity, including conspiracy to commit murder, kidnap, and torture” for his involvement in atrocities in Southeast Asia and Central America. As a critic of the Bush administration’s use of torture, Hitchens filmed himself being waterboarded to demonstrate the cruelty of the practice. Hitchens claimed that, “The official lie about this treatment … is that it 'simulates' the feeling of drowning. This is not the case. You feel that you are drowning because you are drowning.”
Hitchens had an enviable career arc that began with his own brand of fiery journalism at Britain’s “New Statesman” and then made its way to America, where he wrote for everyone from “The Atlantic” and “Harper’s” to “Slate and “The New York Times Book Review.” He was a legend on the speakers’ circuit, could debate just about anyone on anything and won innumerable awards.
Christopher Hitchens was a wit, a charmer, a troublemaker and was a gift, if it dare be said, from God.
This piece includes color photographs, a photo-gallery and two documentary short films.
http://disembedded.wordpress.com/2011/12/16/remembering-christopher-hitchens-1949-2011/The death of Christopher Hitchens on Thursday night, of complications from... more
-
-
The night is weeping worms
And you must choose my steps: a careful
Bedouin rhythm, a rippling foreign tongue.The night is weeping worms
And you must choose my steps: a careful
Bedouin rhythm,... more
-
-
“The Picture of Dorian Gray” is an innovative and gripping literary adaptation, a graduation animated eight-minute short film by Thomas Beg at England’s UCA Rochester. Adapting the Oscar Wilde classic, Thomas Beg has crafted a short film that is in the running for best of the year. The visual presentation of this familiar story is what sets Beg’s adaptation apart: the use of beautiful, visually intricate black-and-white tableaus, the novel portrait mode framing and his choice of creating a story about human characters with no actual character animation.
For those who might be unfamiliar with the story, “The Picture of Dorian Gray” is Oscar Wilde’s only published novel, released in 1891. Dorian Gray is gazing upon a completed portrait of himself when it strikes him as tragic that he will grow old, while the portrait will forever capture him in the bloom of youth. If only it were reversed. Suddenly it is so, and the story follows the moral degradation of Gray after this supernatural event.
This piece includes a colorful illustration and the acclaimed animated short film.
http://disembedded.wordpress.com/2011/12/04/the-picture-of-dorian-gray/“The Picture of Dorian Gray” is an innovative and gripping literary... more
-
-
Famous fantasy novelist Anne McCaffrey had died at the age of 85, Random House confirmed Tuesday afternoon. Anne McCaffrey was much beloved for all of her fiction works, but most especially addored for her long-lived Dragonriders of Pern series.Famous fantasy novelist Anne McCaffrey had died at the age of 85, Random House... more
-
-
Disturbing. Great story, but disturbing.
"I still can’t believe I got a dude with a harelip for a roommate. And his name is Roger. Fucking Roger. I walk in and he’s already claimed the top bunk, his computer the only thing up and running besides my blood.
He introduces himself as Roger F. McAlister the Third, son of douche bag blah blah blah blah. I stop listening."Disturbing. Great story, but disturbing.
"I still can’t believe I got a... more
-
-
Milbrodt: I have always been fascinated by people who look different or those who don’t fit in. When I was a kid I was overweight and got teased a lot at school, so I often thought about people who were considered “different” or otherwise ended up on the margins of society. I also had a very independent streak from a young age, and was constantly asking why it was wrong to be different, and why I had to do things the same way everyone else did them.Milbrodt: I have always been fascinated by people who look different or those who... more
-
-
In the final analysis, the orcs and goblins seem to me to be in no way comparable to the 1%. On the contrary. It’s young Lord Rust who’s the 1% and the goblins are the 99% he’s selling into slavery.
Pratchett does, indeed, redeem the possibility inherent in every race and affords a space for redemption no matter what your station in life. On this point Gavin and I couldn’t agree more. Pratchett distinguishes between how we’re born and what we choose to do, and perhaps here is the nut of what I think is wrong with the argument Gavin frames out in his post. The 1% that Occupy Wall Street is protesting against is not a downtrodden minority and they are not the focus of prejudice in the way that Pratchett’s orcs and goblins are. The rage against them is rooted in law and evidence and the call is not for obliteration of a class but for a just and legal program of redress.
As presently constructed, the “orcs = the 1%” argument is like conflating armed robbers with African-Americans. Sure, both groups have their haters, but there’s no equivalency beyond that.In the final analysis, the orcs and goblins seem to me to be in no way comparable to... more
-
