Why Chekhov’s Plays Are Relevant In 2017 America

The idea may seem absurd – he wrote about people’s private lives, and he’s known to have disliked all but the most genteel political protests – but the directors and critics who’ve talked with writer Lisa Rothman make a very good case. (For instance, “The central music of Chekhov’s plays is people talking-talking-talking but never listening.”)

Imagining The Future Is Now Big Business

The industry doesn’t have a name, but its main product does: Design fiction. “It’s science fiction made real in the form of interactive exhibitions, product demonstrations, and behind-the-scenes consulting work. And it tends to pop up at any event Davos-ish enough to include the word ‘influencers.'” Kyle Chayka visits both a leading studio in the field, as well as perhaps the biggest example of design fiction: the Museum of the Future in Dubai.

The Believer, Acclaimed And Offbeat Magazine, Is Moving To Vegas

The five-time National Magazine Award finalist, which has had contributors ranging from Nick Hornby to Anne Carlson to Lemony Snicket Daniel Handler, had been published by McSweeney’s since it was founded in 2003. The title has been purchased by the Black Mountain Institute at The University of Nevada, Las Vegas and will be edited by the Institute’s executive director, Joshua Wolf Shenk.

Why You Feel The Urge To Jump: The Science And Philosophy Of Looking Down From A High Place

“The seemingly irrational, but common urge to leap – half of respondents felt it in one survey – can be so disturbing that ruminators from Jean-Paul Sartre (in Being and Nothingness) to anonymous contributors in lengthy Reddit sub-threads have agonized about it. … The French explain it as l’appel du vide, or call of the void. Are they just French, or can the void really beckon you to kill yourself? New science on balance, fear, and cognition shows that the voice of the abyss is both real and powerful.”

Life Lessons From Studying Dance

“When you do physical theatre. you learn when to give your weight, and when to let go. These are skills that are fundamental in a human being’s life, but we tend to ignore them.” His pupils, he said, learned how to “reach out” to others. They learned how to communicate. They learned how to listen. They learned how to work as a team. Oh, and their academic performance soared.

The Weird Public/Private Lives Of Writers

“The line between public and private selves is different for different writers. Some are comfortable sharing many details of their lives. Neil Gaiman tells fans about his book projects, encourages people to get involved in refugee relief and tweets pictures of his wife and baby son. Other writers prefer relative anonymity. Thomas Pynchon famously doesn’t give interviews and is rarely photographed. Most writers probably fall somewhere in between.”

Rare Bookstores Are Becoming Rarer Than Rare Books

“Susan Benne, executive director of the Antiquarian Booksellers’ Association of America, says the organization has about 450 members but estimates 60 percent of those do not have an open storefront, and the overall number of dealers continues to drop. Lost, too, is that dusty aura of something vanished, gone like smoke from steam engines in the American landscape. The digital age of Amazon.com, e-readers and online research has its advantages, but for parishioners of the Church of Old Books, it has also relegated a way of reading, and finding the book of your fever dreams, to a dust-mote-enchanted memory.”

Add This Mirrored Tunnel Of Books To Your Bookstore Bucket List

Whoa. “The dizzying space contains a grand optical illusion that you only see once you’ve set foot inside. Its lobby is a cavernous tunnel that most notably features striking black mirrored flooring. Together, the reflective ground and curved shelving creates the feeling that you’ve stepped into a perfectly circular room, making you question which way is up.”

Inspired By Bakersfield

Artist Mary Weatherford has worked in bookstores and galleries; she has worked for other artists for money – but she has never stopped creating her own art too. Finally, her abstract work is winning her some attention and shows.

Demographer Looks At World Population Trends To Make Some Predictions

For example, he said that over the next 20 years, the world as a whole won’t have the demographic ingredients to keep the global economy humming at a “pre-2008 tempo.” The main reason: not enough educated people with the necessary skills. He also argued that the demographic fundamentals of the US and Canada look “quite positive” through 2035—perhaps the best in the world.