The two great African-American writers happened to run into each other on the street in Mobile, Alabama on a summer day in 1927, and she invited him to ride along with her to Tuskegee and beyond, through Georgia and South Carolina and ultimately home to New York. As biographer Yuval Taylor recounts, they visited a traveling rural school, saw a Bessie Smith traveling tent show, had a session with a conjur-man, and plenty more. – Longreads
Tag: 04.03.19
What Happened To Shakespeare’s Library?
And why would we care? “We do know a few things about Shakespeare’s relationship with books. He wrote plays according to a method that has been labeled plagiaristic; “appropriative” is a more polite term, and historically more accurate.” – Lapham’s Quarterly
Nathan Glazer Rose In An Era Of Rich Intellectual Stew. It’s Fascinating To Reflect On What’s Changed Since Then
Peter Skerry’s essay is quite pessimistic about how the world has evolved. He writes that the meritocracy structures we have built have become ingrown, timid and self-involved. He wonders if Glazer would agree with him… – The American Interest
The Internet Seems To Have Killed Many Things, And You Can Now Add Buffets To The List
At least this one isn’t just Millennials’ fault. But seriously, buffets used to dot the landscape in the United States. No longer. “Yelp and Google Reviews and TripAdvisor and all of their ilk could be partially responsible for the demise of buffets. When things go awry — be it food poisoning or oyster crackers — a record is online instantly. There are no secrets.” – Vox
Is English (Finally) Losing Its Grip On Pop Music?
As K-Pop and Spanish rappers start to climb the charts, the utter stranglehold of English over pop is starting to relax a little. “The idea that the [English-speaking] public would listen only if they understood the lyrics? Wrong, it turned out.” – The Guardian (UK)
This Norwegian National Ballet Principal Is Balancing A Career, Another Career, And Parenthood
Moving to Norway can focus the mind, or so says former Houston Ballet star Melissa Hough: “I had quite a few life revelations that took me by surprise. I began to ask myself a lot of hard questions and forced myself to find the answers. One of these questions was, ‘Do you want to be a choreographer and if so, why?'” – Pointe Magazine
Brexit Will Have A Debilitating Effect On British Pop Music
Brexit’s greatest impact on music looks likely to be on the live sector, both on British musicians going abroad, and on foreign artists and fans travelling to the UK. – The Guardian
Art Gallery Of Ontario Says It Will Sell 17 Works To Diversify Its Collection
The works for sale aren’t unimportant. They’re by Montreal native and Group of Seven member A.Y. Jackson. They will be included in Heffel Fine Art Auction House’s upcoming auctions, beginning in May. “A founding member of the Group of Seven, A.Y. Jackson is one of Canada’s most celebrated and important artists,” the auction house said in a statement. – ArtForum
The Battle Between What You Believe And What You See
Work on artificial intelligence suggests that our brains engage in constant battles between what we think we know versus what we actually experience. It’s a kind of constant skepticism that informs our consciousness. – Aeon
50 Years Of Dance Theater Of Harlem
In 1969, Arthur Mitchell and Karel Shook started the company in a converted garage. “Together, they wanted to prove to the world something that still needed proving back then: that blacks could indeed dance ballet — and marvelously.” They did, and the company developed a worldwide reputation, one that survived even an eight-year hiatus due to financial troubles. “In honor of the anniversary, current and former members talked about their time with the company and, of course, Mitchell and his legacy. Here are edited excerpts from those interviews.” – The New York Times