“A quarterly that began publishing in the spring of 1999, [Tin House] quickly set itself apart, injecting the staid world of literary magazines with humor, adventurous design and an expansive editorial mission that mixed risky work by new and established writers. This month, Tin House will publish its 80th and final issue.” Nicole Rudick looks at what made the journal so special and talks with the people who made it happen. – The New York Times
Tag: 06.06.19
Protests Against Drag Queen Story Hour Spread To Brooklyn (Brooklyn?)
Mind you, this wasn’t in Williamsburg or Park Slope; it happened at the library branch in the somewhat remote neighborhood of Gerritsen Beach. Even so, about 40 people protesting the reading by Angel Elektra were met by more than 50 counter-protesters. “One side played church hymns from a loudspeaker, the other played Lady Gaga and Ke$ha from phones.” – Brooklyn Eagle
Los Angeles To Redesign La Brea Tar Pits
“Officials from the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, the entity that manages the site, announced the selection of three architectural firms that will develop separate proposals for a new master plan for the 12-acre site, which includes the tar pits, the George C. Page Museum and surrounding parkland — home to the iconic Los Angeles sight of a mammoth clinging to life along the edge of a tar lake.” – Los Angeles Times
T-Rex And Robots And Toons, Oh My! Smithsonian’s Fossil Hall Reopens After Five-Year Renovation
Yes, “the Nation’s T. rex” still has pride of place in the hall at the National Museum of Natural History. “But there’s much more here than one awe-inspiring dinosaur. The hall, restored to its Beaux-Arts glory, offers a fresh view of the fossil record and the evolution of life. It looks at the impact of climate change — caused both by man and by natural sources — and mass-extinction events. The exhibition demonstrates what scientists can learn from seemingly innocuous marks on a fossil, uses a cartoon of an ancient sea creature to show why your brain is located in your skull, and lets visitors get up close and personal with giant bronze insects.” – The Washington Post
$55 Million — Philadelphia Orchestra Gets Largest Gift In Its History
“The donation, by a couple wishing to remain anonymous, places $50 million into the orchestra’s endowment plus $5 million for general operating costs.” – The Philadelphia Inquirer
Board Exodus At Chicago’s Auditorium Theatre
Thirteen out of 34 members of the board of directors, including chairman John Svoboda, resigned this week following a disagreement with Roosevelt University, which owns the building, over the hiring of a new CEO. – Crain’s Chicago Business
Dr. John, New Orleans Musical Icon, Dead At 77
“[Malcolm John] Rebennack, in his younger years, was gangsta to a degree that would likely shock Lil Wayne. But over the course of a remarkable life and career, he evolved. From addiction to three decades of sobriety. From sordid escapades as a dealer and pimp to Disney soundtracks and the model for sleepy-eyed, jive-talking Muppet musician Dr. Teeth. From hometown outcast to one of its most outspoken advocates and beloved characters.” – The New Orleans Advocate
Edinburgh Festivals Lobby UK Gov’t To Stop Making Artist Visas So Difficult
“A delegation from the festivals has this week met with Caroline Nokes, the Minister of State for Immigration, in a bid to ease the apparent clampdown on visiting artists to the UK … [that led to] the visa crisis experienced by artists at last year’s festival.” – The Herald (Scotland)
Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre’s Artistic Director To Step Down After 22 Years
“Terrence S. Orr … will retire next June after the ballet company concludes its 50th anniversary season. Under his leadership, Mr. Orr expanded the company’s repertory with more than 20 new commissions and dozens of acquisitions … [and] the company has grown its ticket sales, school enrollment and campus.” – Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Why Customers Are Returning To Small Bookstores
When one small bookstore owner tells customers they could buy it cheaper if they ordered it themselves, she says they tell her: “Amazon doesn’t play with my kids; Amazon doesn’t bring authors to Bedford; Amazon doesn’t recommend books when my child is going through hell and needs something to lift them up.” – The Guardian