“What’s the real danger here? It’s that proportion is lost, that personal sensitivities undermine cultural continuity, that teachers shy away from difficulty and complexity, and that books like Toni Morrison’s Beloved, even Huckleberry Finn, will be left out for fear someone is traumatized.”
Tag: 07.15.14
Why Do Writers Have To Sound So Constipated When They Read Their Poetry?
“Poet Voice,” is the pejorative, informal name given to this soft, airy reading style that many poets use for reasons that are unclear to me. The voice flattens the musicality and tonal drama inherent within the language of the poem, and it also sounds overly stuffy and learned. In this way, Poet Voice does a disservice to the poem, the poet and poetry. It must be stopped.”
So Opera Is Dying, Eh? Here’s How Many New Opera Companies Have Formed In America Since 2000
It’s a surprising number for an art form that has supposedly hit hard times.
Opera Out In The Wild (And Great Fun It Is Too)
“Sometime a few years ago some local members of the arts scene decided that it would be fun to start a summer opera company and hold all the productions in an outdoor platz that is part of the ruins of an old milling company, now turned into an educational museum. The next morning, when they had sobered up, it still seemed like a good idea, so they ran with it. The result is one of the most fun and entertaining additions to the Twin Cities art scene in many a year.”
Japanese Artist Arrested For Distributing Selfie Of Ladyparts For 3D Printer
“The artist, who works under the pseudonym Rokudenashiko – which roughly translates as ‘good-for-nothing girl’ – was arrested after emailing the data to 30 people who had answered a crowd-funding request for her recent artistic venture: a kayak inspired on her own genitalia she calls ‘pussy boat’.”
What Did Disability Look Like In The 19th Century?
“Clubs for ugly people, ear trumpets designed for mourners, mesmerism as a cure – disability in the 19th century reflected all of the Victorian era’s oddities and societal changes.”
When Alan Jay Lerner Fought Cameron Mackintosh Over “My Fair Lady”
“He is the most powerful musicals producer of all time, but in his early career Sir Cameron Mackintosh faced harsh criticism from one of the world’s greatest song-writers, according to previously unpublished letters.”
Amazon Working On “Netflix For Books”
“The e-commerce giant is working on a subscription ebook service called Kindle Unlimited, which would offer unlimited ebook rentals for $9.99 a month. It’s a move that’s very much aligned with where both the tech and the publishing industry are headed.”
Demographics Of ARTnews’ Biggest Collectors’ List
“As expected, contemporary art remains the most popular among collectors, men dominate the art collecting scene, and a vast majority of these collectors live in North America and Europe (and none in Australia!).”
Why Did The Governor Of North Carolina Appoint A Poet Laureate Who Seems To Be Barely A Poet?
“One critic of the appointment called Macon a “beginner” in poetry and noted that the title of “laureate” carries with it a signal that the poet has stature, statewide or nationwide, and the expectation that the person has a number of published works.”