Laura Miller: “Much of a writer’s rep emerges informally, in the conversations that writers, readers, and critics have amongst themselves. Whether another writer is spoken of respectfully, whether you get the impression that ‘everyone’ is reading his or her new book enthusiastically, or how well people think he or she comes across in interviews – these and a dozen other imponderable factors constitute a reputation during a writer’s lifetime, particularly in the early part of a career. This stuff – let’s call it litchat – may be ephemeral, but it absolutely shapes the formal reception of a writer’s work.”
Tag: 09.08.15
The Nine Lives Of Cat Videos
Prompted by a visit to the Walker Art Center’s CatVidFest, Jillian Steinhauer offers a nine-part meditation on the Internet’s favorite time waster motion-picture medium and its status as art, or entertainment, or spectacle.
Fringe Festivals Are Cool. But What Should They Really Be?
“Ideas of what fringe theatre should be are as diverse as the acts in the largest festivals. The phrase comes from “fringe of another festival,” and the website worldfringe.com points out they “come in all different shapes and sizes; some are open access, first come first served, created by lottery, juried, part programmed or a mix of them all.” But can the ideals of a fringe—daring, a bit anti-establishment, fresh new voices—be realized if a fringe festival is curated?”
All Scientists Should Be ‘Militant Atheists’
Lawrence M. Krauss: “Astronomers have no problem ridiculing the claims of astrologists, even though a significant fraction of the public believes these claims. Doctors have no problem condemning the actions of anti-vaccine activists who endanger children. And yet, for reasons of decorum, many scientists worry that ridiculing certain religious claims alienates the public from science. When they do so, they are being condescending at best and hypocritical at worst.”
Hollywood’s Elephant Theatre Co. Closes Up Shop, At Least For Now
“The award-winning company, which has built a reputation for championing new American plays, is the latest casualty on Hollywood’s Theatre Row, which has seen an exodus of companies in recent years due to rising rents and other real-estate woes.”
How One Of The 20th Century’s Great Public Intellectuals Saw The World
“Willis, who died of lung cancer in 2006 at sixty-four, was one of the great public intellectuals of her generation. Read the latest anthology of her work, The Essential Ellen Willis (2014)—the posthumous anthology that won the National Book Critics Circle Award for criticism this year—and you will see that she was virtually incapable of writing a poor sentence or conceiving an unsurprising insight. Her rigor was unmatched, her fearlessness an inspiration. In every piece, wit lilted like an aria over a basso continuo of moral seriousness.”
Aretha Franklin Blocks Showing Of Documentary At Toronto And Telluride Festivals
“Amazing Grace offers an unfiltered look a 1972 gospel concert Franklin gave at the New Temple Missionary Baptist Church. Footage was initially shot by the late Sydney Pollack for Warner Bros. … At issue is whether Franklin has veto power over use of the footage. … [She] is seeking a deal before the film is shown, including a $1-million up-front free as well as a revenue-share arrangement.”
Twyla Tharp’s Rehearsal Journal: When Guests Come To See A New Program In Progress
“In these showings, which I’m in the middle of now, I acquire new sets of eyes. I know what I think of the works, but having an audience gives me other points of view, some of which are radically different from my own. I have been doing this long enough to know that everyone comes with specific agendas and will probably leave with those same biases intact, and that not everyone loves me, though I wish they would.”
In A Country Where Culture Is Repressed, How Do Artists Express Themselves?
“In 1965, Jeddah was home to Saudi Arabia’s first art show in modern times. Back then, the scene was more vibrant, with cinema, music and live theater. But in the late 1970s, a conservative religious establishment took control of the country’s social life and education and that vibrant scene was shut down. Today, every piece of art that’s shown publicly must first pass the government’s muster.”
A Beloved Bookstore Passes To A New Generation
“Tattered Cover customers have been fiercely loyal through past transitions. Years ago, when the store moved across the street, hundreds of customers helped lug boxes of books. Their only reward: a t-shirt, a sandwich and a strong sense of community.”