“Today, few people are likely to remember James Lackington (1746-1815) and his once-famous London bookshop, The Temple of the Muses, but if, as a customer, you’ve ever bought a remaindered book at deep discount, or wandered thoughtfully through the over-stocked shelves of a cavernous bookstore, or spent an afternoon lounging in the reading area of a bookshop (without buying anything!) then you’ve already experienced some of the ways that Lackington revolutionized bookselling in the late 18th century.”
Tag: 10.11.16
Lost Film From 1904 Turns Up In Prague
“Researchers at the Czech national film archives said Tuesday they had found a film by early cinema pioneer Georges Méliès that was thought to have been lost forever. The silent two-minute Match de prestidigitation (‘Conjuring contest’), dating from 1904, was found on a reel given to the archives by an anonymous donor, labelled as another film.”
Study: Reading Literature Can Bridge Political Divide
The linguist Roman Jakobson once contrasted political conventions with literary ones: the problem with political conventions, he said, is that they encourage people to “mindlessly agree” with slogans, which in turn, create unnecessary antagonism between different groups of people. Literary conventions, on the other hand, where individuals get together to read and talk about books, were different.”
Cameron Mackintosh: Weakened Pound Sterling Is Boosting West End Theatre Ticket Sales
He highlighted how surprised he was to see so many people in the West End on a Monday night, and added: “It’s the best September I can remember across my theatres.”
The Complicated And Colorful “Father Of Dance” In Canada
“So how did ballet come to Canada? Like so much else, it arrived in waves, beginning with ambitious 17th-century colonists who brought European culture to the shores of North America in the form of dance lessons for indulged children. Only in the early 20th century did professional ballet training begin; pioneers of Canadian ballet such as Ottawa’s Gwendolen Osborne brought their tradition and training to students who could manage almost perfect 180-degree turnout. The country’s first major choreographers then looted indigenous cultures in search of something saleable.”
Was It More Than A Bad Back That Led La Scala Ballet’s Director To Resign?
One of Italy’s leading dailies is reporting that the company dancers’ public rebellion against Mauro Bigonzetti’s repertoire choices did indeed figure in his resignation last week – and that, while his back troubles were a deciding factor, the concern wasn’t solely about Bigonzetti’s own well-being.
Violinist Daniel Hope Named ‘Artistic Partner’ At San Francisco’s New Century Chamber Orchestra
“Ever since the announcement by New Century Chamber Orchestra that its music director will leave at the end of the current season, the organization has been faced with Mission Impossible: replacing the irrepressible and – not to mince words – irreplaceable Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg. And yet, the news today is of success.”
Top Posts From AJBlogs 10.11.16
Keep It Simple
In speeches, presentations, and workshops, I frequently get to the Q&A session and find myself faced with not a few perplexed expressions. In general, people understand the importance of community engagement. However, staff members … read more
AJBlog: Engaging Matters Published 2016-10-11
Picasso and the Perfectly Bearable Likeness of Being
Picasso was, of course, a great and natural draughtsman. Even as a child he had a fluent and steady line, and was capable … read more
AJBlog: Plain English Published 2016-10-11
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Does The Nobel Committee Have A Bias Against American Writers?
“While the Nobel committee has yet to set a date for any announcement for a literature prize this year (they’ve skipped a few years previously), it does seem unlikely that phones will ring in the homes of Joyce Carol Oates, Don DeLillo, or any other U.S. author.”
Are We All Living In A Giant Simulation? (Don’t Scoff Just Yet!)
“If one progresses at the current rate of technology a few decades into the future, very quickly we will be a society where there are artificial entities living in simulations that are much more abundant than human beings.”