Like other mass media that boomed around the same time—radio, movies, monthly magazines—syndicated news diverted people’s energies and attention from local culture with alluring, slickly-produced entertainment. And like those other media, newspapers became a conduit for a shared commercial culture. – Zocalo Public Square
Tag: 10.27.19
‘Brexlit’, The UK’s New Literary Genre
“Brexlit is uniting literary authors across genres, settings and sales brackets. And unlike nonfiction about Brexit, it offers escape as well as insight: an opportunity to understand the nuances of Britain’s decision to leave the EU in a fictional world where, possibly, no such vote has ever taken place. Now, five very distinct and fascinating strands of Brexlit have been identified by [literature professor] Robert Eaglestone.” – The Observer (UK)
Abbie Hoffman’s Papers Go To College
Mr. Hoffman, whose infamously anarchic work, “Steal This Book,” included tips on how to shoplift, might be amused to have his papers end up in so solemn a setting as a university research library. He was arguably the most emblematic figure of the youthful protest movements of the 1960s and 1970s, a man who helped coin the term “Yippie” and co-founded the group that took that name. But he was always more of a comic provocateur than an ideologue, specializing in thumbing his nose at institutions and formalities in zany ways. – The New York Times
Painting Spotted In Woman’s Kitchen Sells At Auction For $26 Million
An auctioneer spotted the painting in June while inspecting a woman’s house in Compiegne in northern France and suggested she bring it to experts for an evaluation. It hung on a wall between the kitchen and dining room. – Washington Post (AP)
A Tiny Bookshop On The Greek Island Of Santorini Fights To Stay “Authentic”
Over the last 15 years, as cruise-ship hoards and souvenir schlock have overrun the village of Oia on Santorini’s northern tip, Atlantis Books has become an unlikely oasis of authenticity and cultural sanity. – The New York Times
Can Pompeii Be Saved From The Tourists?
Since concerted excavations began in the middle of the 18th century, Pompeii’s rich homes, tombs and public buildings have been plundered by looters, exploited by profit-hungry private excavators, and (in some early cases) “restored” so aggressively as to spoil the original treasures. – The New York Times
How To Cultivate And Train A More Diverse Next Generation Of Critics?
“Reviews can sometimes be the only documentation of these experiences, so what happens when the majority of people reviewing do not represent the community or the stories being told? How does the point of view and perspective of those reviewers influence the success of a production or theatre company?” – HowlRound