Month: September 2019

The Ghosts Of Black Los Angeles

The writer Ismail Muhammad says, “You can’t disentangle blackness and California” – and nowhere, he explains through books, movies, and memories, is that clearer than in the history of Los Angeles, the idea of “South Central,” and the country’s imagination of what L.A. stands for. – LitHub

Composer And Pulitzer Winner Christopher Rouse Has Died At 70

Rouse advised the Baltimore Symphony, served as composer in residence for the New York Phil, taught at Juilliard and Peabody, and won a Pulitzer in 1993 for a concerto dedicated to Leonard Bernstein. Rouse’s final symphony will debut in Cincinnati in October. Marin Alsop called his death an “enormous loss” and said, “I was able to spend time with him these last weeks and he was irreverent and profound, as always.” – Baltimore Sun

After Transforming Children’s Lit, Jacqueline Woodson Pauses To Give Adults A Novel Too

Not that Woodson hasn’t written for adults – she has. She’s written memoir, poetry, prose, essays, and just about everything else for every age, including a recent picture book that grew out of a book of young adult poetry that grew out of her great-grandfather’s experiences. She’s won just about every prize there is to win in children’s and youth literature, including a prize that’s allowing her to found an organization that will give fellowships to emerging writers of color. And now, in her novels, she’s turning to a reckoning with the present and the past. – The New York Times

Suzanne Whang, Actress, Comedian, And Enormously Popular Host Of ‘House Hunters,’ Has Died At 56

Whang dealt with breast cancer for more than a decade, and she incorporated the resultant health care experiences into her comedy – while also hosting House Hunters International and acting on Dexter, Las Vegas, and Arrested Development. HGTV, the network where she made House Hunters a household name stated in its press release, “Suzanne was warm, funny and kind with a distinctive voice that made everyone feel at home.” – The New York Times