“The New York City Council, which drew national headlines when it passed a symbolic citywide ban earlier this year on the use of the so-called n-word, has turned its linguistic (and legislative) lance toward a different slur: bitch. The term is hateful and deeply sexist, said Councilwoman Darlene Mealy of Brooklyn, who has introduced a measure against the word … prompted in part by the frequent use of the word in hip-hop music.” But that’s not the only place “bitch” is popular, making passage tricky….
Author: Laura Collins Hughes
Through Ancient Manuscripts, New Hope For Timbuktu
“A surge of interest in ancient books, hidden for centuries in houses along Timbuktu’s dusty streets and in leather trunks in nomad camps, is raising hopes that Timbuktu — a city whose name has become a staccato synonym for nowhere — may once again claim a place at the intellectual heart of Africa.”
Why Does Richard Wagner Obsess Us So?
“Wagner occupies music and opera lovers as no other composer does. Some unequivocally worship him, their trips to Bayreuth akin to pilgrimages. Others revile him. Many can do both at once, separating Wagner the composer from Wagner the self-obsessive…. Many meekly enter his world on his terms – and gasp in amazement.”
L.A. Fest Taps Into A Warmer Vibe
“Recently there’s been some controversy about tap festivals, ever since Savion Glover told a New York Times reporter in June that they were ‘impersonal and business-oriented.’ But the charge does not seem to apply in L.A.,” where the inclusive Los Angeles Tap Festival turns 5 this year.
It’s 11 p.m. Do You Know What Your Sales Ranking Is?
“Forget writer’s block — many authors put their manuscripts aside because they cannot stop checking their rankings. ‘There really should be a 12-step program,’ said Harry Kirchner, a senior national accounts manager with Ingram Publisher Services, a book distributor that counts Amazon as a customer. As tantalizing as the rankings may be, it is difficult to correlate them to the number of books sold….”
Fringe Fest Tip No. 1: Cause Offense
“The producer’s quandary at the Edinburgh Fringe: you have a meagre budget, a cast with little discernible talent and a show to promote at the largest arts festival in world. What do you do?” Herewith, five cheeky tips for breaking out of the pack.
Publishing’s Golden Age? It’s An Illusion.
“In the internet age, it is no wonder that the book is suffering, publishers and booksellers with it. And yes, writers too. Was it ever easier or better? Well, in the 1920s Virginia Woolf would have written a story, set it and had it printed. Independent-spirited, discerning booksellers would have recognised a startling new talent and begun to stock her books for similarly minded readers. How lovely and romantic – and possibly imaginary – that sounds. But is it?”
When Using Kids’ Art As Evidence, Tread Carefully
Drawings by Darfuri refugee children, submitted as evidence in court, demand skepticism, however counterintuitive that is. “20th century art has attuned us to the communicative power of children’s drawings, a power we attribute to their uncontrived innocence. … But, like all representations, including photographs, they require careful scrutiny before they can be used as evidence.”
Canvases Stolen In Daylight Raid On French Museum
“Masked raiders have stolen four paintings in a daylight raid on an art gallery in Nice in the south of France. Police said five men made off with two works by Flemish artist Brueghel and two paintings by the impressionists Sisley and Monet on Sunday. Officials at the Musee des Beaux-Arts said the works were ‘invaluable’.”
Inside Carnegie’s Towers, While They Still House Artists
“For twenty-two years, the photographer Josef Astor (no relation) has had a studio above the stage at Carnegie Hall. It’s on the eighth floor, although technically the eighth is below the seventh; to get to it you take an elevator to six and walk up half a flight of stairs. The Carnegie Hall Studio Towers, as these quarters over the concert hall are known, contain many such oddities, but they also harbor one Manhattan commonplace: a band of artist-occupants whose tenancy is venerable, tenuous, and probably doomed.”