The body of Spalding Gray, the monologuist who went missing a few months ago, has been found. “Mr. Gray’s body was pulled from the East River near Greenpoint, Brooklyn, on Sunday and was identified through dental records.”
Blog
Just How Big Is Maastricht?
“The scale of the event is astonishing. When it opened last Thursday, the art on show had been insured for more than $1 billion and included an estimated 70 per cent of the important Old Master paintings available for sale in the world. The stock of one leading jeweller is so valuable that when it arrived, security men sealed off the building until it was safely inside.”
The Instant Bestseller
The book, ‘The Glorious Appearing,’ by Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins, has already sold 1.9 million copies even before it goes on official sale March 30. That makes it one of the top-selling books of the year. “The advance sales indicate that as well as a major subject of discussion in church groups and in the news media. The series is based on Dr. LaHaye’s reading of the Book of Revelation in the Bible.”
Minnesota Tour – The Price Of Greatness
The Minnesota Orchestra picked up lots of critical praise on its recent three-week European tour. But was the cost worth it? “The orchestra’s recent tour, which ended Feb. 27, was certainly a success in terms of the musicians’ bonding and finding confidence with new music director Osmo Vänskä. Whether it was worth the $1.6 million it cost is not an exact calculation.”
Embargo This! (If You Can)
“The embargo is the absurd practice by which publishers distribute advance copies of newsworthy new books to the media only after individual editors have signed a quasi-legal document denying their right as members of an otherwise free press from reporting or reviewing the contents of such titles.” But in the age of the internet, embargos (thank God) are becoming unworkable.
What Defines Good Writing About Art?
Charles Saumarez Smith, director of London’s National Gallery, has just become a juror for a new competition to find the best writing about art. But what defines good writing about art, these days, he wonders…
Courting Oblivion – Are English Court Buildings In Danger?
“A report by the conservation group Save says that Britain is in danger of throwing away a treasury of court buildings, usually the most important civic buildings – architecturally and socially – in their areas.”
Defending The French (Language, That Is)
Two prominent French intellecftuals are brawling over protecting the French language. “The pair’s vitriolic if eloquent spat is the latest expression of a debate that is increasingly dividing French writers and intellectuals: how best to ensure that their language survives intact the onslaught of English at home, and does not disappear altogether abroad.”
Indie Labels Thrive In A Downloading World
“As the bad news keeps befalling the music recording industry giants – downsizing, filesharing, another Britney tour – the struggling major labels are looking for help and are relying more and more on small independent labels to find and nurture new bands. “Instead of signing more baby acts, they are signing more baby labels.”
Muller Named To Run Venice Film Fest
Marco Muller, former director of the Locarno Film Festival, has been named director of the Venice Film Festival and will “run the Venice event for four years. The festival has undergone a turbulent few years, with changes of top staff amid charges of political interference.”