Or is it an elaborate hoax by the Mafia? “New testimony from some inside the Sicilian mafia has led investigators to believe the Nativity can be recovered, and soon. They have followed leads to Switzerland and – it emerged in the autumn – to eastern Europe.” – The Guardian (UK)
Blog
The Fine Arts Of Working-Class Immigrant Women’s Fashion
While the men were at synagogue, the women were finding community elsewhere. “The dresses my grandmother sold were often showy, long, filmy, shiny concoctions, with sequined necklines and lace sleeves. They were priced for working-class people with fairy-tale aspirations, and they came in nylon and sateen and other cheaper fabrics; the skirts often swirled, and the waists had big stiff bows.” – The New York Times
Vijay Gupta To Leave LA Phil And Concentrate On Street Symphony
The violinist, who won a MacArthur “genius” grant this year, has decided to leave his seat as one of the orchestra’s first violins. He said, “The L.A. Phil saved my life when I was a 19-year-old kid. It was the way that I was able to continue being a musician and to continue growing as an artist. … And I’m really excited to take that artistry beyond Los Angeles and beyond the work of being in an orchestra.” – Los Angeles Times
Minnette De Silva Was One Of The Most Famous Architects In The World, And It’s Time To Re-Remember Her Work
A pioneer of Sri Lankan modernism, de Silva was the first Asian woman to become an associate of The Royal Institute of British Architects. With Sri Lankan independence, she launched her own architecture firm in Columbo, and “her trademark was to develop modernist architecture in harmony with the landscape and traditional craftsmanship.” But her studio, home, and many of her projects have fallen into disrepair and even ruin. Will there be a revival? – The Guardian (UK)
The Elena Ferrante Books Are Explicitly Political – Something People Are Finally Catching On To With The TV Shows
Maybe some reviewers were, shall we say, confused by the idea of books that were about the friendship of two women also being about politics. Ferrante was never unclear, though. The author’s point: “Elena and Lila were alienated from history in all its political, social, economic, cultural aspects — and yet they were part of history in everything they said or did.” – Los Angeles Review of Books
Does Princeton Have ‘Stolen’ Eastern Orthodox Manuscripts?
The church seems to think so, since it sued the university for access. On Thursday, the church “said the manuscripts were stolen and demanded their return, asserting that they had been taken during World War I from a monastery in Kormista, a village in northern Greece.” – The New York Times
Another Actress Sues Harvey Weinstein For Repeated Harassment And Assault
The allegations cover three years and a lot of familiar territory for the producer, who has been accused by many women of both harassment and assault. – Los Angeles Times
Book Titles Can’t Be Copyrighted, And Whew, That Can Lead To Challenges
When bestselling YA author Tomi Adeyemi, author of The Children of Blood and Bone, tweeted a challenge to Nora Roberts (NORA. ROBERTS.) over that author’s new Of Blood and Bone (which debuted at #2 on the bestseller list), things got tense on social media. But – let us repeat – book titles cannot be copyrighted. – The New York Times
Is The Push To Watch ‘Roma’ In Movie Theatres Just A Snotty Anti-TV Move?
Critics have taken the idea on as a crusade, but there are real differences between big and smaller screens. “The film’s crystalline images (captured with the ultra-high-definition Alexa 65 camera) and elaborate sound design [are] key to the film’s success—and … with those elements diminished by the transition to the smaller screen, Cuarón’s deep-focus shots and leisurely pans might prove more soporific than engrossing.” – Slate
The Highly Un-Meditative Battle Of Meditation Apps
While Headspace adds hundreds of corporate deals and an NBA sponsorship, Calm won the 2017 iPhone App of the Year and has caught up in downloads and monthly subscribers with its older, larger competitor. The Calm CEO: ““I would say we’re in mindful competition with each other.” Headspace’s chief business officer: ““We have the strongest brand.” – The Wall Street Journal