Gayl Jones’ debut work, Corregidora, “had a marked effect not only on [her editor Toni] Morrison’s subsequent novels but on an entire generation of writers, whether they realized it or not.” – The Atlantic
Blog
Bidding Farewell To Havana’s City Historian And Conservationist
Eusebio Leal Spengler so loved the old city that he found ways to save it. “Never a priority in the 20th century, old Havana fell into disrepair. By befriending Fidel Castro, Leal began the process of bringing it back. He managed to get the old town designated a Unesco world heritage site, and then gather enough money from Europe to start putting the buildings back together.” (Spengler died on July 31.) – The Observer (UK)
Becoming The Accidental Chronicler Of Four Ridiculously Intense Years
In December of 2015, British novelist Ali Smith proposed an idea to her publishers: Four books in four years, as close to the time news events happened as possible. “I’d try to write one a year, deliver one a year. … If we did it like this, under time conditions, a kind of experiment sourced in cyclic time but moving forward through time simultaneously, it’d surely become about not just how story works but also how form, and society, and contemporary language itself – given that the novel form one way or another is always about all of these things – move and progress over a given time.” Wow, that given time. – The Guardian (UK)
The Strange New Life Of Objects In The Coronavirus Era
There are the familiar objects that suddenly seem to glow with importance – toilet paper rolls, Lysol wipes – and then there are the new objects: the to-go cocktail pouch, the ultra-large Burger King social distance crown, the virus piñata to hit and kill, and, of course, Black Lives Matter facemasks. – The New York Times
Don’t Treat Women Writers Like Mistresses, Publishers
Novelist Kathleen McMahon says she’s tired of flowers on publication day. “MacMahon says she does not like that writers are treated ‘like show ponies . . . I’m not comfortable with that. I’d prefer to be an equal professional at the table. Everybody is doing a different job. You do your job and I’ll do mine. I sound harsh but I think it actually makes me better to work with . . . I am not trying to make friends with anybody.'” – Irish Times
What Is A Broadway Producer’s Moral Responsibility?
Arvind Ethan David is one of very few Broadway producers of color, and he (famously) gave a TED Talk comparing his path to becoming a U.S. citizen to his path producing the show Jagged Little Pill. After Broadway shut down and after George Floyd was murdered, he had to do something. “As a writer, I needed to write something about this moment. And as a producer, I knew I could put something together. And so that’s how it literally came out that night with a bunch of friends. A bunch of producers of writers, and actors of color, being depressed and angry, and texting each other.” And #WhileWeBreathe was born. – Token Theatre Friends
The Rank Hypocrisy Of Threatening TikTok
The U.S. president’s TikTok flipout might not just be because of its security issues; indeed, there’s a lot more to it, including free speech … and Facebook. “It’s a rare feat to upturn two such fundamental democratic values—free speech and free markets—at the same time.” – Wired
Canada’s Prominent Black Filmmakers Call Out Racism And Inequity In The Film Industry
“These systemic barriers – no one seemed to notice, no one seemed to care, and so we felt like we had to say something,” says Jennifer Holness, who adds that even as the most senior Black filmmaker in the country, it’s hard to get any funding for projects. – CBC
The Shutdown Kills A Young Cabaret Theatre Near Indianapolis
Though the theatre tried hard to attract smaller, socially distanced crowds as it reopened in June, no one was ready to return to an indoor space, and tickets didn’t sell. The now common refrain for small arts venues: “Founder Chris Tompkins said that paying the lease and other bills for upkeep was impossible with no income.” – Indianapolis Star
Actor Wilford Brimley Of ‘Cocoon’ And So Very Much More Has Died At 85
The actor excelled at playing cantankerous characters but came to fame playing an assistant engineer at a nuclear plant in The China Syndrome. Later, he became famous for his spokesperson roles, not to mention his (very) lively Twitter presence. – The New York Times