Clay Shirky On Journalism: ‘Chaos Is Our Lot’ (But We Can Find Some Guideposts)

“The hard truth about the future of journalism is that nobody knows for sure what will happen; the current system is so brittle, and the alternatives are so speculative, that there’s no hope for a simple and orderly transition from State A to State B. Chaos is our lot; the best we can do is identify the various forces at work shaping various possible futures. Two of the most important are the changing natures of the public, and of subsidy.”

Lord Byron: He Knew (Despite Himself) What Women Want

Katha Pollitt: “It is easy to see Byron as a cad, a narcissist and, at bottom, a misogynist. But that would be unfair. Byron’s great insight, in an era where women were expected to be placid and insipid (not that they were!), was to see that women were much like men: They wanted sex and went after it eagerly, if secretly. … He understood, too, how limited was women’s scope for action.”

Survey: Most Wealthy Donors Haven’t Scaled Back Giving

“A survey by Barclays Wealth of 500 wealthy individuals in the UK and US revealed that around 75pc had not reduced their contributions to charity, while more than one in four had increased their giving in the last 18 months.” At the same time, “the report indicated that donors were becoming more discerning about how they donated their money.”

Publisher: E-Book Can Wait ‘Til After Hardcover Release

“Sourcebooks, a leading independent publisher, will not release a big upcoming title in e-book format until six months after its hardcover debut, The WSJ reports. In the past, Sourcebooks has released digital formats of its books along with the print copies,” but the publishing house’s CEO says cheap e-books cannibalize the hardcover audience.

Hair Cancels Matinee So Cast Can March For Gay Rights

“In an unusual move for a Broadway show, the producers of the musical ‘Hair’ announced on Monday that they were canceling the Sunday matinee on Oct. 11 so that the cast could join the National Equality March that day in Washington in support of gay-marriage rights. Oskar Eustis, the artistic director of the Public Theater, a producer of ‘Hair,’ said that the decision reflected the spirit of the musical.”

For $1,000, You Get A Book With An Electronic Signature

“At a time when publishers are scrambling to keep customers willing to pay $26 for a hardcover book instead of $9.99 for an electronic version, the publisher of Senator Edward M. Kennedy’s forthcoming memoir is going in the opposite direction – issuing a limited edition it plans to sell for $1,000 a copy. Twelve, an imprint of Grand Central Publishing, is planning to issue 1,000 copies of a leather-bound, electronically signed edition” of the ailing senator’s book.

Bolshoi’s Music Director Resigns, Saying Art Comes First

“The music director of Moscow’s renowned Bolshoi Theater resigned suddenly on Monday, throwing the future of the institution’s grand $1 billion rebuild into chaos. Alexander Vedernikov, who had struggled for eight years to raise standards and inject new life into Russia’s best-known international music theater, announced his decision on the opening day of the Bolshoi’s summer tour of Italy.”