“It’s much more appropriate to draw a parallel between books and film. There’s a reason why movie theatres don’t show commercials in the middle of films: advertising jars you away from the narrative.” But product placement is “the perfect crime: barely noticed when executed well, highly profitable and with the alibi of ‘adding realism’ to modern characters.”
Tag: 08.20.10
Personhood, Property, and Orthodox Jews Swinging Chickens
In the pre-Rosh Hashanah ritual of kapparot, some worshipers swing live chickens around their heads, “symbolically transfer[ring] their sins to the animals, which are then slaughtered.” The birds are clearly treated as property (they’re even valued by their weight). “At the same time, the chicken is used as a substitute for a human person, even if only metaphorically and temporarily.”
Does Peter Parker Have a Moral Responsibility to Be Spider-Man?
“The role taxes him significantly, hurting his studies and his personal life. Is Peter morally permitted to throw in his costume? I believe that he is. Taking up the role of a superhero is a supererogatory act – an act that’s good to do, but not wrong not to do.”
A.S. Byatt Calls Orange Prize ‘Sexist’
Says the grande dame of British letters of the award for female novelists, “You couldn’t found a prize for male writers. The Orange prize assumes there is a feminine subject matter – which I don’t believe in. It’s honourable to believe that – there are fine critics and writers who do – but I don’t.”
Grupo Corpo: A Brief History of Brazil’s Flagship Contemporary Dance Troupe
“[Their] work combines the lift and extensions of ballet with swaying hips and rubbery limbs.” A Guardian Step-by-Step Guide tells the story of the company, which started out in a converted single-family house during Brazil’s military dictatorship and now, 35 years later and world-famous, is still a family business.
Orchestra Victoria In Tough Times As Staff Leaves, Funding Gets Harder
“The [Australian] state’s second orchestra, Orchestra Victoria, which supports ballet and opera performances at the Arts Centre, appears to be in crisis following the loss of more than half of its management this year.”
A Crossroads For Books?
“People have been talking about “the death of the book” for more than a decade. But recent events suggest the end may be imminent for bound-paper books as we have known them for more than 500 years. Hardbound and paperback books may never totally disappear, but they could become scary scarce — like eight-track tapes, typewriters and wooden tennis rackets.”
The Better Textbook – Comic Books?
“Though the idea of teaching from a graphic novel may have its skeptics, the response to Jeremy Short’s books has been overwhelmingly positive.”
Best Canadian Fiction – Dominated By Women Writers?
“Last year, 10 of the 12 books longlisted for the Scotiabank Giller Prize were written by women — even if, granted, the eventual winner was Linden MacIntyre’s The Bishop’s Man. Beyond that, four of the five Governor General’s Award finalists, including winner Kate Pullinger’s The Mistress of Nothing, were by women.”
Study: NYT Book Review Is Not Very Diverse
A study reports that “95 percent of US authors reviewed in the publication were white, and 87 percent were male. The pool of book reviewers tended to be even less diverse.”