Literary & Media Indulgences - 4/8/2011

 

-- Clare Morgana Gillis, James Foley, Manu Brabo, Anton Hammer: these journalists have been captured in Libya. For more on what journalists are facing in Libya, see here.

-- Bill Moyers interviews Daniel Simon for Guernica about storytelling, drugs, cities, and journalism.

-- Rather related: more from John Patrick Leary (of "Detroitism" awesomeness), this time on Can't Forget the Motor City. (The above photo is from that collaborative project)

-- Well, this is destined to be pored over: check out the interactive map on America's changing demographics from the Center for American Progress.

-- ...And speaking of: "The science of information graphics."

-- Forget not: Project D starts in about ten days. Go hang out with Fyodor, why don't you?

-- Why folks in South Africa are talking so fiercely about book reviews.

-- Congratulations to Jina Moore on receiving the Reporting Award from the New York University's Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute. She's going to use it to continue her investigative reporting from Central Africa, this time on vulture funds, debt, Zambia, and the DRC.

-- Add it to your to-read pile: the longlist for the 2011 Indie Bookseller's Choice Awards. Not just the usual suspects.

-- Oh wait, we're not done with award winners and nominees yet: the 2011 National Magazine Award finalists were annnounced, and I, for one, went crazy with the bookmarking. Special high-five to The Sun, one of my favorite magazines, for its first-time nomination as one of the best "literary, political, and professional magazines."

-- Words Without Borders and Open Letters Monthly have new issues out.

-- So says Monica Ali, when asked about her most embarrassing moment: "Having to make up a speech in front of 1,200 people in Detroit. I nearly cried."

-- Alina Bronsky, who I think is just great, has a new and rather colorful website. Her second novel, The Hottest Dishes of Tarter Cuisine, will be published next month as Europa Editions' 100th title.

-- Tricycle's interview with Pema Chödrön strikes an unexpected tone.

-- A nice global tour of the 2011 Best Translated Novel finalists over at the Christian Science Monitor, billed as "10 novels in translation you should know."

-- Alexandra Styron's published a book about growing up with her father, William, and Vanity Fair is ready to serve up an excerpt to you. (Thanks to Meredith L. for the link.)

-- The "oh my god, prisoners!" tone bothers me, but here anyway is an extensive profile of Glennor Shirley, the head librarian for Maryland's prisons. (Thanks to Chris M. for the link.)

-- ... But you know what's a truly excellent example of profile writing? T.A. Frank's wonderful piece on Bob Herbert: "Why is Bob Herbert boring?" I dedicate that link to the torch-passing of my favorite New York Times columnist.

-- Stupid headline. Fascinating story.

-- I am suddenly and weirdly inspired to exclaim "that's rad!" Blame it on Maira Kalman for working on an illustrated edition of The Autobiography of Alice B. Toklas.

-- Ann Beattie: The Art of Fiction No. 209.

-- Via The Millions: a creepy and altogether excellent collection of Polish cover art from the 1970s and 1980s.

-- "We need more rich ladies in literature."

-- Larry McMurtry writes about Marilyn. And it is brilliant.

Comments

[Andy]

Wow "can't forget the motor city" is great. I think the main thing people will note that differentiates it from "ruin porn" is the people, but I loved that the first three images, and several of the others, were of natural settings. Thanks for the tip!

[Stefania]

I hate the expression "novels in translation", it is a ghettoizition that I cannot stand.