And so his English translator says now's the time for Perhat Turson's bleak novel finally to come out in English. "They deserve to have their voices and their work recognized," he says. - The New York Times
"While I don’t think of myself as someone who would have judged by appearances much before Bell’s palsy, it has given me a greater empathy for people who might have a mismatch between the outward and the inward," Ruhl says - and it's changed how she sees actors. - The Guardian (UK)
"Austrian director Ulrich Seidl has cancelled his visit to San Sebastian for the Sept. 18 world premiere of Sparta, amid allegations of impropriety and child exploitation made against the director." The film was not screened at the Toronto International Film Festival after the allegations emerged. - Variety
"For all the madness on display, there are, however, reasons to cautiously celebrate what has become of Paddington. ... Paddington is nearly as old as the queen’s now completed reign." And indeed, he "is the sort of characteristic English creature who values decency, politeness and tolerance of difference." - Irish Times
"Public libraries have been threatened by politicians and community members with a loss of funding for their refusal to remove books. Members of the Proud Boys, an extremist right-wing group, showed up at a school board meeting. ... Librarians have been accused of promoting pedophilia." - The New York Times
The artists believed factories were the future. "Diagonal lines hint at stained glass—and at the notion, widespread at the time, ... that industrial structures were the cathedrals of the machine age." - The Millions
Why? Energy bills. "Autumn has arrived with stark warnings from industry bodies, including UK Music and the Music Venue Trust (MVT), that live venues, studios and other music businesses will face insurmountable costs this winter." - The Guardian (UK)
"The People’s Joker is ... an extremely loose retelling of the Batman villain’s origin story, reinterpreting the Joker as a trans woman trying to break into the mob-like world of Gotham’s stand-up comedy scene." Of course, it was pulled from the TIFF line-up. - The Verge
How do the people making up the Ilona Andrews brand do it? Gordon Andrews: "We have argued about the fate of certain characters. Who lives, who dies." (Ilona agrees.) - The New York Times
Fly into Jeddah, Saudi Arabia’s second and most charming city, and vast empty patches scar the landscape. Most of its southern districts and much of its centre have gone. - The Economist
Poland will formally ask Russia to return seven paintings now in a leading Moscow museum that were looted during World War II by the Soviet Red Army, the Polish culture minister said Wednesday. - AP
Russell told Business Media News he envisioned it as a business news show that would appeal to a mass audience, not just executives and investors. The show is currently heard by more than 12 million listeners weekly on more than 800 public radio stations nationwide. - Inside Radio
The pianist has spent the last four years commissioning new arrangements of the Disney songbook, turning the company’s vast library of show tunes — from the 1930s operetta of “Snow White” to the modern salsa of “We Don’t Talk About Bruno” — for his new album. - Los Angeles Times
I knew that if I merely retreated to my “side,” I would only contribute to the problem. With some trepidation, then, I set out to ask twelve scholars what they see as the main challenges facing literary studies and literary criticism today. - The Point
Polshek rarely worked for private clients. He devoted himself to public buildings, ranging from the Rose Center for Earth and Space at the Museum of Natural History in New York to the Clinton Presidential Library in Little Rock, Arkansas. Equally rare, Polshek, who died last week at 92, chose commissions that were consistent with his politics. - Architectural Record
