Josh Cook: "People use books to develop their morals, support and test their belief structures, come to conclusions about the state of the world, and make voting decisions. … Person to person, display to display, event to event, book sales have a real opportunity to shape … a more sustainable world." - Esquire
The blood’s memory really coursed through August. You also have to remember that the man read everything ever written—he was an autodidact. But he didn’t specifically research and say, “Okay, I’m writing a play about this era…” - American Theatre
Giorgia Meloni's right-wing government is replacing the directors at the country's landmark museums — a number of which, such as the Uffizi, have highly professional but non-Italian directors. In the wake of changes at the national broadcaster, some cultural leaders worry about a return of Mussolini-style policies. - MSN (The Washington Post)
The 1965 declaration was absolutist: "No to spectacle. No to virtuosity. No to transformations and magic and make-believe ... no to moving or being moved." Today she says, "Oh no. That was a certain point in art history. ... I never meant it as a doctrine to govern my decisions." - The Guardian
Northern Ireland's state arts funding body is reportedly reconsidering its support of the Metropolitan Arts Centre in the province's capital. MAC — which includes two theatres, three art galleries, a dance studio, and workshops — has had 2.5 million visitors since opening in 2012. - BBC
"For a long time critics couldn't stop talking about the 'next Fleabag' in a way that may have been constraining for other women writing frank, funny solo pieces about their messy lives." Natasha Tripney talks with three of those women at this year's festival. - The Guardian
You transpose it to Beirut. It was a complicated endeavor, especially (given the huge differences between Arabic and English) for the songs. But it worked — in fact, says the Arabic lyricist, "It's like it was written to be a commentary on the judicial system in Lebanon." - The New York Times
"(The film) Passages and its battle with the ratings system (are) another flash point in a long-running argument. ... Many question the value of the NC-17 in particular, given its infrequent use — and its disproportionate application, according to critics, to movies featuring queer or female sexuality." - TheWrap
"First and foremost, the firm notes that approximately eight-in-ten Americans (12+) listen to broadcast radio weekly. Weekly listening to radio has remained relatively steady in the last two years after dropping slightly in 2020. ... Weekly listenership dropped from 89% in 2019 to 83% in 2020." - Inside Radio
"Developed by the Philadelphia-based company Music: Not Impossible, the device consists of two ankle bands, two wrist bands and a backpack that fastens with double straps over the rib cage. ... (These) suits are unique because the devices turn individual notes of music into specific vibrations." - The New York Times
"But a new analysis by BookScan shows that BookTok's effect on sales is diminishing. The most notable sign of that softening came in July, when, for the first time, sales from the roughly 180 BookTok authors BookScan follows fell compared to the prior year." - Publishers Weekly
Different layers of soil, ash and guano created a floor that absorbed shocks while emitting resonant sounds when people stomped on it. This ceremonial surface worked like a large drum that groups of 20 to 25 people could have played with their feet. - Science News
According to the PA news agency, the missing items are believed to have been taken over a "significant" period of time. Some of them reportedly ended up on eBay, being sold for considerably less than their actual estimated value. - BBC
"For me, generative AI has been instrumental in tasks that previously demanded hours of effort. It’s helped me create engaging and targeted marketing copy in a fraction of the time than before, allowing me to customize and iterate on messaging manually in ways that would be nearly impossible without AI assistance." - Publishers Weekly
Even before the comparatively meek technology of two-channel stereo sound was standard in every home, Karlheinz Stockhausen and others were using more complex mixes for works involving electronics or taped elements. - The New York Times
