This blog has held two recent polls, which i've been meaning to report back on.the first was on "best audrey hepburn film." this idea was suggested by my old man, who introduced me to her movies way back when, and i was glad to have reason to include one of my favorite actresses of all time, who defined each film she was in with class, intelligence and self-possession. (i like her so much i even … [Read more...]
Reeling Over Michael Jackson
ANYONE who knows my music taste will consider me and unlikely chronicler of michael jackson. and indeed, for my money, there's not much post-"billie jean" (that song in specific a masterpiece i think) that lives up to his soul years.but i'm reeling like the rest of the world from the sudden death of the man known for decades as the King of Pop. Here is the NYT story of his (as of now) mysterious … [Read more...]
"An Edible History of Humanity"
I DON'T think there's a book i've given as a gift more often than "a history of the world in 6 glasses," a brisk and delightful tour, from ancient egypt to 20th century america, in roughly 250 pages. it left me with memorable images : mesopotamians discovering beer, imperial romans swilling wine, coffee being downed in cafes in 18th c. london and edinburgh --where it fueled the age of reason.the … [Read more...]
Adrian Tomine Vs. Seth
AT this point, most enthusiasts of the graphic novel / literary comics know the work of adrian tomine, who i first encountered in his "optic nerve" comic. when i started reading his stuff, insiders often complained that tomine's drawing was too similar to dan "ghost world" clowes, but he's since gone on to carve out his own turf, whether it's a younger / hipper milieu than the losers who tend to … [Read more...]
Jeff Tweedy Vs. Wilco
EXCITEMENT has burned across many email accounts since the band WILCO posted a streaming link to its new album, entitled just plain "wilco," on its website. the new record is harder to figure out or describe than most offerings by this esteemed american group -- it is not rootsy like "being there," poignant like "sky blue sky", etc -- but it's full of good, tuneful stuff.this morning i spoke to … [Read more...]
Denis Johnson vs. The Reclusive Writer
ALMOST exactly two years ago i was walking through Book Expo America in ny with the galley for denis johnson's then-new "tree of smoke." at least half a dozen people who saw his name on the oversized spine stopped me and asked, with some excitement, where they could get one. i've never had a similar experience with another writer. (the vietnam-set book, of course, went on to win the sometimes … [Read more...]
Sherlock Holmes Vs. Hollywood
OFTEN, i wonder aloud how it is that certain authors -- john updike and donald westlake are two recently deceased masters who come to mind -- have been either overlooked or royally screwed up onscreen.with the sherlock holmes novels and stories of arthur conan doyle, the phenomenon is the opposite: holmes is not only thought to be the most adapted character in history (200-some films with 70-or-so … [Read more...]
Who Put the ‘M’ in Manchester
DON'T know how i missed it, but friday was the 50th birthday of one of the key figures in british rock post-clash: stephen patrick morrissey. (the fact that the day was also my anniversary may explain why i am posting several days late.)in any case, mozz celebrated his half-century with a concert in his hometown, manchester, UK, which was in some ways the capital of the industrial revolution as … [Read more...]
Ursula Le Guin Vs. Oliver Cromwell
SOMEHOW, without quite knowing it, i wrote two brief pieces on ursula le guin, and both have recently gone up.the first is mostly an extended intro to my LATimes profile, which adds some excised lines from author/ essayist/ cosmopolitan pico iyer as well as sci-fi scholar/ critic annalee newitz.the second, here, is the seed of what i hope is a bigger project some day on the transition away from … [Read more...]
Christoph Eschenbach, Elegant Cosmopolitan
LAST week i went to meet christoph eschenbach, the conductor/pianist who's been part of one of the nastiest divorces in the classical music world during a strained tenure at the philadelphia orchestra.here is the way my colleague mark swed described him: "Thin and erect, with shaved head and large cranium, dressed in avant-garde sleek black shirt and slacks, he looked like some inscrutable … [Read more...]