To this list of EngÂlish-lanÂguage clasÂsics, we’ve added three new clasÂsics by Jane Austen — PerÂsuaÂsion, MansÂfield Park, and NorthangÂer Abbey — all of which are byprodÂucts of the new teleÂviÂsion series, The Jane Austen SeaÂson. You’ll also find some new audio files from the great LibÂrivox colÂlecÂtion, includÂing E. M. Forster’s Howards End, CharÂlotte BronÂte’s Jayne Eyre, and F. Scott FitzgerÂald’s This Side of ParÂadise. And finalÂly we’ve added some selectÂed poetÂry and prose by Walt WhitÂman and HenÂry David ThoreÂau.To review the longer list of clasÂsics, click here.
YouTube is a litÂtle more than two years old. It’s a mere todÂdler. But, it’s now owned by an overÂgrown, fulÂly-beardÂed nine year old. Yes, that would be Google, and that means that YouTube is ready to storm its way into the media mainÂstream, pamÂpers and all.
You can be sure that GooTube has already cooked up sevÂerÂal strateÂgies that will lead the video unit to media domÂiÂnaÂtion. But, even to the untrained media observÂer, it’s fairÂly clear that Google’s video unit has choÂsen the 2008 elecÂtion as an areÂna in which it intends to comÂpete with othÂer major media outÂfits for eyeÂballs.
In April, YouTube launched its politÂiÂcal chanÂnel CitÂiÂzenÂTube (get more info here) and, along with it, its first major line of video proÂgramÂming called You Choose ’08. The conÂcept here is simÂple and promisÂing: CitÂiÂzens ask quesÂtions to the ’08 canÂdiÂdates, and the canÂdiÂdates respond. The results, howÂevÂer, have been largeÂly disÂapÂpointÂing. When you strip everyÂthing away, what you get are politiÂcians speakÂing the same platÂiÂtudes that we’ve seen for decades on TV. (See a samÂple reply here.) The only difÂferÂence is that the video qualÂiÂty is worse, and they’re manÂagÂing to get their platÂiÂtudes in front of a young demoÂgraphÂic, which is no small feat. For betÂter or for worse, YouTube is to the ’08 elecÂtion what MTV (rememÂber Bill playÂing the sax?) was to the ’92 elecÂtion.
While neiÂther CitÂiÂzenÂTube nor the politÂiÂcal camÂpaigns are using the video platÂform in revÂoÂluÂtionÂary ways, the milÂlions of averÂage users who make YouTube what it is are doing a betÂter job of it.
Of parÂticÂuÂlar interÂest is the way in which videos are emergÂing on YouTube that counter images being careÂfulÂly proÂjectÂed by canÂdiÂdates and their camÂpaigns. Here are two quick examÂples.
GOP canÂdiÂdate Mitt RomÂney has been preÂdictably workÂing to cast himÂself as a social conÂserÂvÂaÂtive. Twice in recent months, he has shown up at Pat RobertÂson’s Regent UniÂverÂsiÂty to delivÂer lines like this:
“We’re shocked by the evil of the VirÂginia Tech shootÂing…” “I opened my Bible shortÂly after I heard of the tragedy. Only a
few versÂes, it seems, after the Fall, we read that Adam and Eve’s
oldÂest son killed his younger brothÂer. From the beginÂning, there has
been evil in the world.”
…“PornogÂraÂphy and vioÂlence
poiÂson our music and movies and TV and video games. The VirÂginia Tech
shootÂer, like the Columbine shootÂers before him, had drunk from this
cesspool.”
But then, howÂevÂer inconÂveÂnientÂly, videos from Mitt RomÂney’s past politÂiÂcal camÂpaigns show up on YouTube, ones which should make evanÂgelÂiÂcals think twice, and there is not much RomÂney can do about it. The past hurts, but it doesÂn’t lie:
Then there is Hillary ClinÂton. She’s got the monÂey, the parÂty machine is backÂing her, tryÂing to wrap up the nomÂiÂnaÂtion with a bow. But then a damnÂing attack ad crops up on YouTube. This pitch for Barack ObaÂma remixÂes the “1984” TV ad that famousÂly introÂduced Apple comÂputÂers to AmerÂiÂca, and it casts Hillary as a politÂiÂcal automaÂton, an image that rings true for many. (The ObaÂma camÂpaign denies havÂing anyÂthing do with the video, and its creÂator remains unknown.)
It is with videos like these that YouTube gets politÂiÂcalÂly interÂestÂing. Just as quickÂly as a politÂiÂcal camÂpaign projects an image for RomÂney or ClinÂton, your averÂage web user can scrounge up footage that calls that image into quesÂtion. A retort is always posÂsiÂble, which was nevÂer the case on TV. And the cost of delivering/countering a mesÂsage runs next to nothÂing. Again a first. YouTube equalÂizes, and it isn’t a terÂrain on which the rich can instantÂly claim vicÂtoÂry. Just ask RomÂney and his over $200 milÂlion in perÂsonÂal wealth. What good has it done him in YouTube land?
We now serve you 25 art/visual art blogs, all of which have also been foldÂed into a largÂer list of 100+ culÂture blogs. We’re now callÂing it The Big List of CulÂture Blogs (pretÂty creÂative, eh), and we’ll add to it over time.
Art News Blog: The blog digs up new stoÂries, reviews, guides, and artiÂcles found online and shares them each day. StoÂries have an interÂnaÂtionÂal focus with an emphaÂsis on the visuÂal arts.
Art World Salon: Looks at the fast-paced transÂforÂmaÂtions takÂing place in the globÂal art world. FreÂquentÂly looks at the ecoÂnomÂic side of things.
ConÂtemÂpoÂrary Pulitzer: An art blog put togethÂer jointÂly by the ConÂtemÂpoÂrary Art MuseÂum St. Louis and The Pulitzer FounÂdaÂtion for the Arts.
Cronaca: A comÂpiÂlaÂtion of news conÂcernÂing art, archeÂolÂoÂgy, hisÂtoÂry, and whatÂevÂer else catchÂes the chronicler’s eye, with the odd bit of opinÂion and comÂmenÂtary thrown in.
Edward WinÂkleÂman: Art, polÂiÂtics, gosÂsip and tough love from a NYC arts dealÂer. You’ll find this site listÂed on many-a-blogroll.
Eye LevÂel: A blog proÂduced by the SmithÂsonÂian AmerÂiÂcan Art MuseÂum, it uses the museum’s colÂlecÂtion as a touchÂstone and is dedÂiÂcatÂed to AmerÂiÂcan art and the ways in which the nation’s art reflects its hisÂtoÂry and culÂture. SurÂprisÂingÂly, one of the few blogs to come out of the museÂum world.
Life WithÂout BuildÂings: News and notes from an archiÂtecÂture weblog with a penÂchant for giant statÂues and postÂmodÂern culÂture.
LookÂing Around: A blog by Richard Lacayo, who writes about books, art and archiÂtecÂture at TIME MagÂaÂzine.
MagÂnum PhoÂtos: A mulÂti-author, aesÂthetÂiÂcalÂly well designed phoÂtogÂraÂphy blog.
ModÂern Art Notes: Voila, Tyler Green’s blog about modÂern and conÂtemÂpoÂrary art. The Wall Street JourÂnal has called MAN “the most influÂenÂtial of all visuÂal-arts blogs.”
smARThisÂtoÂry: GenÂerÂal MusÂings about using techÂnolÂoÂgy to teach with images by two art hisÂtoÂriÂans, Beth HarÂris and Steven ZuckÂer. Often feaÂtures links to worthÂwhile art hisÂtoÂry podÂcasts.
Whether you think John F. Kennedy was a great presÂiÂdent or just a guy
who enjoyed sulÂtry birthÂday
serÂeÂnades (see clip below), you have to admit
his hold on America’s culÂturÂal imagÂiÂnaÂtion is still powÂerÂful four
decades after his assasÂsiÂnaÂtion. Two major new works of hisÂtoÂry tackÂle
the quesÂtion and, preÂdictably, come down on oppoÂsite sides of it. David
Talbot’s BrothÂers: The HidÂden HisÂtoÂry of the Kennedy Years offers new eviÂdence furÂtherÂing the great conÂspirÂaÂcy theÂoÂry, while VinÂcent Bugliosi’s ReclaimÂing HisÂtoÂry: The AssasÂsiÂnaÂtion of PresÂiÂdent John F. Kennedy agrees with offiÂcial hisÂtoÂry and the WarÂren ComÂmisÂsion.
PerÂhaps the most interÂestÂing thing about these latÂest prodÂucts of the
Kennedy indusÂtry is the fact that both books are takÂing advanÂtage of
new media forÂmats to comÂbat the traÂdiÂtionÂal probÂlem with Big HisÂtoÂry
texts–weight. Bugliosi’s tome comes in at a back-wrenchÂing 1,612
pages, so be thankÂful that his pubÂlishÂers includÂed the many endÂnotes on
an accomÂpaÂnyÂing CD. (You would be well-advised to save a few months and
read the New York Times review here.) Talbot’s BrothÂers is only a third as long, but that’s still almost 500 pages–so why not enjoy it as an eBook instead, or just check out the excerpt on Salon? Or take in itsNew York Times review here. If your eyes are tired already, rest assured that both authors also appeared on the Leonard Lopate show (Bugliosi mp3; TalÂbot mp3 ). And if you hapÂpen to live in the Bay area, you can go see TalÂbot will be in San FranÂcisÂco proÂmotÂing the book tomorÂrow, May 22.
Just a quick heads up: StartÂing today, you can sign up for online writÂing coursÂes from StanÂford. Offered by StanÂford ConÂtinÂuÂing
StudÂies and the StanÂford CreÂative WritÂing ProÂgram (which is one of the
most disÂtinÂguished writÂing proÂgrams in the counÂtry), these online coursÂes give
beginÂning and advanced writÂers, no matÂter where they live, the chance
to refine their craft with giftÂed writÂing instrucÂtors and smart peers. RegÂisÂtraÂtion starts today, and coursÂes will go from June 25 to August 17. You can find the list of coursÂes below. For more inforÂmaÂtion, click here, or sepÂaÂrateÂly check out the FAQ.
(Full disÂcloÂsure: I helped set up these coursÂes and think they’re a
great eduÂcaÂtionÂal opporÂtuÂniÂty. But nonetheÂless take my opinÂion with a
grain of salt.)
The 60th Cannes Film FesÂtiÂval is in full swing. It’s all film for ten plus days. But last night, music – or realÂly U2 – took cenÂter stage. Before the midÂnight screenÂing of their new rockÂuÂmenÂtary, U23D, the Irish band played a two song set (VerÂtiÂgo and Where the Streets Have No Name) on the red carÂpet. It was short and sweet. You can watch it below. Cheers.
There are some earÂly signs that pubÂlishÂers and bookÂsellers may be seeÂing the light.
Until recentÂly, the book world applied an irraÂtional logÂic to downÂloadÂable audioÂbooks and podÂcasts. As we notÂed back in FebÂruÂary, the paper verÂsion of the bestÂselling busiÂness book, The Long Tail, ran conÂsumers$16.47 on AmaÂzon. And yet the cheapÂer-to-proÂduce audio verÂsion implauÂsiÂbly amountÂed to $31.95 on iTunes and $27.99 on AudiÂble. Did it make sense? HardÂly.
Since FebÂruÂary, a litÂtle bit of reaÂson has been injectÂed into the marÂket. As the The New York TimesrecentÂly notÂed, the pubÂlishÂer HenÂry Holt made a smart move. They took the popÂuÂlar podÂcast, The GramÂmar Girl (iTunesFeedWeb Site), and withÂin days spun off an hourÂlong audioÂbook priced at a sane $4.95. The next thing you know, it became the bestÂselling audioÂbook on iTunes. Here, the audioÂbook forÂmat let pubÂlishÂers respond to a marÂket opporÂtuÂniÂty — and far more quickÂly than they ever could have with a traÂdiÂtionÂal book. (A traÂdiÂtionÂal GramÂmar Girl book won’t come out until next year.)
RatioÂnal act #2: Some pubÂlishÂers are now releasÂing audio verÂsions of new books before issuÂing the actuÂal hard copies. Why? Because, they’ve found that digÂiÂtal copies can genÂerÂate buzz and greater sales for paper copies. And yes, in these sitÂuÂaÂtions, the digÂiÂtal and paper verÂsions are comÂpaÂraÂbly priced.
FinalÂly, bookÂsellers are now using audio to inform conÂsumers and motiÂvate them to click “Add to ShopÂping Cart” a litÂtle more often. Take for examÂple the new line of podÂcasts from AmaÂzon. CreÂatÂed by in-house ediÂtors, AmaÂzon Wire (iTunes — Feed) offers interÂviews and excluÂsives with authors of new books. AmaÂzon BookÂClips (iTunes — Feed) puts a spotÂlight on up-and-comÂing and bestÂselling authors. And with SigÂnifÂiÂcant SevÂen (iTunes — Feed), AmaÂzon points you to new must-read titles. How well inteÂgratÂed into AmaÂzon’s sales efforts, and how effecÂtive these podÂcasts will be at genÂerÂatÂing sales, all remains to be seen. But it at least points to a more senÂsiÂble way of bringÂing the digÂiÂtal and paper worlds togethÂer.
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