OC conÂtribÂuÂtor Seth HarÂwood has someÂthing excitÂing going on over at his site today: he’s launchÂing the pre-order sales of his new novÂel YOUNG JUNIUS, which is due out this fall. This is partÂly worth notÂing because Seth’s path to pubÂliÂcaÂtion involves givÂing away his work for free as MP3 audioÂbooks. You can even lisÂten to all of YOUNG JUNIUS before you make a buy. If you’re a fan of crime or mysÂtery ficÂtion, or you dig The Wire, you’ll love this book!
Now, Seth is partÂnerÂing with indeÂpenÂdent pubÂlishÂer Tyrus Books to break new ground in pubÂlishÂing strateÂgies. To read the full descripÂtion of what he’s up to, go here. The brief verÂsion involves the pre-order of speÂcial, limÂitÂed ediÂtion copies of the book that feaÂture cloth bindÂing, fan-creÂatÂed covÂer art, phoÂtos of the stoÂry’s locaÂtions, signed perÂsonÂalÂizaÂtion and more. By offerÂing these for a limÂitÂed time via his site, he and Tyrus are able to print just the quanÂtiÂty sold and balÂance some of the cost (reduce the risk) of the book’s full print run–hardcover, paperÂback AND speÂcial ediÂtion.
If you’d like to read more about this or order a copy, head over to sethharwood.com. When you do, use the code OC to save $3 off the covÂer price of the book! Enjoy!!
Seth HarÂwood is a voraÂcious readÂer, subÂverÂsive pubÂlishÂing maven and crime novÂelÂist.
This year, Tim BurÂton’s proÂducÂtion of Alice In WonÂderÂland was welÂcomed by a flurÂry of media buzz and a rather polarÂized pubÂlic response debatÂing whether the iconÂic direcÂtor had butchered or reinÂventÂed the even more iconÂic chilÂdren’s clasÂsic. But disÂcusÂsion of the film’s creÂative merÂits aside, one thing it did do brilÂliantÂly was rekinÂdle the pubÂlic’s interÂest in what’s easÂiÂly the most beloved work of chilÂdren’s litÂerÂaÂture of the past two cenÂturies.
So beloved, in fact, that Lewis CarÂrolÂl’s 1865 novÂel has genÂerÂatÂed hunÂdreds of reprints, film adapÂtaÂtions and varÂiÂous derivÂaÂtive works over the years. Many of these works are now availÂable in the pubÂlic domain — even a simÂple search in the InterÂnet Archive sends you down a rabÂbit hole of adapÂtaÂtions and remakes, spanÂning from landÂmark earÂly cinÂeÂma treaÂsures to offÂbeat prodÂucts of conÂtemÂpoÂrary digÂiÂtal culÂture.
Today, we’ve curatÂed a selecÂtion of the most interÂestÂing and culÂturÂalÂly sigÂnifÂiÂcant — the “curiÂouser and curiÂouser,” if you will — free verÂsions of, tribÂutes to, and derivÂaÂtives of Alice’s AdvenÂtures In WonÂderÂland.
The funÂdaÂmenÂtals: A Project GutenÂberg free digÂiÂtal copy of CarÂrolÂl’s origÂiÂnal Alice’s AdvenÂtures In WonÂderÂland text
A 1916 abridged verÂsion intendÂed for younger chilÂdren, digÂiÂtized by the Library of ConÂgress, is availÂable from the InterÂnaÂtionÂal ChilÂdren’s DigÂiÂtal Library and feaÂtures some wonÂderÂful illusÂtraÂtion — though, regretÂtably, it lacks the Cheshire Cat
For a clasÂsic with a spin, try this audio verÂsion read by blogÂger extraÂorÂdiÂnaire, BoingÂBoÂing co-ediÂtor, PopÂuÂlar SciÂence columÂnist and vocal free conÂtent advoÂcate Cory DocÂtorow
The earÂliÂest cinÂeÂmatÂic adapÂtaÂtion of the book, directÂed by Cecil HepÂworth in 1903, is a silent film gem, clockÂing in at just 8 minÂutes and 19 secÂonds. Watch above.
In 1915, W. W. Young directÂed the secÂond AmerÂiÂcan adapÂtaÂtion of Alice — a masÂsive six-reel proÂducÂtion that showÂcased the rapid evoÂluÂtion of filmÂmakÂing in just a decade since the first proÂducÂtion. Though much of the film is now lost, 42 minÂutes of it can be seen at the InterÂnet Archive for free
A 1966 British adapÂtaÂtion by direcÂtor Jonathan Miller for the BBC feaÂtures an ambiÂtious cast — includÂing Peter SellÂers as the King of Hearts, Sir John GielÂguld as Mock TurÂtle, Michael RedÂgrave as The CaterÂpilÂlar and Peter Cook as the Mad HatÂter — and its soundÂtrack, scored by the legÂendary Ravi Shankar, exudes the borÂderÂline folk-psyÂcheÂdelia sound of the WoodÂstock era. The film, dividÂed into sevÂen parts, is availÂable for free on YouTube.
This 2‑minute verÂsion of Alice In WonÂderÂland shot in the virÂtuÂal world SecÂond Life is an eerie tesÂtaÂment to just how wideÂly CarÂrolÂl’s clasÂsic resÂonates.
PerÂhaps the biggest treaÂsure of all, Lewis CarÂrolÂl’s origÂiÂnal manÂuÂscript, availÂable from the British Library — 91 pages of preÂcious litÂerÂary hisÂtoÂry, with origÂiÂnal illusÂtraÂtions from artist John TenÂniel. The online gallery also feaÂtures a prefÂace telling the fasÂciÂnatÂing stoÂry of the Oxford mathÂeÂmatiÂcian’s real-life inspiÂraÂtion for the book and the fate of the real Alice
Maria PopoÂva is the founder and ediÂtor in chief of Brain PickÂings, a curatÂed invenÂtoÂry of eclecÂtic interÂestÂingÂness and indisÂcrimÂiÂnate curiosÂiÂty. She writes for Wired UK, GOOD MagÂaÂzine and HuffÂinÂgÂton Post, and spends a disÂturbÂing amount of time curatÂing interÂestÂingÂness on TwitÂter.
The details are still hazy. But we know this: Google will be launchÂing a “colÂlabÂoÂraÂtive research proÂgram to explore the digÂiÂtal humanÂiÂties” using Google Books. ScholÂars will get up to $50,000 per year, and they’ll come from eight potenÂtial disÂciÂplines (archaeÂolÂoÂgy, hisÂtoÂry, anthroÂpolÂoÂgy, linÂguisÂtics, litÂerÂaÂture, clasÂsics, phiÂlosÂoÂphy & sociÂolÂoÂgy). And what’s the point of their research? EssenÂtialÂly to make Google’s online digÂiÂtal library more effecÂtive and friendÂly for researchers. Just last year, a promiÂnent acaÂdÂeÂmÂic called Google Books a “DisÂasÂter for ScholÂars” in a high proÂfile forum. The new grants should begin to address these conÂcerns in some meanÂingÂful ways. For more inforÂmaÂtion, head over to The ChronÂiÂcle of HighÂer EduÂcaÂtion, which has the full stoÂry.
Here’s a litÂtle nugget for you. The great invenÂtor Thomas EdiÂson visÂitÂed the home of Mark Twain in 1909, and capÂtured footage of “the father of AmerÂiÂcan litÂerÂaÂture” (says FaulknÂer) walkÂing around his estate and playÂing cards with his daughÂters, Clara and Jean. The film is silent and deteÂriÂoÂratÂed. But it’s apparÂentÂly the only known footage of the author who gave us HuckÂleÂberÂry Finn and Tom Sawyer. Twain would die the next year.
And if you like what we serve up, don’t miss us on TwitÂter on FaceÂbook. It’s any easy way to share culÂturÂal gems with famÂiÂly and friends.
A couÂple of days ago, we feaÂtured a video postÂed on PenÂguin’s YouTube ChanÂnel that used a smart video techÂnique to restore faith in the future of book pubÂlishÂing. A couÂple of our readÂers were quick to point out that the video’s creÂative eleÂment was highÂly simÂiÂlar to an award-winÂning video called “Lost GenÂerÂaÂtion”. (See above.) And yet there was no attriÂbuÂtion. A probÂlem? ParÂticÂuÂlarÂly for an entiÂty in the intelÂlecÂtuÂal property/copyright busiÂness?
UPDATE: Tonight, anothÂer readÂer tells us that “Lost GenÂerÂaÂtion” has its own oriÂgins in a 2006 adverÂtiseÂment for ArgenÂtinÂian presÂiÂdenÂtial canÂdiÂdate RicarÂdo Lopez MurÂphy called “The Truth.” Does this make this style of video a meme of sorts? A style that’s so out there that attriÂbuÂtion is not worth a bothÂer? PerÂhaps I’m holdÂing PenÂguin’s feet too close to the fire on this one. PerÂhaps (as, Maria, a blogÂger colÂleague menÂtions via email) this highÂlights a bigÂger probÂlem. Too much derivaÂtion. Not enough origÂiÂnal thinkÂing all around.
A quick heads up for book lovers: Goodreads is a large social netÂwork for readÂers, with over 3,000,000 memÂbers who review, recÂomÂmend and swap books. The site also feaÂtures “book-give-aways” for its memÂbers. This month you can enter to win a free copy of If You FolÂlow Me, a novÂel by MaleÂna Watrous, a talÂentÂed colÂleague of mine at StanÂford. About the book one reviewÂer said: It’s “the kind of book you finÂish and then clutch to your heart as you run around telling everyÂone you know that they have to read it.” The book is hitÂting the bookÂstore shelves today, and you can sign up to win a free copy until March 16.
Back in 1975, filmÂmakÂer Tom Schiller (only 20 years old at the time) made a short docÂuÂmenÂtary on the novÂelÂist HenÂry Miller (TropÂic of CanÂcer, TropÂic of CapriÂcorn). In the scene above, Miller, then 81 years old, remÂiÂnisces about his difÂfiÂcult earÂly life in New York, and it all takes place on the set used to shoot the movie HelÂlo, DolÂly!. Schiller’s comÂplete film, HenÂry Miller Asleep and Awake, can be watched for free on SnagÂfilms. (It’s also availÂable at AmaÂzon on DVD here.) The run time is 34 minÂutes. ExcelÂlent find by Mike.
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