Every year the folks at the BulÂwÂer-LytÂton FicÂtion ConÂtest celÂeÂbrate their love for bad prose by runÂning “a whimÂsiÂcal litÂerÂary comÂpeÂtiÂtion that chalÂlenges entrants to comÂpose the openÂing senÂtence to the worst of all posÂsiÂble novÂels.” They’ve just announced this year’s chamÂpiÂon senÂtences and they’re well worth a read. The conÂtest accepts entries year-round, so if you think you’ve got what it takes to write the worst senÂtence of 2008, feel free to take your shot.
The New Yorker Magazine Crosses the Digital Divide
When you think of The New YorkÂer, you don’t genÂerÂalÂly think of a magÂaÂzine with a subÂstanÂtial digÂiÂtal footÂprint. But, ever so gradÂuÂalÂly, under David RemÂnickÂ’s ediÂtoÂrÂiÂal direcÂtion, this instiÂtuÂtion in AmerÂiÂcan jourÂnalÂism and culÂturÂal comÂmenÂtary has launched a series of digÂiÂtal iniÂtiaÂtives that comÂpleÂment the traÂdiÂtionÂal print jourÂnal. And when you add them all up, you realÂize the magÂaÂzine is pretÂty far along the digÂiÂtal curve. How else can you look at it when The New YorkÂer now offers a fairÂly robust webÂsite, which comÂbines full pieces from the curÂrent print ediÂtion with speÂcialÂized online feaÂtures (take for examÂple the new blog by George PackÂer)? And then conÂsidÂer the fact that you can now buy on DVD the comÂplete hisÂtorÂiÂcal archive of the magÂaÂzine, going back to 1925, and then search and read through it on your comÂputÂer — all for a fairÂly scant $63. (Get your own copy here.)
More minor, but nonetheÂless interÂestÂing, forÂays into the digÂiÂtal world include some recent experÂiÂments on the podÂcast front. Not long ago, we menÂtioned that The New YorkÂer’s tradeÂmark carÂtoons have been aniÂmatÂed and can be watched as video podÂcasts (iTunes — Feed). Then there’s The New YorkÂer FicÂtion (iTunes — Feed), anothÂer relÂaÂtiveÂly new podÂcast that feaÂtures famous ficÂtion writÂers readÂing out loud selectÂed short stoÂries from the magazine’s ficÂtion archives. (It’s issued only monthÂly.) FinalÂly, to round things out, anothÂer podÂcast has recentÂly emerged, and it’s simÂply called ComÂment (iTunes — Feed) and that’s because it lets you lisÂten to a weekÂly readÂing of the magÂaÂzine’s “ComÂment” essay, often writÂten by HenÂdrik Hertzberg, Nicholas Lemann, or David RemÂnick himÂself. For a comÂplete list of New YorkÂer RSS feeds, click here.
You can find the podÂcasts menÂtioned above, and othÂers like them, in our Arts & CulÂture PodÂcast ColÂlecÂtion.
Ingmar Bergman Dies at 89
IngÂmar Bergman, one of the great filmÂmakÂers of the last cenÂtuÂry, has died at 89. You can read the full obit in the NY Times here, and catch a piece of his masÂterÂwork PerÂsona below (or buy the film in full here). Film buffs may also want to check out Bergman’s autoÂbiÂogÂraÂphy, The MagÂic Lantern.
America’s Philosopher President
What’s gone wrong with AmerÂiÂca’s democÂraÂcy? It’s a quesÂtion that Al Gore takes a hard look at in his recent (and well-reviewed) book, The Assault on ReaÂson. Below, Gore gives you the gist of his arguÂment in a half-hour video. It’s a bit heady. He’s invokÂing the Ancient Greeks, the EnlightÂenÂment, Edward GibÂbon, Adam Smith and John StuÂart Mill. What’s more, his thinkÂing is heavÂiÂly informed by JurÂgen HaberÂmas and his writÂings on ratioÂnal politÂiÂcal disÂcourse. And it all loops into an explaÂnaÂtion of how we’ve takÂen a wrong turn on the Iraq war, the enviÂronÂment, civÂil libÂerÂties and beyond. Yes, it’s heady stuff. But if Open CulÂture readÂers can’t hanÂdle it, who can?
The link to the origÂiÂnal video is here.
Wolf Brother: Serial Literary Entertainment
The Guardian Books PodÂcast has startÂed offerÂing an audioÂbook verÂsion of the young adult novÂel Wolf BrothÂer as a serÂiÂal podÂcast. The stoÂry is the first in a series of books by Michelle Paver called ChronÂiÂcles of Ancient DarkÂness. It makes good audio since it’s gripÂping and not hard to folÂlow (or get back into if you get disÂtractÂed). But what realÂly makes it worthÂwhile is Ian McKelÂlan’s voice, which lends the tale just the right levÂel of ancient, magÂiÂcal atmosÂphere. The Guardian has released 9 out of 13 episodes so far, at a rate of one a week. (Site, iTunes)
Click here for more free audioÂbooks.
The Plot Against FDR: Stranger than Fiction
In 2004, Philip Roth’s The Plot Against AmerÂiÂca imagÂined an alterÂnaÂtive AmerÂiÂcan hisÂtoÂry. The year is 1940, and Charles LindÂbergh, an AmerÂiÂcan hero and Nazi symÂpaÂthizÂer, beats FDR in the presÂiÂdenÂtial elecÂtion and takes AmerÂiÂca down the path toward fasÂcism, importÂing to the US the worst that Europe has to offer.
An implauÂsiÂble hisÂtorÂiÂcal sceÂnario? Not entireÂly, not accordÂing to this BBC invesÂtigaÂtive report (lisÂten here with Real PlayÂer). In 1933, when AmerÂiÂca was mired deeply in the Great DepresÂsion, Franklin D. RooÂsevelt came into office and launched fedÂerÂal poliÂcies to revive the econÂoÂmy. Many now rememÂber well his New Deal poliÂcies. But, there were some at the time — parÂticÂuÂlarÂly well-heeled leadÂers in the AmerÂiÂcan busiÂness comÂmuÂniÂty — who adamantÂly opposed the fedÂerÂal govÂernÂment involvÂing itself in the priÂvate secÂtor. Based on research in the nationÂal archives, the BBC invesÂtiÂgaÂtion sugÂgests that titans of the indusÂtriÂal and finanÂcial world, includÂing Prescott Bush (the grandÂfaÂther of our sitÂting presÂiÂdent), were linked to, if not directÂly backÂing, a plot that would have Maj.-Gen. SmedÂley ButÂler, a highÂly decÂoÂratÂed Marine, lead a 500,000 priÂvate army and push RooÂsevelt out of powÂer. It was a move takÂen straight from Hitler’s and MusÂsolinÂi’s playÂbook. To get more on the coup and how it played out, give the 30-minute invesÂtigaÂtive report a lisÂten.
Straight Talk about Stem Cells: Another Stanford Course via Podcast
Last week, we menÂtioned The Future of the InterÂnet. This week it’s anothÂer course availÂable as a free podÂcast : Straight Talk About Stem Cells (iTunes).
The course was taught by ChristoÂpher Scott, the ExecÂuÂtive DirecÂtor of StanÂford’s ProÂgram on Stem Cells in SociÂety and the author of Stem Cell Now: An IntroÂducÂtion to the ComÂing MedÂical RevÂoÂluÂtion. OrigÂiÂnalÂly taught withÂin StanÂford’s ConÂtinÂuÂing StudÂies proÂgram, the course was designed with the genÂerÂal pubÂlic in mind. So it should be quite accesÂsiÂble. You can now downÂload three of the total five lecÂtures. Two more will be comÂing soon. (Get it on iTunes here.) Here is the origÂiÂnal course descripÂtion for the course.
BiolÂoÂgy’s Brave New World: Straight Talk about Stem Cells
No area of sciÂence holds such promise for treatÂing disÂease and improvÂing human lives as stem cell research. But no area of sciÂence causÂes such funÂdaÂmenÂtal ethÂiÂcal conÂcern and such feroÂcious politÂiÂcal conÂflict. In this short course, stuÂdents will learn the funÂdaÂmenÂtals of stem cell biolÂoÂgy, and study how these powÂerÂful cells could be used to make funcÂtionÂal organs, treat diaÂbetes or repair spinal cord injuries. With the sciÂence and techÂnolÂoÂgy firmÂly in hand, we will jourÂney into the deep reachÂes of the conÂtroÂverÂsy and examÂine the interÂnaÂtionÂal exploÂsion of stem cell research and how law and polÂiÂcy are affectÂing long-held AmerÂiÂcan domÂiÂnance in cell biolÂoÂgy. New sciÂence often proÂvokes a redeÂfÂiÂnÂiÂtion of ethÂiÂcal stanÂdards. Stem cells have reignitÂed the debate about the embryo, aborÂtion, and sciÂence run amok. We will leave the shrill rhetoric behind, disÂcussing the quesÂtion at the heart of the debate: How, as a sociÂety, do we balÂance our responÂsiÂbilÂiÂties to the unborn and the sick?
Check out our largÂer colÂlecÂtion of free uniÂverÂsiÂty coursÂes.
Filling the Idea Void in Iraq
We have hit botÂtom in Iraq. And you know it because the debates over Iraq (whether the war was just, whether we planned it adeÂquateÂly, whether we have a meanÂingÂful exist stratÂeÂgy, etc.) have ground to a halt. The big defendÂers of the war effort have mostÂly gone silent, or they’re no longer takÂen seriÂousÂly, and what we’re left with is a deficit of ideas all around. There are those who talk about stayÂing in Iraq, but can’t articÂuÂlate a credÂiÂble stratÂeÂgy for movÂing forÂward. And those who talk about leavÂing, but can’t outÂline how we’ll leave Iraq in a moralÂly defenÂsiÂble posiÂtion. We hear a lot in the way of platÂiÂtudes, litÂtle in the way of subÂstance.
This Fresh Air interÂview (stream it here) with Thomas Ricks, author of the bestÂseller FiasÂco: The AmerÂiÂcan MilÂiÂtary AdvenÂture in Iraq, helps fill the idea void a bit. (His book, by the way, comes out in paperÂback latÂer this week.) HavÂing recentÂly returned from Iraq, Ricks talks about the real options now availÂable to the US, and what steps the Bush adminÂisÂtraÂtion will likeÂly take durÂing its last 18 months. Also, he disÂcussÂes how the AmerÂiÂcan milÂiÂtary has changed its m.o. in Iraq. Gone are the days when polÂiÂtics dicÂtatÂed a sunÂny outÂlook and no real plans. Now, adults are runÂning the show, and they’re getÂting a good deal more realÂisÂtic and pragÂmatÂic. But even they recÂogÂnize that this newÂfound wisÂdom is comÂing perÂhaps too late.
RelatÂed Note: George PackÂer, the main jourÂnalÂist who covÂered the war effort for The New YorkÂer, has recentÂly rolled out a blog for the magÂaÂzine. It’s called “InterÂestÂing Times” and it’s sure to help fill the idea void as well. Give it a look here.
Want to downÂload free coursÂes from top uniÂverÂsiÂties? Check out this new podÂcast colÂlecÂtion.
Stephen Colbert on Books
For a litÂtle weekÂend laugh, here is Stephen ColÂbert speakÂing at Book Expo AmerÂiÂca, pumpÂing his new book, I Am AmerÂiÂca (And So Can You!), sparÂring with Khaled HosÂseiÂni (author of The Kite RunÂner and A ThouÂsand SplenÂdid Suns), trashÂing CorÂmac McCarthy, and genÂerÂalÂly likenÂing books to cigÂaÂrettes. The clip gets betÂter as it moves along and ends with ColÂbert hitÂting his stride.
PS You can also watch Part 2 of the video here.
See our podÂcast colÂlecÂtions of free uniÂverÂsiÂty coursÂes and free high-qualÂiÂty audioÂbooks.
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