I’ve not read James Frey’s Million Little Pieces but conversation around the controversy has raised some interesting questions about writing, intentions, expectations, and impact. As most will know, there have been some serious (and substantiated) allegations that Frey’s “memoir” (as it is officially billed) includes a number of fairly significant embellishments. What’s perhaps most intriguing…
Gideon Strauss offers an illuminating and well-considered homage to the “New York Intellectuals” of the Partisan Review and Comment.
The original BBC series “The Office” made me a huge fan of Ricky Gervais. Granted, his comedy doesn’t click for everyone. But for me he has the characteristics of a British Will Ferrell: he can make you laugh just sitting still, or by barely opening his mouth (and the accent only adds to the charm)….
After being encouraged that some moderate Republicans (including one of our West Michigan congressmen) successfully blocked the agenda of conservative Republicans to open up oil drilling in Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, the conservatives got what they want by employing a failsafe strategy: attach what you want to a Pentagon spending bill and spineless Democrats (and…
It was wonderfully refreshing to actually see Christopher Hitchens offer a critique of the current administration, and in particular, the Defense Department’s propaganda tactics in Iraq. Hitchens has been so busy defending the war in Iraq I was starting to think he was losing his contrarian edge. This piece in Slate is proof that some…
What to get for that special someone who has everything? How about a water buffalo? Or ducks? Or a mosquito net? Or even a house? Last year while we were in England we bought some gifts for our family through Oxfam: a goat and some ducks as I recall. The “gifts” were then sent to…