Here’s a review of a new book about photography and jazz.
You can buy “Blue Notes in Black and White: Photography and Jazz,” by Benjamin Cawthra (University of Chicago Press), here.
[Pictures by Dennis Stock, Herman Leonard, William Claxton, Roy DeCarava, and Gjon Mili]
You gots to chill.
Rest in Peace, Christopher Hitchens, a prolific and gifted critic. He was a worker.
[Photo Credit: Gasper Tringale]
In “Hannah and her Sisters,” Woody Allen goes to the Metro movie theater on Broadway and watches “Duck Soup,” the Marx Brothers’ finest movie and it restores his faith in life. I wasn’t have any kind of life crisis last night, there was just nothing on TV that interested me, so I put on “Animal Crackers,” the Marx Brothers’ second movie. It was released in 1930 and based on the stage play of the same name.
I hadn’t watched it in a few years and I laughed a lot. Pressed pause and said to the wife, “Look at Harpo, watch this, watch this,” and then laughed some more.
Later, she looked up from her book and said, “Wait, so that’s where you got that line from?”
Yup.
Watching the Marx Brothers makes life better.
“Blue Skyscrappers,” By Lyonel Feininger (1937)
Check out the first part of a video essay series on Steven Spielberg. From Matt Zoller Seitz, Ali Arikan, and Serena Bramble.
More gift ideas. If you like black tea, orange pekoe is the way to go. Either of these brands of loose tea will do you right.
Here’s another gift idea for you. It ain’t cheap but it’s a beautiful vinegar, a nice indulgence for someone special.
Apropos of nothing, dig this:
Joe Martz’s photo of his George Brett action figure.
I love this shot. Reminds me of how much I hated Brett, with the utmost respect, when he was a player. Guy killed the Yankees and was a dick about it, too. Ah, the good ol’ days.
Check out these cool 1961 Golden Press cards at The Virtual Card Collection. I found them through another dope site, Paris LF.
Bookmark this one–Paris LF–it’s a keeper.
Check out this photo gallery of small town America over at a most remarkable site, Pictory.
[Photo Credit: Ethan Bodnar and James Besser]
I have not tried this, but dag, does it ever look tasty. Seriously. You can pick up a bottle in Snootsville Williams-Sonoma.
Here’s ten sports books from 2011 to keep in mind as you tackle that holiday shopping list:
Scott Raab’s hugely entertaining memoir. I didn’t know what to expect, I thought it could just be a gonzo stunt. Then, after enjoying the first thirty pages, I wondered if Raab would be able to sustain the goodness for an entire book. Would he bang away on one note the whole time? Would the joke wear thin? Hardly. The book gets deeper as it goes along, without losing it’s light touch. A deeply moral, funny, and often moving work.
The wonderful boxing compilation edited by George Kimball and John Schulian.
3. “21: The Story of Roberto Clemente”
A fine graphic novel portrait of the great Clemente.
Glenn Stout’s definitive history of the making of Fenway Park. Not just for Red Sox Nation.
5. “Evel: The High-Flying Life of Evel Knievel”
Leigh Montville+ Evel=and a good time had by all.
6. “Sometimes They Even Shook Your Hand”
A terrific collection of our man Schulian’s best sports writing. A must-have.
Jonah Keri astute take on how the Tampa Bay Rays compete against the monsters of the American League East.
The picture book of the year from the one and only Craig Robinson.
9. “Sweetness”
Jeff Pearlman’s best book yet.
Two for Tuesday.
Here is a digitized recording of the great Flannery O’Connor reading her story, “A Good Man is Hard to Find.”
Here’s the text.
[Drawing by David Levine]
