WNYÂC’s latÂest On The Media (iTunes — Feed — Site) covÂers the criÂsis of traÂdiÂtionÂal book pubÂlishÂing in a new media age. While AmaÂzon rolls out the KinÂdle and more and more conÂtent comes out in pure digÂiÂtal form, we’re still pubÂlishÂing more books than ever before. One interÂestÂing note from the proÂgram is that pubÂlishÂers have disÂcovÂered that offerÂing more free conÂtent online (i.e. not just excerpts but whole chapÂters of new books) serves to increase sales even more. The show was great–worth a lisÂten.
WIRED SCIENCE: What’s Inside Rainn Wilson?
FunÂny and yet it counts as sciÂence.
Chris HardÂwick and Rainn WilÂson, star of The Office, “dive deep into the chemÂiÂcal guts of a comÂmon houseÂhold prodÂuct” to disÂcovÂer “What’s Inside.” For more inforÂmaÂtion, visÂit http://www.pbs.org/wiredscience (Source: BoingÂBoÂing)
Guest on FORA.tv This Week
Here’s a quick fyi: I’m makÂing a small guest appearÂance on FORA.tv this week.
In case you’re not familÂiar with it, FORA.tv hosts a large and conÂstantÂly growÂing colÂlecÂtion of videos that feaÂture imporÂtant thinkers grapÂpling with conÂtemÂpoÂrary culÂturÂal, social and politÂiÂcal quesÂtions. Or, put simÂply, it’s YouTube made intelÂliÂgent. As you’ll see, their misÂsion is rather simÂiÂlar to our own. So I was pleased when they asked me to be “a guest” for the week and highÂlight some of my favorite videos from their video trove. Here is what I selectÂed:
- The 20th CenÂtuÂry on TriÂal: NorÂman MailÂer
- EinÂstein: His Life and UniÂverse
- FranÂcis FukuyaÂma: The End Of HisÂtoÂry RevisÂitÂed
- JimÂmy Wales on Wikipedia
SegÂments of FORA’s talks are also availÂable by audio and video podÂcast. (Get more info here.) Also, on a relatÂed note, PrinceÂton UniÂverÂsiÂty spearÂheads a someÂwhat simÂiÂlar video serÂvice, except that it is more specifÂiÂcalÂly dedÂiÂcatÂed to pubÂlic affairs. It’s called UChanÂnel. (Have a look here.) FinalÂly, if you like what FORA and UChanÂnel have to offer, you may also want to spend some time with our Ideas & CulÂture PodÂcast ColÂlecÂtion. Our full podÂcast library is here.
When Bob Dylan Went Electric: Newport, 1965
First there was the folk Bob Dylan. Then came the elecÂtric Bob Dylan. And it all hapÂpened one night at the NewÂport Folk FesÂtiÂval. The date was July 25, 1965.
In the clip below, you can see how the tranÂsiÂtion was received. In a word, not well. AppearÂing in front of a folk audiÂence that lamentÂed the rise of rock, Dylan hit the stage with his elecÂtric band and played three songs, includÂing “Like a Rolling Stone.” Much of the crowd reactÂed vioÂlentÂly (you can hear it at the end of the clip), and Pete Seeger, the folk legÂend, raged backÂstage: “Get that disÂtorÂtion out of his voice … It’s terÂriÂble. If I had an axe, I’d chop the microÂphone cable right now.” After his short set, Dylan tried to exit the stage. But, as you’ll see, he was coaxed back, with acoustic guiÂtar in hand, to give the peoÂple what they wantÂed — an excelÂlent verÂsion of It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue. For more on this conÂtroÂverÂsy (which the music world evenÂtuÂalÂly got over), check out MarÂtin ScorsÂese’s docÂuÂmenÂtary “No DirecÂtion Home” as well as this Wikipedia entry.
A World in Your Ear
Times Online (the large UK-based news webÂsite) has postÂed today a feaÂture that offers an introÂducÂtion to podÂcastÂing. It explains the whos, hows, whats, etc. and proÂvides some helpÂful links, includÂing one to our colÂlecÂtion of ForÂeign LanÂguage LesÂson PodÂcasts.
PodÂcastÂing offers an amazÂing way to access free, high-qualÂiÂty media, across many topÂics, wherÂevÂer and whenÂevÂer you want it. And it’s someÂthing that even technoÂphobes can easÂiÂly figÂure out. For more inforÂmaÂtion on how to work with podÂcasts, see our our PodÂcast Primer. We take you through podÂcastÂing step-by-step. Also check out our extenÂsive PodÂcast Library, which gives you access to audioÂbooks, culÂturÂal proÂgramÂming, sciÂence podÂcasts, uniÂverÂsiÂty coursÂes and more.
No Country for Old Men: The Coen Brothers’ Latest
The filmÂmakÂers who brought you FarÂgo, BarÂton Fink, and O BrothÂer, Where Art Thou? have released their latÂest film based on a novÂel by CorÂmac McCarthy. No CounÂtry for Old Men is, as The New YorkÂer puts it, “a return to the dark, simÂmerÂing days of their best work, in Blood SimÂple and Miller’s CrossÂing,” which is anothÂer way of sayÂing that the film is vioÂlent, but also extremeÂly well made. So far, there’s been no shortÂage of posÂiÂtive reviews (look here for examÂple). But, as always, you’ll find the occaÂsionÂal pan. Below, we have postÂed some scenes from the film, and we’ll leave you with this printÂed interÂview with Joel and Ethan Coen.
100 Notable Books of 2007
Gift buyÂing seaÂson is now offiÂcialÂly upon us. If books are part of your gift buyÂing plan, then have a look at this list just pubÂlished by The New York Times. The 100 books listÂed here include ficÂtion, poetÂry and nonÂficÂtion. Among othÂers, you’ll find Philip Roth’s latÂest book, Exit Ghost, and I menÂtion it simÂply because you may want to lisÂten to an interÂview with Roth that aired earÂliÂer this week (iTunes — MP3 — Feed — Web Site).
You should also spend some time lookÂing at our list of Life-ChangÂing Books, all of which were selectÂed by our readÂers this fall. DefÂiÂniteÂly some good, time-testÂed reads on this list.
FinalÂly, a quick heads up: Apple is runÂning a one day sale, which gives up to $100 off some comÂputÂers and $30 off iPod clasÂsics. Plus there’s free shipÂping on all prodÂucts. If you have Apple prodÂucts on your holÂiÂday list, then it may be worth your time. Again, the sale ends at midÂnight.
Nixon and Kissinger: Best of Allies and Rivals
Robert Dallek’s latÂest book recounts in plenÂtiÂful detail (752 pages) the odd workÂing relaÂtionÂship that existÂed between Richard Nixon and HenÂry Kissinger (Nixon’s nationÂal secuÂriÂty advisÂer and, latÂer, secÂreÂtary of state). They were partÂly allies, in many ways strongÂly depenÂdent upon one anothÂer, parÂticÂuÂlarÂly when it came to makÂing AmerÂiÂcan forÂeign polÂiÂcy. But they also disÂtrustÂed one anothÂer, someÂtimes deeply, and they’d occaÂsionÂalÂly maneuÂver behind each othÂers’ backs. Dallek’s book, Nixon and Kissinger: PartÂners in PowÂer, has just come out in paperÂback, which brings us to this NPR interÂview with the author (iTunes — Feed — Web Site). Dallek, who has preÂviÂousÂly writÂten extenÂsiveÂly on Kennedy and JohnÂson, gives a good interÂview that outÂlines “Nixinger’s” subÂstanÂtive accomÂplishÂments and the many behind-the-scenes intrigues. Give a lisÂten.
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