Why don’t Jews write fantasy?
Via First Thoughts, here’s a great essay on Jewish faith and fantasy writing. One of the authors featured, Lev Grossman, was interviewed by our very own E.D. Kain not too long ago.
Author: Will
Sexuality à la carte?
I’m currently reading Troublesome Young Men, a history of anti-fascist parliamentarians in 1930s Britain. At first blush, this has very little to do with David’s excellent post on homosexuality, pedophilia and desire. But the...
Getting Steamed
Here’s a smart article on the appeal of “steampunk,” a Victorian-science fiction hybrid that features some of the coolest-looking clothes out there.
Faces of the Future
io9 points to composite sketches of our future faces from 1910 and 1993. The pictures from 1910 are particularly funny – I can’t help noticing that all of the Southern and Eastern European faces...
Essential Albums of the 1980s
Noted Creed apologist Joe Carter has assembled a list of the 80s’ essential but-not-too-obvious albums. I missed out on the decade, but I’ll go ahead and nominate The Replacements’ back catalog, The Cure’s “Disintegration,”...
Wowee Zowee
Fellow Pavement-philes rejoice! Here’s a sweet GQ profile on former band leader Stephen Malkmus.
Friendship and civic virtue
Patrick Deneen has written a fascinating entry on friendship, politics and civic virtue. Excerpting doesn’t do the post justice, but here’s the crux of his thesis: The real relationships of people in their localities...
Sympathy for the Aristocracy
Those who share the Porch’s aristocratic nostalgia will enjoy Trevor Phillips on The Wind in the Willows:
The Best Mascot Ever
Via the First Church of Bracketology, the Ole Miss Rebels have a chance to pick up the best mascot in college sports and strike a blow for inter-galactic inclusiveness.
Van Jones gets a new job
I’m not interested in rehashing fringe conspiracy theories, but the folks at the Center for American Progress seem remarkably unconcerned about their new colleague ‘s connection to the 9/11 “truthers.”
Speaking of Scorsese
My opinion of Raging Bull is altogether more favorable than Mr. Schaengold’s, but even if you’re not a fan, Vanity Fair’s article on the making of the movie is worth a read.
“Real Men of Genius: Out of Touch Washington Democrats”
The off-key singing and stellar production values really make this video (via):
History Thursday
I aggregate so you don’t have to: From The Dreyfus Affair to the Eiffel Tower, the conflict between Church and State in late 19th century France; remembering the Berlin Airlift, 1948-49; Christopher Hitchens reviews...
The Best Journalism of 2009
I’d like to nominate this Vlade Divac profile for Conor Friedersdorf’s annual “best of” compilation.
Scalia: No Right to Secede
A fun tidbit from the Justice’s fan mail. Patriotic Texans and Vermonters are no doubt disappointed.
All the good band names are taken
Which probably explains why the new ones keep getting longer and longer. As far as ridiculously long musical monikers go, my favorites are “I Love You But I’ve Chosen Darkness” and the delightfully gothic-sounding...
