A new documentary on Ken Kesey and his band of Pranksters “presents the LSD-loving pioneers who spawned ’60s counterculture in their own words and images.”
Kesey Documentary
Why Did the Seagull Cross Konstantin?
David Henne brings a humorous list of lesser known Chekovian Techniques. Next up, Three Sisters walk into a bar jokes.
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So wait, does this mean Martin Amis has read 50 Shades of Grey?
Thus spoke Martin Amis: "There's a bit more song in women's writing, there's more real sincerity in women's writing." Also, apparently women are better at writing sex scenes.
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A Bookish Jurassic Park
Recommended reading: before you head to the theaters for the latest Jurassic Park film, make sure you know the series's bookish roots.
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Books As Balm
The New York Times reports that actress Carrie Fisher's books have risen to the top of Amazon's bestseller lists following news of her death. Fisher penned the memoirs Wishful Drinking, Shockaholic, and The Princess Diarist, which just came out last month, as well as several novels, including the book-made-movie Postcards from the Edge. Our own Lydia Kiesling included Postcards on a reading list for her short-lived celebrity book club a few years back.
I’m Not Excited
The "Albums of Our Lives" series over at The Rumpus is a consistent source of entertaining essays. This week's contribution, which focuses on Vampire Weekend's Modern Vampires of the City, is no aberration.
The Life and Times of James Lloydovich Patterson
In 1932, several black Americans – including Langston Hughes – traveled to the Soviet Union to shoot a propaganda film about the “evils of racism in the United States.” One of those travelers, Lloyd Patterson, would never return. Instead, Patterson married an Ukrainian woman, and the pair had two children. The firstborn, Jim Patterson, was at one time the most famous black resident of the USSR – and his appearance in The Circus even drew the admiration of Joseph Stalin. After World War II, Patterson served as a Soviet naval officer aboard a submarine in the Black Sea. From there he went on to the Soviet Writers Union in 1967. If you think this sounds far-fetched, I encourage you to read more here.
American Experience: Jesse Owens
The Summer Olympics begin in exactly one month, so I recommend checking out this 52-minute American Experience episode on Olympic legend Jesse Owens to set the tone.
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