Author Topic: In the New Yorker...  (Read 1922892 times)

Offline southendmd

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Re: In the New Yorker...
« Reply #320 on: July 22, 2011, 01:13:57 pm »
I loved Master Class too.  I saw it many years ago in Boston, with Faye Dunaway--brilliaint! 

Meanwhile, David Sedaris's article in the current New Yorker on learning languages is hilarious.  I love how he describes German: "It's like English, but sideways."

Offline Jeff Wrangler

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Re: In the New Yorker...
« Reply #321 on: July 22, 2011, 01:44:26 pm »
Meanwhile, David Sedaris's article in the current New Yorker on learning languages is hilarious.  I love how he describes German: "It's like English, but sideways."

All those people from Minnesota. ...  ;D
"It is required of every man that the spirit within him should walk abroad among his fellow-men, and travel far and wide."--Charles Dickens.

Offline serious crayons

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Re: In the New Yorker...
« Reply #322 on: July 23, 2011, 11:08:46 am »
Calvin Trillin's memoirish article about the Freedom Riders in the most recent issue is really good.


Offline Jeff Wrangler

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Re: In the New Yorker...
« Reply #323 on: July 23, 2011, 01:29:54 pm »
Calvin Trillin's memoirish article about the Freedom Riders in the most recent issue is really good.

I'm looking forward to that one. This issue has a lot of good stuff. The article on Wilkie Collins is good, too. I knew the name and the titles of his two most famous works, but I knew nothing about his life.
"It is required of every man that the spirit within him should walk abroad among his fellow-men, and travel far and wide."--Charles Dickens.

Offline Jeff Wrangler

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Re: In the New Yorker...
« Reply #324 on: July 25, 2011, 01:14:07 pm »
I liked Alec Wilkinson's article on the Tiny House Movement. I'd like to know more about that--like, What do you do about plumbing?
"It is required of every man that the spirit within him should walk abroad among his fellow-men, and travel far and wide."--Charles Dickens.

Offline Jeff Wrangler

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Re: In the New Yorker...
« Reply #325 on: July 27, 2011, 01:25:31 pm »
Yesterday at lunch I finished Cavlin Trillin's article about the Freedom Rides. Today at lunch I finished Jane Kramer's article about the French intellectual Elisabeth Badinter.
"It is required of every man that the spirit within him should walk abroad among his fellow-men, and travel far and wide."--Charles Dickens.

Offline serious crayons

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Re: In the New Yorker...
« Reply #326 on: July 27, 2011, 02:37:44 pm »
Yesterday at lunch I finished Cavlin Trillin's article about the Freedom Rides. Today at lunch I finished Jane Kramer's article about the French intellectual Elisabeth Badinter.

I read and enjoyed both. Though I also thought the Badinter piece was kind of all over the place; when I finished I wasn't sure I had a really cohesive idea of what Badinter's main points are. I would have liked a tiny bit less objectivity, too -- perhaps more of Kramer's analysis of the ideas.


Offline Jeff Wrangler

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Re: In the New Yorker...
« Reply #327 on: July 27, 2011, 02:56:00 pm »
Though I also thought the Badinter piece was kind of all over the place; when I finished I wasn't sure I had a really cohesive idea of what Badinter's main points are. I would have liked a tiny bit less objectivity, too -- perhaps more of Kramer's analysis of the ideas.

She came across to me as something of a privileged dilettante, though the main points that stick with me are her support for the French law to ban the burqa and her opposition to anything that puts "motherhood" ahead of a woman's right to self-accualization.
"It is required of every man that the spirit within him should walk abroad among his fellow-men, and travel far and wide."--Charles Dickens.

Offline serious crayons

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Re: In the New Yorker...
« Reply #328 on: July 27, 2011, 05:26:47 pm »
She came across to me as something of a privileged dilettante, though the main points that stick with me are her support for the French law to ban the burqa and her opposition to anything that puts "motherhood" ahead of a woman's right to self-accualization.

Right, but I felt like the article kind of jumped around rather than making a cohesive point or flowing in some logical direction. She opposes anything that puts "nature" ahead of women's advancement! Oh, and she's privileged and has had a cushy life! Oh, and she wants to ban the burqa! Oh, and here's what some American feminist has to say about her! Oh, and she doesn't really like to socialize, but does occasionally! Oh, and here's how her husband liked writing with her! Oh, and here's what she has studied about the 18th century! Oh, and this is her favorite philosopher!

I would have chosen one thing to focus on -- my choice would be the first, the nature vs. women's advancement, which I personally find fascinating -- and delved into that. Most of the other stuff would be mentioned only in passing or omitted altogether.




Offline Jeff Wrangler

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Re: In the New Yorker...
« Reply #329 on: July 28, 2011, 02:56:02 pm »
Today I read the article about the hedge fund guy. Totally beyond me.  :(

I think I'd rather read about overly privileged French feminists.  ;D
"It is required of every man that the spirit within him should walk abroad among his fellow-men, and travel far and wide."--Charles Dickens.