#remember this man has won a PULITZER PRIZE

[ladyoftheblades]

watching kendrick release meet the grahams LESS THAN AN HOUR after family matters felt like, how i can only imagine, watching the plane hit the 2nd tower did

[wellthatwasaletdown]

Which song of Kendrick's was bigger than As It Was, which plagued the Hot 100 number 1 spot for 15 weeks? I can't think of any.

Obviously KL is hugely critically acclaimed and has massive cultural relevance but I'm not recollecting a catchy song that stuck at number 1 for four months and is the 4th most streamed of all time.

So, your big flex is that Harry Edward Styles is basically a one-hit wonder (because that's the only song he will be remembered for).LMAO

Kendrick Lamar doesn't write "catchy" songs. The man won the Pulitzer Prize for Music, ffs.

Stop trying to compare these two men. You're embarrassing yourselves.

[waitinglistbooks]

"The Road"

I admit it, I had never heard of Cormac McCarthy until he died, June of the current year. There were so many good reviews on his work upon his death, that I went to investigate a little further and found out that he also wrote a book that would be adapted by the Cohen Brothers, “No Country for Old Men”. I still haven’t seen this movie, but it also had rave reviews when it got out. So, all of this made me want to, at least, try and read one of his novels. The list had 12 books, and I chose “The Road”, after reading some opinions on his work. I didn’t remember but this book was also adapted to the big screen by John Hillcoat, with Viggo Mortensen on the leading road.

“The Road” tells us about a father and a son (we never learn their names) living in a post-apocalyptic world, that has ongoing fires. All is ash and clouds and greyness. The days are dark and short. The whole of humanity is gone, save for some miserable ones who, in their big majority resort to cannibalism. We see how life is on the road, constantly looking over your shoulder to avoid getting caught for food, foraging in old abandoned houses, service stations, farms, while both walk their way towards the sea.

I was afraid this was another “Old Man and the Sea” (Yes. Yes. I did not enjoy it when I read it 20 odd years ago…I am considering reading it again…maybe) – after a bit I was wondering where the hell is this leading to? However, after a while I started to enjoy it quite a lot. It’s an essay on survival, death, values, hope, persistence. I loved how MacCarthy’s writing although very simple, can convey the despair and sadness of the situation. His description seems almost childlike, but so precise. The end is a bit predicable, but still fulfilling and hopeful.

I haven’t read a book that left me feeling like this in a long while. The cliché expression “punch in the stomach” applies here very well. I think this is not only because of MacCarthy’s writing, which is obviously excellent, but also because of all this atmosphere we live in, where climate change is on the daily top stories, including wild fires all over the world.

This book won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction.

I will certainly go back to Corman MacCarthy again. For sure!

“The Road” written by Cormac MacCarthy, Picador, UK, 2022 ISBN: 9781035003792

[pagebypagereviews]

# 30 Essential Reads of the Last Decade The last decade has been a golden era for literature, with a diverse range of voices and stories coming to the forefront. From groundbreaking novels that challenge societal norms to memoirs that offer deeply personal insights into the human condition, the literary world has been enriched with works that will be remembered for years to come. This article delves into 30 essential reads from the last decade, offering a glimpse into the books that have shaped contemporary thought and culture. ## Fiction That Moved Us ### 1. "The Goldfinch" by Donna Tartt (2013) A sweeping tale that combines grief, redemption, and the enduring power of art, "The Goldfinch" has captivated readers worldwide. Tartt's beautifully crafted novel won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 2014, cementing its place as a modern classic. ### 2. "Normal People" by Sally Rooney (2018) Rooney's exploration of love, friendship, and the complexities of human connection resonated with a generation. "Normal People" is a nuanced look at the relationship between two individuals from different backgrounds, navigating the challenges of young adulthood. ### 3. "The Underground Railroad" by Colson Whitehead (2016) This Pulitzer Prize-winning novel reimagines the historical Underground Railroad as an actual railway system. Whitehead's harrowing and imaginative work sheds light on the brutal realities of slavery while offering a story of hope and resilience. ### 4. "A Little Life" by Hanya Yanagihara (2015) Yanagihara's novel is an epic tale of friendship, suffering, and the human spirit. "A Little Life" follows four college classmates as they navigate the complexities of life in New York City, delving into themes of trauma and recovery. ### 5. "Circe" by Madeline Miller (2018) Miller's retelling of the life of Circe, the enchantress from Homer's "Odyssey," is a powerful narrative of female empowerment and transformation. "Circe" offers a fresh perspective on a classic story, making ancient myths accessible to a modern audience. ## Non-Fiction That Enlightened Us ### 6. "Educated" by Tara Westover (2018) Westover's memoir is a testament to the transformative power of education. Growing up in a survivalist family in Idaho, her journey from isolation to earning a PhD from Cambridge University is both inspiring and heart-wrenching. ### 7. "Becoming" by Michelle Obama (2018) The former First Lady's memoir offers an intimate look at her life, from her childhood in Chicago to her years in the White House. "Becoming" is a deeply personal and inspiring account of a woman who has continually defied expectations. ### 8. "Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind" by Yuval Noah Harari (2011) Harari's sweeping narrative of human history examines how Homo sapiens came to dominate the Earth. "Sapiens" combines history, science, and philosophy, challenging readers to reconsider the narrative of human progress. ### 9. "Just Mercy" by Bryan Stevenson (2014) Stevenson's memoir is a powerful call to reform the criminal justice system. Through the story of one man's wrongful conviction, "Just Mercy" highlights the broader issues of racism and inequality that plague the American legal system. ### 10. "The Sixth Extinction: An Unnatural History" by Elizabeth Kolbert (2014) Kolbert's investigation into the ongoing mass extinction event caused by human activity is both alarming and compelling. "The Sixth Extinction" is a crucial read for understanding the environmental challenges facing our planet. ## Genre-Bending Works That Captivated Us ### 11. "The Night Circus" by Erin Morgenstern (2011) This fantasy novel set in a magical circus has enchanted readers with its richly imagined world and star-crossed love story. Morgenstern's debut is a feast for the senses, blending magic with a deep emotional core. ### 12. "Station Eleven" by Emily St. John Mandel (2014) A post-apocalyptic novel that explores art, memory, and survival, "Station Eleven"

tells the story of a traveling Shakespearean theatre company in the aftermath of a global pandemic. Mandel's work is a poignant meditation on the enduring power of culture. ### 13. "The Martian" by Andy Weir (2014) Weir's science fiction novel about an astronaut stranded on Mars is both a thrilling survival story and a celebration of human ingenuity. "The Martian" combines realistic science with a compelling narrative, making it a hit among readers and critics alike. ### 14. "Red Queen" by Victoria Aveyard (2015) This YA fantasy novel, set in a world divided by blood—red or silver—explores themes of power, revolution, and betrayal. Aveyard's "Red Queen" series has captivated readers with its intricate world-building and dynamic characters. ### 15. "The City We Became" by N.K. Jemisin (2020) Jemisin's novel, the first in a new series, imagines New York City as a living, breathing entity. "The City We Became" is a vibrant and imaginative exploration of identity, culture, and the soul of a city. ## Conclusion The last decade has produced a wealth of literature that speaks to the human experience in all its complexity. From novels that explore the depths of human emotion to non-fiction that challenges our understanding of the world, these 30 books are essential reads for anyone looking to engage with contemporary literature. They not only entertain but also enlighten, offering insights into the issues that define our time. As we move forward, these works will undoubtedly continue to inspire and provoke thought, reminding us of the power of literature to connect us all.

[alrederedmixedmedia]

Alredered Remembers critic, biographer, and literary historian, author of the five-volume literary history Makers and Finders, Van Wyck Brooks, who won a Pulitzer Prize in 1937, on his birthday.

"No man should ever publish a book until he has first read it to a woman."

-Van Wyck Brooks

[trenchcoatbeez]

Earth Day Book Recommendations!

In honor of Earth Day here's a list of 4 award-winning climate activism books that are on my book list and should be added to the ever growing to-read pile that you probably have and might barely scratch the surface of in the coming years!

The Sixth Extinction: An Unnatural History

A non-fiction book by Elizabeth Kolbert that argues we are in the midst of a man-made sixth extinction. This book is extremely well written and the prose makes it easy for the general public to understand exactly what the author is talking about, no matter how scientific. It won the Pulitzer prize for non-fiction literature in 2015, and certainly earns that distinction with its systematic breakdown of the man-made destruction of biodiversity we've seen in the years since humans discovered what killing things was.

Silent Spring

An absolute classic in environmental literature, Rachel Carson raised one of the early alarms to the loss of biodiversity in 1962 with this book, which brought the use of pesticides and their destruction of flora and fauna to the spotlight. Wonderful book and a real snapshot of the climate talks of the time.

Saving Us: A Climate Scientist's Case for Hope and Healing In A Divided World

Written by Katharine Hayhoe, possibly one of the most compelling climate scientists of our generation, Saving Us is a handbook on how to effectively communicate climate change. This book is a breath of much needed fresh air from the climate doomism that most authors fall into, and proposes optimistic and realistic approaches to how individuals can insert themselves into the fight for our planet.

Braiding Sweetgrass

This book is absolutely amazing. Robin Wall Kimmerer brings an amazing perspective on nature both as a Native American and a scientist. I think a synopsis of this book is best described in these words from Milkweed Editions, "Drawing on her life as an indigenous scientist, a mother, and a woman, Kimmerer shows how other living beings—asters and goldenrod, strawberries and squash, salamanders, algae, and sweetgrass—offer us gifts and lessons, even if we’ve forgotten how to hear their voices." These short vignettes riddled with amazing insight into the natural world is just a great read that I would highly recommend checking out for yourself.

Anyways, I have more I could recommend but this is probably a good start. Happy Earth Day! Remember that our planet is the most precious thing that we have, and learning about it helps foster a greater appreciation for the things around us.

[abandonedcyberpunkspidermech]

Character Bio: Otto Octavius (Doctor Octopus)

Name: Otto Octavius

Villain Alias: Doctor Octopus

Bio:

Every superhero has a nemesis, and for SP//dr, that’s Dr. Otto Octavius, otherwise known as Doctor Octopus, but the man wasn’t always the monstrous villain New York City knows and fears.

Otto Octavius was born on July 10th, 3103, in Schenectady, New York, to factory worker Torbert Octavius and doting (s)mother Mary Lavinia Octavius. Young Otto was not the most liked child in school, facing bullying for his portliness, bashfulness, and intelligence. On this, his parents quarreled. Torbert, the abusive brawler, believed he should fight back, while Mary shielded him from the drunken tirades and wanted him to use his mind to solve problems. Due to Torbert’s abuse, Otto swore never to end up like his father. This came in the form of burying himself in his schoolwork with his mother’s emotional support, which paid off with his admittance to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where he graduated with a Ph. D in Robotics, but not before his father’s death. After graduation, Dr. Octavius began work on what would be his magnum opus: A set of four robotic tentacles, controlled by the human brain through a specialized neural interface. However, this wouldn’t be easy. Robotics, or, more accurately, prosthetics, faced the issue of the human brain’s not being capable of handling more than four limbs. This normally results in brain damage at best and death at worst. If Dr. Octavius could succeed in overcoming this, he would revolutionize the field of robotics. And, for a time, it looked like he would. Even with a nonexistent social life he insists is unneeded, the loss of fiancee Mary Anders to his mother’s rejection, and his mother’s death from a heart attack due to his arguing with her over her dating another man while rejecting his fiancee, he pushed onwards, working to complete his work. Except for one crippling factor.

Enter the Parker family. With Drs. Ben and May Parker as heads and Richard Parker as pilot, the SP//dr project waltzed into the government’s eye. Quickly, the government began funding the project, but such funding came at a cost. Another program would need to be shut down. Just like that, Otto’s robotic arms lost their funding. Try as he did, he failed to find any other source of the funding he needed. And so, with emotions heavy from this and other incidents, he roared at the Parkers for ruining his life’s work and swore vengeance. And then, his arms spoke to him. Filled his mind with ideas. Wonderful, awful ideas. If this project was a threat to him, to them, it needed to go, and what better way to make it go than by eliminating the one and only pilot. And so, Otto struck the SP//dr lab in his first act of villainy. Serendipitously, this proved an excellent opportunity to demonstrate SP//dr’s capabilities. That fateful battle, ending atop Oscorp Tower with a Pulitzer Prize-winning shot, marked the beginning of a long and fateful rivalry between them, with Richard taking on the hero moniker of “SP//dr” and Otto having his old nickname, “Doctor Octopus”, in the Daily Bugle’s headlines. For ten-odd years, Otto and Richard sparred across New York City, and time after time, Richard won. Until he didn’t. In early 3142, Otto won. With a well-placed explosive, he blew up SP//dr with Richard inside. Their rivalry was over at last. Except for one small problem. He had a daughter he could never reach, one who would take his place as SP//dr. But for someone like Doctor Octopus, even with nearly a decade of injuries, making a little girl run away from him screaming and crying couldn’t be easier.

Abilities:

Robotic Tentacles: Doctor Octopus fights using four robotic, neurally controlled tentacles. A specialized neural implant allows Otto to control and feel through them as though they were his own limbs, but this comes with the consequence of neural degradation. Each limb has multiple degrees of freedom, allowing them enormous dexterity. They also have artificial intelligence and a limited degree of autonomy.

Length: These tentacles can be as short as 2 meters or as long as 8 meters each.

Striking Power: Each tentacle can move at a maximum speed of 60 meters per second and strike with ten kilonewtons of force without breaking.

Strength: Even with a need to brace himself using two of his arms, Otto’s tentacles provide him a great deal of strength, with each arm being capable of lifting 15000 kilograms.

Grip Strength: The pincers on the ends of the tentacles have a gripping strength of 3 megapascals.

Intelligence: Otto Octavius is an MIT graduate who majored in robotics. Thus, the man is immensely skilled with robotics, technology, science, and engineering.

Enhancements: Over the years, to counteract his injuries from years of combat, Doctor Octopus enhanced his body to keep pace with the mech (and pilot) he considers an enemy. These include accelerated healing (although nothing like Wolverine or Deadpool), enhanced strength (nowhere near Jessica Jones, never mind Captain America), heightened durability (but nothing close to Luke Cage’s), and limited cybernetics.

Weaknesses:

Previous Injuries: Doctor Octopus’s career as a villain has meant ten years of fighting a lineup of heroes ranging from street level heroes like Jessica Jones, Daredevil, and the Punisher to Avengers such as Captain America and Iron Man, and featuring SP//dr, a cutting-edge combat mech. This translates to years of beatdowns and injuries the old doctor still feels.

Brain Damage: While Doc Ock believes his arms work perfectly, eliminating the issues associated with adding extra limbs, they do not. The arms overwork his brain with every use, warping him into the villain he is today, and will eventually kill him.

Reliance on Arms: The only reason Otto can be a villain is through his arms, as he otherwise lacks the physical ability and fighting skill to fight heroes.

Power Grid:

Intelligence: 5

Strength: 2 (5 with limbs)

Speed: 2 (3 with limbs)

Durability: 1

Energy Projection: 1

Fighting Skills: 4

Appearance/Intro Snippet:

Peni’s spider-sense was pounding at her skull, harder than it ever has.

“So, this is the new SP//dr”, came a voice, male and thick with a German accent.

The voice brought up memories from within them, but Peni couldn’t place them. And then, she could. From the spider and the mech she remembered arguing with him over projects, she remembered fighting with him for nearly a decade, she remembered how he killed…

She turned to face him, stepping back for a better look.

He was easy to see on the roof he was standing on. His eyes were obscured by a set of goggles, and his head was clean-shaven outside a shaggy mop of brown. Everything from the neck down was covered in a dandelion yellow bodysuit with neon blue accents, thick with metal armor over most of the body, but in a few spots thin enough to show the faint lines of his muscles. But more prominent were the arms. Four of them, black as night with neon blue lines like glowing veins, extended from his back like snakes, ending in four-fingered claws.

Oh God… it’s HIM

Her breath hung in her throat, the mech staggering back with uneasy steps. This was Dr. Otto Octavius, the man who killed her father, and here he was, ready to do the same to her.

“Getting rid of you will be quite easy”

The corners of his mouth perked upwards in a smirk. Two of his tentacles struck the roof, and he vaulted off it. As he fell, two claws charged forward, right at her.

Personality:

Otto Octavius is at once a monster and a tragedy. He’s arrogant, prideful to a fault, obsessive, and doesn’t care who or what he has to hurt to achieve his goals, be they scientific or villainous. But, at the same time, he’s alone. His social life is nonexistent, and the only “minds” he has in his life are other villains, who he rarely interacts with, and the arms that drove him to villainy. One might wonder if his life would turn out differently if he had just one lasting, stable relationship; maybe one good shoulder to cry on could change his fate.

Additional Trivia:

Ideal English VA: Steve Blum

Ideal Japanese Seiyuu: Takehito Koyasu

This Doc Ock is meant to be Peni’s big personal arch nemesis. This is because her father’s dead, SOMEONE had to kill him, and the comics simply IGNORE the pile of plotlines that come from this. WHO killed him, do THEY ever fight Peni, does Peni ever break the no-kill rule against him? I mean, the death of a loved one is a fairly integral part of most Spider-Man origin stories, and with how directly correlated it is to being a hero in Peni’s case, her comics just… ignore it. Nay, nay I say.

I know her last comic set up her world’s Nathaniel Essex as setting up her Sinister Six, but I have issues with how that’s presented, and I like my Doc Ock more as the main antagonist.

My design for Doc Ock is based on a blue-ringed octopus’s coloration.

I hadn’t originally planned to make him so similar to Dio Brando (From JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure), but a few leanings might be intentional.

[tcm]

A Salute to Fox Studios by Raquel Stecher

Let’s raise a glass to Twentieth Century-Fox and take a look back to celebrate the studio’s history! And what a rich history it is. When Darryl F. Zanuck’s 20th Century Pictures merged with William Fox’ Fox Film Corporation in 1935, Twentieth Century-Fox was born. Fox and Zanuck were pioneers of the studio system and with Zanuck at the helm it was destined for greatness. In the subsequent decades, Twentieth Century Fox groomed and launched the career of many big stars including Gene Tierney, Spencer Tracy, Dana Andrews, Shirley Temple, Tyrone Power, Marilyn Monroe, Don Ameche, Linda Darnell, Henry Fonda, Carmen Miranda, Alice Faye and Maureen O’Hara. And what’s more iconic than the studio’s classic intro with its rotating search lights, giant logo and horn fanfare? Over the years the studio had its ups and downs and has gone through many transitions but what remains is a legacy that will be remembered in the 21st century and beyond.

My favorite decade of Twentieth Century-Fox is the 1940s. The studio tackled every genre imaginable. There were swashbucklers like THE MARK OF ZORRO (‘40) and THE BLACK SWAN (‘42); films noir like I WAKE UP SCREAMING (‘41) and Fallen Angel (‘45); and romantic dramas like BLOOD AND SAND (‘41) and A LETTER TO THREE WIVES (‘49). Then there were notable literary adaptations like JANE EYRE (‘43) and A TREE GROWS IN BROOKLYN (‘45). For lighter fare the studio offered comedies like HEAVEN CAN WAIT (‘43) and UNFAITHFULLY YOURS (‘48) and musicals like DOWN ARGENTINE WAY (‘40) and STORMY WEATHER (‘43). Add to that their Christmas classic MIRACLE ON 34TH STREET (‘47) plus war films, thrillers, Westerns and more. John Ford’s HOW GREEN WAS MY VALLEY (‘41) still causes ire among best-of-list purists who are shocked that it won the Academy Award for Best Picture over CITIZEN KANE (‘41). For me, when I think of Twentieth Century-Fox in the 1940s I think of these four films in particular.

THE GRAPES OF WRATH (‘40)

Perhaps one of the most harrowing films ever made, the 1940 adaptation of John Steinbeck’s Pulitzer Prize winning novel still has the power to destroy its viewers emotionally. It’s a deeply moving story that will stay with you for a long time. Set during the Great Depression, THE GRAPES OF WRATH follows the story of the Joad family of Oklahoma who lose their farm and travel across the country for a new beginning and face tragedy along the way. The emotional gravity of the story is delivered through the brilliant performances by Henry Fonda, Jane Darwell, John Carradine and the rest of the cast under the direction of John Ford. The film was celebrated by the critics and was nominated for seven Academy Awards and won for Best Direction and Best Supporting Actress (Darwell).

MAN HUNT (‘41)

Director Fritz Lang’s long career saw him hopping from studio to studio and genre to genre. Lang never did feel at home in Hollywood but he left his mark with many films including one of my all-time favorites MAN HUNT. This WWII drama stars Walter Pidgeon as British sniper Captain Thorndike who is on a mission to assassinate Hitler. He’s on the run from the Nazis and along the way he befriends Joan Bennett’s Jerry, a feisty Londoner who becomes his sidekick/pseudo love interest and Roddy McDowall’s Vaner, a ship’s cabin boy. The story culminates in a thrilling showdown between Pidgeon and George Sanders’s Nazi war general. The screenplay had to be altered to meet the Production Code but the end result still delighted audiences and critics. According to historian M. Todd Bennett, MAN HUNT, was one of a slew of pro-British films that boosted American support during WWII.

LAURA (‘44)

Based on Vera Caspary’s short story, LAURA has entranced audiences for decades, with its haunting score and an intriguing mystery that lures the viewers in and holds them hostage. Then there are those iconic performances. Gene Tierney will always be Laura and Clifton Webb will always be Waldo Lydecker as long as fans have anything to say about it. Let’s not forget the two other men caught in Laura’s snare, Dana Andrews and Vincent Price. The film was directed by Otto Preminger who had a falling out with Darryl F. Zanuck and LAURA proved to be the film that ended the feud and revitalized Preminger’s Hollywood career. LAURA won the Academy Award for Best Cinematography, Black-and-White and was nominated for other categories including Best Supporting Actor (Clifton Webb), Best Screenplay, Best Art Direction-Interior Design and Best Direction. I always recommend LAURA to classic movie skeptics and it wins them over every time.

LEAVE HER TO HEAVEN (‘45) 

Gene Tierney’s cool murderous stare behind a pair of sunglasses as she watches a young boy, played by Darryl Hickman, drown is one of the most chilling scenes in film history. The actions of Tierney’s character Ellen are still as shocking today as they were over 80 years ago when LEAVE HER TO HEAVEN hit cinemas. Directed by John M. Stahl, the film is shot in Technicolor and features an amazing cast of players including Cornel Wilde, Jeanne Crain and Vincent Price. It was a hit at the box office and became the highest-grossing film of the decade for Twentieth Century Fox. Contemporary audiences still love the film for its salacious melodrama and gorgeous aesthetics. It won the Academy Award for Best Cinematography and its star was nominated for Best Actress in a Leading Role, her first and only nomination.

[reading-writing-revolution]

Heather Cox Richardson

May 7, 2020 (Thursday)

There were three big stories today, and they added up to a fourth.

First, the Department of Justice, overseen by Attorney General William Barr, filed documents today to drop its case against Trump’s former National Security Advisor Michael Flynn. This reverses years of work on the Flynn case, and has shocked experienced prosecutors, who say it reveals that Barr is now simply working for Trump. The filing was signed by Timothy Shea alone, Barr’s hand-picked US Attorney for the District of Columbia. No career prosecutors signed on.

Flynn was a lobbyist for the Turkish government and had spent time at a state dinner with Russian President Vladimir Putin when the FBI opened a case on him on August 16, 2016, out of concern he might be working with Russia even as he was campaigning for Trump (with his famous “Lock Her Up” chants). On November 10, after Trump was elected, President Barack Obama warned Trump not to hire Flynn for a national security post, but on November 18, Trump named Flynn his National Security Advisor. On December 29, the same day the Obama administration announced retaliatory measures for Russian interference in the 2016 election, Flynn caught the attention of the FBI by making five phone calls to the Russian ambassador, Sergey Kislyak. FBI officials and Obama officials thought the conversations sounded like he and Moscow had made a secret deal.

The FBI interviewed Flynn on January 24; he lied about those calls, saying they did not talk about lifting Russian sanctions after Trump was elected. After the interview, acting attorney Sally Yates made an urgent visit to White House Counsel Don McGahn warning him that Flynn was “compromised” and vulnerable to blackmail by the Russians. On February 8, Flynn publicly denied he had spoken to Kislyak about sanctions, but when news broke the next day that he had, his spokesman said he could not “be certain that the topic never came up.” He resigned on February 13. (The next day, Trump met with FBI Director James Comey and asked him to let the Flynn case go. When Comey continued to investigate Russian connections to the Trump campaign, Trump fired him, and the outcry led to the appointment of Robert Mueller as Special Counsel to take over the investigation.)

Flynn offered to testify about the campaign’s connections to Russia in exchange for immunity from criminal prosecution, but was turned down. In November, after news broke that Mueller had enough evidence for criminal charges against Flynn and his son, he began to cooperate with the investigation.

In December 2017, Flynn pleaded guilty to lying to federal investigators about his contacts with Russia’s ambassador to the United States, but was not sentenced because he had not yet finished cooperating with the special counsel’s office. Then, after the Mueller investigation ended, in June 2019, he fired his lawyers and hired Sidney Powell, who had criticized the Mueller investigation. Soon, Flynn backed away from his guilty plea, his lawyer claiming that he had been “ambush[ed]” by FBI agents trying to “trap… him into making statements they could allege as false.” In January 2020, Powell accused the government of “egregious government misconduct” and moved to withdraw Flynn’s guilty plea.

And now the Department of Justice is moving to withdraw the case. It is highly unusual to try to undo a guilty plea, and the switch signals a dramatic shift in the DOJ. The career prosecutor on the case formally withdrew from it just before the Justice Department stopped the prosecution, just as career prosecutors stepped aside when Barr interfered in Trump confidante Roger Stone’s sentencing. The filing claims that FBI agents unlawfully pursued Flynn—that there was no just cause for an intelligence investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 campaign, and that therefore his confession is immaterial.

Did you get that? The Justice Department is saying that any investigation into Russian interference into the 2016 election was illegitimate, despite the report of the inspector general saying the opposite. And now, with a Trump crony at Director of National Intelligence there is little hope we will hear more about Russian interference. Both acting DNI Richard Grenell and the man Trump has nominated to replace him, Representative John Ratcliffe (R-Tx), neither of whom have experience in the intelligence community, have been vocal in their disbelief that Russia threatens our elections.

Still, Judge Emmet G. Sullivan will decide whether to accept the dismissal of the case. Sullivan ripped into Flynn in his 2018 hearing, telling him “I want to be frank with you, this crime is very serious…. Not only did you lie to the FBI, you lied to senior officials in the incoming administration…. I am not hiding my disgust, my disdain for your criminal offense.”

Trump said today that the Justice Department’s decision just adds more evidence to the idea there was “no collusion” between his campaign and Russia (which was, remember, not what the Mueller report said). All the Pulitzer Prizes people won for those stories should be given back, he said, because they were fake news. Trump is talking about reinstating Flynn into the administration.

And that, sadly, is not the end of the day’s news.

The next big story is the coronavirus. We are up to 76,000 deaths, and the cases show no sign of slackening. Projections for the summer are grim, with most models estimating we will well surpass 100,000 deaths.

On Tuesday, Trump justified opening businesses because he said “We can’t keep our country closed for the next five years.” But that’s not what’s on the table. What we are trying to do by holding down deaths now is to buy time before a vaccine is available, which experts said about six months ago would take at least 12 to 18 months. Trump, of course, has an interest in trying to reopen the country quickly because he sees the economy as the key to his reelection and wants it recovering by the fall. But he has admitted this will costs lives, a sacrifice he is more ready for others to make than for himself. Today, he got “lava level mad” when he learned one of his personal valets had tested positive for Covid-19, accusing his staff of not taking sufficient precautions to keep the virus away from him (despite frequent testing of everyone in his orbit).

And certainly, the economy is in free fall. Tomorrow, we get the jobs report for April. It is expected to show that the US economy lost about 21.5 million jobs last month. If that is correct, it indicates we have wiped out all of the job gains in the U.S. since mid-1999. It also puts the unemployment rate at 16%, the highest since 1939. There are answers other than sending people back to work without testing or contact tracing, however. We could, for example, provide a wage guarantee until infections recede enough to enable people to go back into the workforce with some sense of security.

The third big story is that the Republican National Committee and the Trump reelection campaign have budgeted $20 million to fight Democratic attempts to make remote voting easier during the pandemic. Although there is no evidence that mail-in voting causes fraud, and although some states already do it with no ill effects, RNC chief of staff Richard Walters fell back on the idea that easing restrictions to make it easier to vote would contaminate elections. “Democrats may be using the coronavirus as an excuse to strip away important election safeguards, but the American people continue to support commonsense protections that defend the integrity of our democratic processes,” he said, and Republicans were willing to sue Democrats “into oblivion and spend whatever is necessary.”

These three stories seem to add up to a fourth. Trump and his people are grasping power, but he knows he must resurrect the economy to win reelection. That will not be enough if the carnage of the pandemic grows, so he is determined to suppress the vote.

At least that’s what it looks like to me.

[jomalley-ferrisbueller-final]

A Closer Look at Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (John Hughes, 1986)

The 1980s was the time of the teen film, with a number of iconic teen films coming out during that decade. One that has become a staple of the classic teen film is Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (John Hughes, 1986). Ferris’ legendary day off has become a dream for teens then and now still being quoted today within the halls of high schools around the country.

Bueller didn’t hit the big screen in the summer of 1986 without its fair share of long and tedious production issues. Director John Hughes took a lot of his inspiration from his own life growing up. Raised in Chicago, this city becomes the setting for a majority of his films. In fact, there are even websites that pinpoint exact locations all throughout Illinois where Hughes shot classic movies such as Bueller, The Breakfast Club (John Hughes, 1985), and Home Alone (John Hughes, 1990). Looking at Buller specifically, a lot of aspects of the film reflect John Hughes. Ferris’s bedroom is created to look very similar to how Hughes’ room looked when he was a teenager, scenes for the film were shot in the hallways of his former high school, Glenbrook North and the character Ferris Bueller is actually based one of Hughes’ friends from his childhood with the same name. Edward McNally, a childhood friend of Hughes wrote an article for The Washington Post honoring the late director. As far as being named “the inspiration” for Bueller he is quoted as saying:

“…for years I was relentlessly pursued by a remarkably humorless Glenbrook dean about attendance, pranks and off-campus excursions -- and because my best friend was in fact named Buehler -- I've spent an inordinate amount of my life being unfairly accused of serving among the inspirations for Ferris Bueller.”

Looking at the production of the film, there were many different things that went into its creation. It only took three months to shoot the film between September 9, 1985, and November 22, 1985 which might not seem like a lot compared to how long shows or movies take to shoot today, but since a lot of their filming locations existed within miles of each other it was pretty easy to get everything shot in a short time. During the filming, John Hughes took some inspiration from Ferris on his impressive way to get the impossible done. The parade scene was shot during Chicago’s annual Von Steuben Day Parade. The float that Ferris is on was actually created for the film and was put in the parade route without the parade officials being aware of what was going on. With there being a real parade Hughes was able to get genuine footage of thousands of people enjoying a beautiful day in Chicago. When they needed to shoot more of the parade scene a week later, around 10,000 people showed up for the filming answering the call made on radio stations for extras to appear in a John Hughes film. In this scene, Ferris is featured lip-syncing the famous Beatles song “Twist and Shout” which came with its own set of issues. Paul McCarthy did not like the fact that Hughes had added the brass element to the song to make it seem as though the band was playing it at the parade. When John Hughes insisted on the Beatles song be used in the film, they ended up having to pay EMI $100,000 for the rights and allowance to change the song. While Hughes was adamant about some of the production decisions, they all proved successful in skyrocketing the film to one of the most fondly remembered films today.

The marketing for the film was very straight forward. There were a couple of articles written about the film in both the Daily News and well as The New York Times talking about the movie, giving an unbiased explanation of the film to promote it. There were also several 30-second commercials giving hints at Ferris’ crazy day off. Appealing to the teen audiences that Hughes is trying to relate to, the announcer narrates over scenes of the film saying, “it’s about life, it’s about liberty, it’s about the pursuit of recreation”. This phrasing attracts teenagers to the film because that is what they are looking for – freedom from the norm. 

Looking at the posters for the film it features many different slogans such as “One man’s struggle to take it easy”, “Because life is too beautiful a thing to waste”, “Leisure rules”, “While the rest of us were just thinking about it…Ferris borrowed a Ferrari and did it…all in a day”. Similar to the commercials, these phrases draw the teenager in because that type of thinking is really appealing to them. 

A teenager stuck in the rut of high school wants nothing more than to skip school and live out an amazing day with their best friends. This mentality is what brought teens to the theaters to live through Ferris.

The summer of 1986 saw a lot of hit films. Buller had some tough competition seeing films such as Top Gun (Tony Scott, 1986), Aliens (James Cameron, 1986), Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (Leonard Nimoy, 1986), and The Karate Kid Part II (John Avildsen, 1986) all hitting theaters in 1986. In the United States and Worldwide Box offices, Bueller placed in the top 10 of both lists sitting in the number 10 spot for all 1986 films. The budget for the film was an estimated $6,000,000 and not only broke even but made money-generating $6,275,647 during their opening weekend of June 15, 1986. Bueller, made nearly all of its money from domestic box offices bringing it $70,136,369 and only $1,469 in international box offices. Looking at the reception of the film it is easy to see how it was in the top 10 films of 1986.

Roger Ebert was one of the top movie reviewers of his time up until his death in 2013 after losing an eleven-year battle with cancer. Writing reviews for The Chicago Sun-Times for over 40 years, he became the first film critic to receive a Pulitzer Prize in Criticism. In 1986 he gave a review of Bueller and is quoted as saying “Here is one of the most innocent movies in a long time, a sweet, warm-hearted comedy about a teenager who skips school so he can help his best friend win some self-respect.” He talks about the plot of the film and ends his review by saying “…the film's heart is in the right place, and "Ferris Bueller" is slight, whimsical and sweet.” With Ebert’s review coming out on June 11, 1986, it’s easy to see that Bueller won over the hearts of teens and adults alike wishing that they were able to have a day off like Ferris did.

The non-critical reviews of this film are all pretty similar, it is regarded as a film of the generation that holds against the test of time. On Rotten Tomatoes, of the 728,405 user ratings, the average audience score is a high 92%. One “super reviewer”, Brendan N. is quoted as saying

“Classic cult film and a must-see for all generations. John Hughes created a lot of the teenage angst or coming of age films in the 80s and Ferris was quite possibly his greatest creation. Watching this on the big screen last night was a dream come true but having a film like this remaining so timeless does not hurt. The film is full of heart and the charm of Matthew Broderick is what elevates this from becoming just your average teenage comedy. I wish they would make more fun and creative films like this; no one tackles such a fun concept without falling into clichés and crude jokes. John Hughes created something truly special here. 12/11/2018.”

Since its release in 1986, Bueller, has remained a pivotal teen film for multiple generations. In 2016, Bueller turned 30 years old and Chicago celebrated the only way they knew how to: with a Ferris Fest. People were able to visit his heavily decorated bedroom, recreate the scene where Ferris pretends to be Sloan’s father picking her up from school, and of course a recreation of the famous parade scene featuring Twist and Shout. While this is more of a high scale remembrance of the 1986 film, you can see other companies paying homage to Bueller. During the 2017 Superbowl, Dominos aired a commercial where they recreated the infamous scene of Ferris racing home to get there before his parents find out he skipped school. Stranger Things (Matt Duffer, Ross Duffer, 2016—) actor Joe Keery plays Ferris but this time he is racing home because his Domino’s pizza tracker just sent a notification to his smartwatch informing him that his pizza is about to arrive. When asked about the commercial the executive vice president of creative direction at CP&B said "This being an iconic movie we knew we had to pay homage to it and not deviate, not change it and put our own kind of spin on it outside of using Joe Keery and maybe making it a modern adaptation,".

Below you can see the original scene and then Joe Keery version. 

It can be agreed that this film has been relevant way past its release date. But why is that? Frances Smith looks to understand teen films as a whole and why they become so iconic. In her book Rethinking the Hollywood Teen Movie: Gender, Genre, and Identity, she explores this question and more. In Easy A (Will Gluck, 2010), the main character Olivia (Emma Stone) struggles to identify with the “hook up culture” happening around her within the high school hallways. She looks to the eighties to fantasize about a better life. 

Whatever happened to chivalry? Did it only exist in Eighties movies? I want John Cusack holding a boom-box outside my window. I want to ride off on a lawnmower with Patrick Dempsey. I want Jake from Sixteen Candles waiting outside the church for me. I want Judd Nelson thrusting his fist in the air because he knows he got me just once. I want my life to be like an eighties movie.” (138-139) 

To this Smith says:

This voiceover and the corresponding images reference Say Anything (Cameron Crowe, 1989), Can’t Buy Me Love (Steve Rash, 1987), Sixteen Candles, The Breakfast Club and Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, which is presented for its musical number. With the exception of Sixteen Candles, all of these films center on male characters who, though cheeky, are portrayed as sexually innocent. The gestures to which Olive refers are particularly telling. Having her life ‘directed by John Hughes’ appears to involve her engaging in ostentatious courtship rituals in which the female partner is the grateful recipient of male affection, however dubious the circumstances in which it is bestowed.

Olivia dreams of having the production that teen heartthrobs would perform for their love interests. This is one reason that Bueller has remained so relevant today. No matter how the culture changes, everyone wants someone who would be willing to show the world how much they love them.

Another reason that this film has remained so relevant today is because of the underlying theme within the film is something that will never go away. The drive to find yourself and get out of your small town to explore is something that will always be a shared feeling among teenagers. In Kimberly M. Miller’s Clueless Times at the Ferris Bueller Club: A Critical Analysis of the Directional Works of Amy Heckerling and John Hughes she says 

A fine example can be found in the response to the film Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, which received criticism for being too similar to Risky Business (Paul Brickman, 1983), as well as “lacking in irony,”10 and yet Ferris has become ingrained in the popular culture—even being ranked number ten on Entertainment Weekly’s “Fifty Best High School Movies” list (2012),11 in addition to being quoted by teens who see Ferris as a role model of “cool” despite the nearly thirty years that have passed since he took his day off.

Teens idolize him for doing what they have always wanted to do so they are able to live through him and his amazing day off.

Overall, Hughes has delivered a number of teen films that lasted well past their release date and will continue to be relatable in the future. Bueller is the perfect example of this because its underlying themes will never go out of style. Everyone wants to be a “righteous dude” and live their lives with the carefree regard for the rules that Ferris showed us back in 1986.

[isa6697]

used to like the mornings I’d survived another night I’d walk to breakfast through the garden See the flowers stretching in the sunlight Now I wake up in the mornings And all the kindness is drained out of me I spend hours just wincing And trying to regain some sense of peace If only I could sustain my anger Feel it grow stronger and stronger It sharpens to a point and sheds my skin Shakes off the weight of my sins And takes me to heaven I stay up late every night Out of some general protest But with no one to tell you to come to bed It’s not really a contest Maybe you think I’ll learn from my mistake But not this time It’s just gonna break me If only I could sustain my anger Feel it grow stronger and stronger It sharpens to a point and sheds my skin Shakes off the weight of my sins And takes me to heaven And if I’ve lost you for good Could it have been any other way? Was the water filling up for years Or did I wreck it all in a day? I’m going to bed now I’ve sunk into my sorrows And it’ll take three hundred million dollars To get me up tomorrow I won’t go down with this shit I will put my hands up and surrender There will be no more flags above my door I have lost, and always will be It was an expensive mistake It was an expensive mistake My horse broke his back to get me here I have his blood on my hands for no reason But what was I supposed to do? How was I supposed to know how to use a tube amp? How was I supposed to know how to drive a van? How was I supposed to know how to ride a bike without hurting myself? How was I supposed to know how to make dinner for myself? How was I supposed to know how to hold a job? How was I supposed to remember to grab my backpack after I set it down to play basketball? How was I supposed to know how to not get drunk every Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and — why not — Sunday? How was I supposed to know how steer this ship? How the hell was I supposed to steer this ship? It was an expensive mistake You can’t say you’re sorry and it’s over I was given a body that is falling apart My house is falling apart And I was given a mind that can't control itself And I was given a ship that can't steer itself And what about the pain I’m in right now? And what about a vacation? And what about a vacation to feel good? My horse broke his back and left me here How was I supposed to know? And God won’t forgive me And you won’t forgive me Not unless I open up my heart And how am I supposed to do that When I go to this same room every night And sleep in the same bed every night? The same fucking bed Red comforter with the white stripes And the yellow ceiling light makes me feel like I’m dying This sea is too familiar How many nights have I drowned here? How many times have I drowned? I give up Let us take you back to where we came in We were united, an undivided nation We got divided, it was something inside us And it was not us We were so naive, we were just like animals Told what to believe by the beasts who took control We wanted control too, but that was normal Cause our life was one of survival The decisions we've made, if you can call it deciding With your life on the line, it'd be social suicide to change your mind So we got mad and we split the scene Now we download all of our shit for free It's the new economy, we have nothing to offer and we sleep on trash I give up Let us take you back to where you came in A man clinging to the cliff of revelation So scared of what he would find, he started crying "It was not me" Stopped at the borderline they took his disguise So he read a book that won a Pulitzer prize It was about death It didn't help He saw himself in it And he was disturbed at the conclusions it led to But he couldn't say what because the author was dead too And so though he made fun of us, he has now become one of us I give up I give up I give up I give up I give up And you wake up trembling From a dream where I swam into the river I reach out and hold you in my arms I love you, I love you, I love you

Car seat headrest -  The Ballad of the Costa Concordia

[balkinbuddies]

We’re celebrating July 4th with  the ALAN Review article entitled “Where Are They Now? Remembering Our Most Popular Young Adult Authors.”

     An article written by Don Gallo appeared recently in the Summer 2019 issue of The ALAN Review entitled “Where Are They Now? Remembering Our Most Popular Young Adult Authors.” Among those remembered were four authors with whom I worked very closely during my years at HarperCollins and, with Don Gallo's and the ALAN Review's permission, I'm including those remembrances on the Balkin Buddies blog:

     Here they are in  the order they appeared in the article:

Paul Zindel [Tied for first place with S.E. Hinton in 1988]*

    Paul Zindel's death in March 2003 ended the brilliant career of a unique individual. Not only did he win a Pulitzer Prize for Drama and an Obie Award for Best American Play in 1970 for The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds (1965), but he was also one of the earliest writers in the field of contemporary literature for young adults. The Pigman, published in 1968, is still one of the most well-known and widely taught novels in the genre. He followed The Pigman with My Darling, My Hamburger (1969); Pardon Me, You're Stepping on My Eyeball (1976), The Undertaker's Gone Bananas (1978); Harry and Hortense at Hormone High (1984); and other novels with attention-getting titles. His writing revealed how well he understood teenagers, believing that “adolescence is a time for problem-solving – for dealing with the awesome questions of self-identity, responsibility,  authority, sex, love, God, and death” (Gallo, 1990, p. 228).

     In addition to Gamma Rays, this versatile author wrote a number of other plays, including And Miss Reardon Drinks a Little (1971) and Ladies at the Alamo (1975), as well as a number of movies and television scripts that include Up the Sandbox (1972), starring Barbara Streisand; Mame (1974), starring Lucille Ball; Runaway Train (1985), starring Jon Voigt; Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking-glass (1985), with a cast of 50 stars that included Red Buttons, Ringo Starr, Scott Baio, and Shelley Winters; Babes in Toyland (1986), starring Drew Barrymore and Keanu Reeves; and A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court (1989), starring Keshia Knight Pullman. During those years working in Hollywood, Zindel associated with numerous movie and television actors and became good friends with Walter Matthau who lived in the house next door.

     In his later years, Zindel, always knowing what would appeal to teen readers, turned from realistic fiction to monster/horror books, such as The Doom Stone (1996), Rats (1999), and Night of the Bat (2001) – all of them filled with suspense and action and all selected as Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers.

     Zindel reveals a lot about himself in his 1987 autobiographical novel, The Amazing and Death-Defying Diary of Eugene Dingman, except that the fictional Eugene grows up in Bayone, New Jersey, while Paul grew up on Staten Island, New York. Of his teen years, Paul says bluntly: “I was an awkward freak.” More about Zindel's early life, family, and adventures can be found in his autobiography, The Pigman and Me (1992), which was named one of the 100 Best of the Best Books published for teenagers during the last part of the twentieth century.  In 2002, the American Library Association bestowed upon Paul Zindel the Margaret A. Edwards Award for lifetime achievement, and later that same year, he was presented with the ALAN Award for his contributions to young adult literature.

M. E. Kerr [Tied for fourth place with Robert Cormier and Katherine Paterson in 1988]*

     Writing under the pseudonym of M. E. Kerr, Marijane Meaker was one of the earliest authors to gain notoriety in the YA publishing world with Dinky Hocker Shoots Smack!, published in 1972. Among her 20 popular novels are Is That You, Miss Blue? (1975), I'll Love You When You're More Like Me (1977), Gentlehands (1978), Him She Loves? (1984), Night Kites (1986), the Fell series (1987, 1989, 1991), and Deliver Us from Evie (1990). Kerr has always chosen to write about differences in people, “understanding them....trying to make sense of it all, never losing sight of the power love lends.”

     In an interview published in Teenreads, she explains her motives: “I was very much formed by books when I was young....I was a bookworm and a poetry lover. When I think of myself and what I would have liked to have found in books those many years ago, I remember being depressed by all the neatly tied-up, happy-ending stories, the abundance of winners, the themes of winning, solving,  finding – when around me it didn't seem that easy. So I write with a different feeling when I write for young adults. I guess I write for myself at that age” (“M. E. Kerr).

     Marijane Meaker began her career in publishing after she was unable to sell any of her stories to magazines. She presented herself as Ms. Meaker, a literary agent with six clients, and sent out her own work under various pseudonyms, male as well as female. One was a middle-aged female teacher writing true confessions (at $300 a story); another was a young college woman selling to magazines, such as Redbook and Ladies Home Journal; a third “author” told a story, titled “I Lost My Baby at a Pot Party,” about her child wandering from a house where a saleslady was pitching Teflon pots. Along the way, a Gold Medal Books editor convinced her to write a novel about sorority life, for which she earned $4,000 a book at a penny a word. This very resourceful writer also published two or three adult mysteries a year under the name of Vin Packer, and other novels were penned as Ann Aldrich and Laura Winston. Her books for children are published under the name Mary James. “A lot of my stories,” she says, “sold well enough for me to enjoy trips to Europe, an apartment off  Fifth Avenue in New York City in the 90s, and a Fiat convertible.”

     M.E. Kerr's novels for teens have won multiple awards, including a Christopher Award in 1978, a Golden Kite Award from the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators in 1981, a California Young Readers Medal in 1992, the Margaret A. Edwards Award from the American Library Association in 1993 for her lifetime contribution to young adult literature, the Knickerbocker Award for Juvenile and Young Adult Literature in 1991, the ALAN Award in 2000, and the Golden Crown Literary Society Award for her groundbreaking works in the field of lesbian literature in 2013. In 1996, Long Island University awarded her an honorary doctorate.

     A collection of her short stories for teens – dealing with dating, love, race, bigotry, homosexuality, self-love, and  acceptance – titled Edge,  was published in 2015. And Highsmith: A Romance of the 1950s, a memoir recounting Meaker's relationship with famous mystery writer Patricia Highsmith, was published in 2003. Still writing at the age of 91, Meaker recently completed a novel about gay life in New York City during the 1940s and how she became a literary agent for her own work. It's titled Remind Me, based on the lyrics of an old song from that time written by Jerome  Kern and Dorothy Fields (1940): “Remind me / Not to find you so attractive / Remind me that the world is full of men.

Katherine Paterson [Tied for fourth place with Robert Cormier and M. E. Kerr in 1988]*

     Born in Qing Jiang, China, in 1932, the middle daughter of missionary parents, Katherine Paterson has lived in a variety of places, from Tennessee, Virginia, Maryland, and New York City to China and Japan, where she was a Presbyterian missionary. She now lives in Montpelier, Vermont.

     Her highly regarded novels include The Sign of the Chrysanthemum (1973), Of Nightingales That Weep (1974), Master Puppeteer (1975), and Rebels of the Heavenly Kingdom (1983), but she is known best for Bridge to Terabithia (1977), which won the Newbery Medal in 1978; The Great Gilly Hopkins (1978), which won the National Book Award in 1979; Jacob Have I Loved (1980), which won the Newbery Medal in 1981; and Park's Quest (1988), which made The Horn Book Fanfare Honor List in 1988. Published in 1996, Jip, His Story won the Parents' Choice Story Book Award and the Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction in 1997. In 2006, Bread and Roses, Too won the Christopher Award and was a Bank Street Best Children's Book of the Year, a Notable Social Studies Trade Book for Young People, a Parents' Choice Gold Medal historical fiction book, and one of Voice of Youth Advocate's Top Fiction for Middle School Readers.

     Paterson has also authored several autobiographical books about her writing, including Stories of My Life (2014), and is a coauthor of Consider the Lilies (Paterson & Paterson, 1986), a nonfiction book about various plants of the Bible that she wrote with her husband, John.

     Over her long writing career, Paterson has also received a long list of awards for her body of work. Among them are the Kerlan Award from the University of Minnesota (1983), the ALAN Award (1987), the Hans Christian Andersen Medal for Writing (1998), the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award (2006), the Laura Ingalls Wilder Award (2013), and the Massachusetts Reading Association Lifetime Award, along with writing awards from Germany, France, and Sweden. In 2000, she was declared A Living Legend by the Library of Congress, and for 2010-2011, Paterson was the US Ambassador for Young People's Literature. She is also the recipient of more than a dozen honorary degrees, including ones from Vermont College of Fine Arts, the University of Maryland, Hope College, and Washington and Lee University.

     Paterson's latest novel is My Brigadista Year (2017), set in Cuba in 1961 during the literacy campaign that made Cuba a fully literate nation in  one year.

Robert Lipsyte

     The author of The Contender (1967) turned 80 years old this spring, as his ground-breaking novel passed the 50-year mark in print. Lipsyte is also the author of One Fat Summer (1977), Summer Rules (1981), The Brave (1991), The Chemo Kid (1992), The Chief (1993), and Raiders Night (2006) for teens, and for young readers, The Twinning Project (2012). Lipsyte's list of publications for teenagers isn't especially lengthy when compared to those of some authors who have been writing for the same length of time, but that's because writing books for and about teenagers is only one kind of work he has done especially well. He has also published a number of short stories, essays about sports issues, and biographies of several sports celebrities, such as Muhammad Ali, Jim Thorpe, and Michael Jordan, as well as several nonfiction books for adults, including Nigger, with Dick Gregory (1964), the African American satirist; Sportsworld (1975/2018); and Idols of the Game (1995). As the author of The Contender, one of the very first realistic novels about contemporary teenagers, Robert Lipsyte was honored with the Margaret A. Edwards Award by the American Library Association in 2001.

     And that's not all. Among other things, Robert Lipsyte has been a highly respected columnist and prize-winning sports reporter for The New York Times, a correspondent for the CBS television program Sunday Morning with Charles Kuralt; the host of his own award-winning television interview program, The Eleventh Hour, on New York City's public television station, WNET Channel 13; author of a television documentary series about sports; and the Life (Part 2) series for PBS-TV on subjects of interest to older people. He is also the author of an entertaining memoir, titled Accidental Sportswriter (2011).

     In addition to speaking at a lot of high schools, Lipsyte recently has been flying to North Carolina for a week at a time to teach at Wake Forest University, which he says he enjoys very much. He continues to write a monthly column, mostly on local politics, for his hometown weekly, The Shelter Island Reporter, which he says “gives me as much pleasure as the old Times' column.” He also occasionally writes about sports and politics for a site called Tomdispatch, which distributes to a batch of leftish publications like The Nation and The Guardian. If that's not enough, after his cameo on the O.J.: Made in America documentary film (Edelman, 2016) that won an Oscar, he gets called often to pontificate on various TV documentaries, most recently on one about Sonny Liston, three on  Muhammad Ali (including one by Ken Burns), and another on that “hard year” 1968.

     Meanwhile, this very busy author has been promoting the film, Measure of a Man (Scearce, 2018), starring Donald Sutherland, based on One Fat Summer, Lipsyte's 1977 novel about a bullied teen. View the trailer at https://trailers.apple.com/trailers/independent/measure-of-a-man/. “I have toyed with a new YA novel,” he claims, but where will he find the time?

     *Based on the list of 169 authors' names Mr. Gallo sent to 41 present and past officers of ALAN in 1988, asking them “to identify the most important and popular YA fiction writers of the time and to add other names of writers they felt were as important.” Due to space limitations, he “limited this investigation to the top 30 authors included on that 1988 list.”

     The ALAN Review   Summer 2019

     Reprinted with permission from the ALAN Review and Don Gallo.

     I hope you enjoyed this excerpt and get to read the entire article. Personally, I feel honored to have worked with such incredibly talented authors as well as with all the amazing people at ALAN.

     For information on Balkin Buddies, be sure to visit our website or blog.

Catherine Balkin, Balkin Buddies

[maincatclub]

One birthday and one death day to mention. The birthday is the 50th of Dwayne Johnson, who came to prominence as ‘the rock’ a professional wrestler in the WWE franchise. He has moved onto the movie industry where over the past few years he has become one of the highest grossing actors in that industry. The death day is that of one of the greatest artists not of his time but of all time he being Leonardo DaVinci he died 1519 at the age of 67. There are only 20 paintings known and attributed to Leonardo some of these remain unfinished. However it not these paintings, that have made his reputation rather it the vast number of drawings and designs that he has left, these have included helicopters 🚁 and parachutes and his ability to draw is legendary see the vetrvian man drawing do not believe all the guff that is written about the secret codes.

The first is Dwayne ‘the rock’ Johnson. Today in 1949 Arthur Miller won a Pulitzer Prize for his play Death Of A Salesman. Arthur Miller a brilliant writer was responsible for giving a realistic twist to American literature. However he for many will be remembered as Marilyn Monroe husband. She was the first of Arthur’s three wives and lasted the shortest time of any of the three.

Miller on his own and then with Marilyn.

[citizenscreen]

When the Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Neil Simon died on August 27 he left behind a rich legacy of laughter. Arguably the most successful playwright in American history, Simon was nominated for 17 Tony Awards, he won three: for author of “The Odd Couple,” and twice for best play, for “Biloxi Blues” and “Lost in Yonkers.” More impressively, Simon ruled comedy on the Broadway stage for decades.

Simon’s move to the movies proved his work transcended mediums as well with 3 Best Screenplay Academy Award nominations to his credit for Material from (his own) Previous Source, and 1 Best Writing Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen for The Goodbye Girl (1977). He won the Pulitzer for “Lost in Yonkers” in 1991 and was bestowed many more honors throughout his storied career. Oddly, none of that came to mind when I heard the news of Simon’s death. Not the recognition, not the over 9,000 Broadway performances of his work, and not the many movies he’s penned that I am fond of. What came to mind first was how my beloved New York City died a little with him.

Neil Simon

Yes, the first thing that comes to mind when I think of Neil Simon is New York. The city has been a major player in numerous movies I never tire of. Just think of The Odd Couple, Barefoot in the Park, Brighton Beach Memoirs, The Goodbye Girl, The Out of Towners, or The Prisoner of Second Avenue. Without the flavors, the sounds, and the smells of New York they wouldn’t be as good. New York is in every line of dialogue, in every accent, and in every move of the characters. Simon, a Bronx native, wrote about what he knew and what he knew was urban family drama. He had a heightened awareness of what is funny in people even at their worst. Perhaps the best example of that is “The Prisoner of Second Avenue,” Simon’s eighth long-running play, which ran for 798 performances from 1971 to 1973.

Peter Falk and Lee Grant in the original Broadway production of Neil Simon’s The Prisoner of Second Avenue

The Prisoner of Second Avenue Playbill, 1971

The Broadway production of “The Prisoner of Second Avenue” was directed by Mike Nichols, who was a frequent Neil Simon collaborator. Nichols won four Tonys for directing Simon material – “Barefoot in the Park” in 1964, “The Odd Couple” in 1965, “Plaza Suite” in 1968, and “Prisoner” in 1972. Although most of Simon’s work is autobiographical, “The Prisoner of Second Avenue” is an exception as it is based on his first wife’s uncle who went bankrupt and had a nervous breakdown in his forties.

Mike Nichols and Neil Simon after a show rehearsal in March 1968, in New York City.

I didn’t get to see “The Prisoner of Second Avenue” on Broadway, but would have loved to. The play starred Peter Falk as Mel Edison, Lee Grant as Edna Edison, and Vincent Gardenia, who won the play’s second Tony Award, as Mel’s brother Harry. The production was also nominated for Best Play, but lost to “Sticks and Bones.”

Neil Simon wrote the screenplay to the movie version of The Prisoner of Second Avenue, directed by Mel Frank and released in 1975. Now this I’m familiar with, which is why I chose it as my back-up for The Neil Simon Blogathon. I couldn’t get my hands on my first choice, Robert Moore’s Chapter Two (1979), which is overlooked and one of his favorites. Nonetheless, I’m happy to offer my thoughts on The Prisoner of Second Avenue, perhaps Simon’s darkest comedy.

Prisoner carries a punch thanks to Mel Frank’s terrific direction, memorable performances by the film’s two leads, and Simon’s sharp dialogue. Neil Simon commented on the story’s theme saying, “I don’t think audiences expect or want me to write serious plays. Maybe I was a little more successful with ‘Prisoner’. It’s a serious play that’s very funny.” Yeah, it is. And it translates wonderfully to the screen showing a brutal New York both by happenstance and in actuality. There’s a reason why the films of the 1970s took an upswing on violence. The City was a violent place in the 1970s and although Neil Simon got a lot of slack for portraying it in such a manner – even being accused of hating New York due to Prisoner – he depicted what he saw. Simon said of this to the New York Daily News: “Who hates it? I love it. I’m writing about big city life. The problems in ‘Prisoner’ are not exclusive to New York. People are robbed everywhere. There are major strikes in London, Paris, every major city. I only single out New York because I happen to live there.”

In another interview Simon speaks of remembering a time when he got in taxi cabs and had long discussions with the drivers about baseball. Suddenly as of the early 1970s a wall was put up to protect the drivers from being robbed and the passenger couldn’t get out of the car until the driver opened the door remotely. He depicts this in a scene at the beginning of Prisoner of Second Avenue after the protagonist, Mel Edison, chases a bus in sweltering heat. This is not a pretty picture, but we’re in for an affecting, uproariously funny adventure.

Anyone who has lived in a city like New York has to know all about what happens to Mel and Edna Edison. Their story is quite simple, but fraught with problems. The married couple lives in one of them tenement buildings, as Marjorie Main’s character in Meet Me in St. Louis would say, and encounter any number of tribulations one after another until poor Mel suffers a nervous breakdown. As the movie opens the City is in its eighth consecutive day of a heat wave as its inhabitants scurry through the bustling streets. Mel Edison steps out of his building and misses his bus. It’s the first sign that this is not going to be a good day for Mel. What we don’t know is that missing his bus is the least of his problems because in the coming days he will be nagged by the noisy airline stewardesses that live next door, by barking dogs, a continuously flushing toilet, rude neighbors, and a smell of garbage so potent it reaches the Edison’s 14th floor apartment. In addition, Mel is fired from his job of 22 years and is robbed of all his belongings including his liquor! I mean, the poor guy can’t catch a break. Mel’s saving grace is his wife, Edna, who gives as good as she can take. They are perfectly suited in character as are the two actors are playing against each other. They are the ultra-talented Jack Lemmon and Anne Bancroft.

Anne Bancroft and Jack Lemmon as Edna and Mel Edison

The Prisoner of Second Avenue is the third of four appearances by Jack Lemmon in a film written by Neil Simon. The others are The Odd Couple (1968), The Out of Towners (1970) and The Odd Couple II (1998). You probably know I can go on and on about Jack Lemmon’s talent and his performance in The Prisoner of Second Avenue because I already have in previous posts so I’ll try to keep this short.

In Prisoner Jack plays one of his “everyman” characters, the kind of man he is most associated with. His performance in this is astounding. One of his best, in my opinion, and that’s something considering he could do no wrong in my eyes. As is often the case, I am blown away when Jack says absolutely nothing, when he adds his signature poignancy to the broad comedy that makes him one of the all-time best. Despite quip after quip, the funny repartee, and the incredible circumstances presented this character, the truth is that Mel is deeply disillusioned, he is at the end of his rope and there’s nothing funny about that. No one could have given such a role in such a film the depth given it by Jack Lemmon. He breaks my heart – in another comedy. That’s Jack’s gift. Neil Simon described Jack’s talent saying, “there are terrific actors today that are good at what they do, but no one could open up like Jack Lemmon, no one could surprise you like Jack Lemmon.” He does so in Prisoner time and time again.

Anne Bancroft matches Lemmon word for word and feeling for feeling in this terrific movie. Her delivery is essential Simon epitomizing exactly what draws me to his material. She is funny, she is truthful, she is broad, and she too gives you the feels when the time calls for it. Prisoner is the first of two Neil Simon written films starring Bancroft. The second is Paul Bogart’s Broadway Bound (1992).

Gene Saks, who directed the Simon-penned The Odd Couple (1968), Brighton Beach Memoirs (1986), Barefoot in the Park (1967), and Last of the Red Hot Lovers (1972) plays Mel’s brother Harry in The Prisoner of Second Avenue and does a fine job of it. Elizabeth Wilson plays Mel’s sister Pauline and Florence Stanley reprises her role as Pearl from the play. You can also see Oscar-winner F. Murray Abraham as the taxi driver in the beginning of the movie and Sylvester Stallone appears as a guy who Mel thinks pickpockets him.

As much as I admire The Prisoner of Second Avenue it’s story is not unique Simon fare. Not only does Jack Lemmon also star in The Out of Towners, but that 1970 movie has many thematic similarities with Prisoner such as the exasperation of having every conceivable thing that can go wrong go wrong to a couple. Neil Simon also wrote a play that’s a very funny take on the biblical story of Job, titled “God’s Favorite” that was produced for the stage in 1974. This one wasn’t made into a film, but I’m familiar with it because it’s included in one of his anthologies. “God’s Favorite” also centers on a family except this time they live in a Long Island mansion. The patriarch of the family is a pious man named Joe Benjamin who is pushed to the limit by one of God’s messengers when he does not succumb to temptation. Everything imaginable is thrown Joe’s way as he is tested over and over again. It’s an enjoyable piece and worth a read.

As I was watching The Prisoner of Second Avenue today I reminisced about how long I’ve been a Neil Simon fan. No doubt I didn’t get the nuances in this work when I was a much younger person, when I first became aware of his talent through movies, but the laughter was just as heartfelt. This many years later, this many more laughs enjoyed, I can say with certainty that Neil Simon is the person I would most have liked to write like. I feel deeply connected to his words despite the fact that none of the families he wrote about are like mine. In fact, had I not been exposed to Neil Simon plays for the entirety of my life I would not be the person that I am nor would New York City be the same in my mind. Both are better because of him.

Thanks, Doc.

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Be sure to visit Caftan Woman and Wide Screen World to read much more on the work of this memorable talent in The Neil Simon Blogathon.

Neil Simon (July 4, 1927 – August 26, 2018)

Neil Simon’s THE PRISONER OF SECOND AVENUE When the Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Neil Simon died on August 27 he left behind a rich legacy of laughter.

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Link Tank: Vote for the Greatest MCU Property of All Time!

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We are introducing Marvel Mania, the ultimate bracket of all things MCU movies and TV shows!

What’s the greatest Marvel Cinematic Universe movie/TV show ever made? Is it the recent smash-hit at the box office Spider-Man: No Way Home? How about the cultural phenomena that took over television in WandaVision? Or maybe it’s an older classic, like the original Iron Man from 2008 or the first Avengers in 2012. Whatever you think it is, there’s a diverse catalog of properties to choose from, and we need your help deciding which is the best of the best! You can now vote for your favorite MCU movies and shows in our Marvel Mania bracket! For the next two weeks, polls will be posted daily on our social media platforms with matchups between all sorts of different Marvel brands! Vote for your favorite and watch them advance to the next round in this exciting tournament. Happy voting!

Vote here!

Spider-Man: No Way Home opened the door for a whole world of multiversal possibilities for the MCU, but they need to refrain from overdoing it in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.

“Spider-Man: No Way Home changed the game in several ways, but arguably the most important was in its deft handling of nostalgia. We all love to be reminded of the things that made us fall in love with a genre, character, or time period, and Hollywood loves to take advantage of that fact, but in 2022, we’ve reached the point where it’s no longer enough to simply say, ‘Hey remember this?'”

Read more at Inverse

Netflix is adapting the famed World War II fiction novel All the Light We Cannot See into a miniseries with Mark Ruffalo and Hugh Laurie joining the cast.

“Anthony Doerr’s novel All the Light We Cannot See takes us through World War II with Marie-Laure Leblanc, a young blind girl living in Paris who must move when the German occupation takes over, and Werner Pfennig, a young German soldier who is recruited for his skill with radios. Alternating their story throughout time by trading off chapter focus, the novel won a Pulitzer Prize for fiction for exploring the history of WWII in a new and visionary way.”

Read more at The Mary Sue

You know him as Batman, but Ben Affleck was also eyed to play DC’s other superhero giant, Superman, at one point in time.

“There are few pop culture stories more fascinating than those about projects that were in development but never happened. George Miller’s Justice League. James Cameron’s Spider-Man. Tim Burton’s Superman. And that last one has an even better origin story than the Man of Steel himself. At one point, it was Kevin Smith’s Superman.”

Read more at Gizmodo

Emmy-winner Zendaya issues a highly specific content warning to audiences before they begin watching her HBO show Euphoria.

“Before the second season of Euphoria premiered on HBO on January 9, the show’s Emmy-winning star Zendaya took to Instagram to warn fans that the show’s content might be heavier than they were expecting. In the post, Zendaya wrote, ‘I know I’ve said this before, but I do want to reiterate to everyone that Euphoria is for mature audiences. This season, maybe even more so than the last, is deeply emotional and deals with subject matter that can be triggering and difficult to watch. Please only watch it if you feel comfortable. Take care of yourself and know that either way you are still loved and I can still feel your support. All my love, Daya.'”

Read more at The A.V. Club

Admit it, Pokémon Go has distracted you before in the past, but these people took that to another level (and paid the price).

“Louis Lozano and Eric Mitchell, beat cops with a combined 28 years on the job, were found through a 2017 investigation to have ignored a commanding officer’s request for assistance in handling an in-progress robbery at a nearby Macy’s. Rather than respond, the two left the area in the hopes of capturing Snorlaxes and Togetics in Pokémon Go. This decision, caught by the digital in-car video system (DICVS) dash cam, as well as attempts to lie about their actions, ultimately led to the officers’ firing from the LAPD.”

Read more at Kotaku

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Looking Back at 20 Years: Ed Birdie Reflects On a Unique Career at NYPA

Just a few minutes into a conversation with Ed Birdie and one thing becomes very clear. The man is adept at telling stories. And, with a career that spans nearly 50 years, 20 of those spent at NYPA, he’s amassed quite a few of them. Now, after two decades with NYPA, Ed is retiring from his role as Senior Director of Community Affairs.

“It’s been a great time,” he says, looking back on his years with the Authority. “I’ve always found it very gratifying to work in a high-performance organization that is doing important things for the residents of New York state. I’m very proud of my time at the Power Authority.”

Prior to joining NYPA, Ed spent years in the newspaper business, working his way up at the Daily News from copy boy to feature makeup editor. During the newspaper strike in 1978, Ed found himself working at an interim paper, a newspaper created solely to fill the vacuum.

“They hired all the people who went on strike,” he recalled. “They’d hire the editorial staff, get advertising and then put together a newspaper and deliver it through the same channels.”

The resultant paper was called the Daily Press and, at the time, was the sixth-largest newspaper in the entire country.

“I was twenty-five years old and my name ran on the masthead as assistant to the publisher,” Ed remembers. “It was an interesting ride.”

In his role at the Daily Press, Ed managed to live out one of his dreams as a journalist.

“Every journalist wants to be able to do two things,” he says. “Win a Pulitzer Prize and be able to run into a press room, yell, ‘Stop the presses!’ and have the press man actually hit the red button and stop them. Well, I haven’t won a Pulitzer, but I did get to yell, ‘Stop the presses!’”

The story in question? Bucky Dent’s infamous tie-breaking home run that clinched the AL East for the Yankees and extended the Red Sox’s playoff woes for another season.

Not long after Ed started at NYPA, the world was changed forever when the tragic events of 9/11 unfolded. For the 2001 annual report, Ed was tasked with writing a piece on 9/11 and NYPA’s connection to the Port Authority. 

“That’s one of the pieces I am most proud of,” he says. “I remember that day and how, because they didn’t know what was going to be the next target, they curtailed the power transmission into the city and revved up all of our Small Clean Power Plants. They were brand new at that time, and the ISO used them to provide in-city generation and resiliency in case the terrorists had decided to take out some of the transmission lines from Indian Point.”

In his twenty years at NYPA, Ed has seen a lot of changes, especially in recent years as the Authority begins to look towards the future, with new clean initiatives like VISION2030

The other positive change Ed has witnessed in his two decades at NYPA is the diversity that has become prevalent within the organization.  We’ve done a lot of ground-building to get us to this point. There’s been a lot of investment in people and processes to launch us into these new marketplaces and energy-efficient work that we might not have done before.”

As retirement approaches, Ed is looking forward to spending some time traveling with his wife. In fact, they have already booked a cruise to Alaska, and trips places as far-flung as Ireland and Australia are also being planned.

But, before he can set sail into new and uncharted waters, Ed doesn’t mind taking one last moment to reflect on his time spent at the Power Authority. For all the work he has done, the thing that stands out to him are the connections he’s formed with his co-workers and the value the organization places on its employees.

“It’s been a really terrific place to work,” he says. “There’s a reason why it’s been named one of America’s best mid-size employers. It’s because of what the Authority stands for. The employees are NYPA’s biggest resource. I’m very grateful for the opportunities they’ve given me.”