Seriously, at this point we’ve got to imagine the list of greatest teachers ever is Confucius, Socrates, Mr. Feeny from Boy Meets World, and James Franco.  Now Franco is teaching summer school at PS1.

• Herman Melville was born 191 years ago today.  Coolio was also born today.  That obviously isn’t as important as Melville, but we figured if anybody happens to Google “White Whale Fantastic Voyage,” we’d be the first thing they saw.

• The New Yorker iPhone app is officially a million dollar idea.

• Benjamin Hale reviews Jamrach’s Menagerie by Carol Birch in the Sunday Book Review, and Lemony Snicket drinks bourbon to take on Kate Christensen’s The Astral.

• Seth Fried breaks down his sales.

• Open Culture on the operatic new wave brilliance of Klaus Nomi.