By Jason Diamond 1. A Fine Romance (Nextbook) takes a look at the very hefty Jewish contribution to the Great American songbook. The work of names like Jerome Kern, Irving Berlin, George Gershwin, and others is explored in this lovingly written book by poet David Lehman. 2. Documenting the generation after the big boom of Mississippi bluesmen making their migration north, Chicago photographer Michael Abramson made his way to his cities South Side, snapping photos from 1975-77 for what would […]
Henry Miller vs. Carlton Fisk for Dec. 26th Birthday Supremacy
With all due respect to Mr. Miller, Carlton Fisk inspired this…
A John Hughes Christmas
Both Nation Lampoon’s Vacation and Christmas Vacation were based on short stories written by the late John Hughes that appeared in National Lampoon magazine. “Christmas ’59” by John Hughes (Thanks Laughing Squid)
The Best Adaptation of A Christmas Carol?
Ten More Years of Jewish Suffering…and Philip Roth
The 00’s were a weird time for my people: 9/11, people protesting Israel, Arafat dying, and of course, Philip Roth? The above photo courtesy of The Forward article, “The Aughts and Us“.
On Apathy
By Kelly Ginger Saturday came and I spent a good portion of it not getting out of bed. I find myself more often tired than awake. Told a friend I’d go to her event at 4. Didn’t make it. Told another I’d see him at 7. I canceled. Then I told him maybe, or I would see what I could do. I ended up going. All a matter of process. Once in Manhattan, I waited for him to get off […]
Kashrut Meets Cryptozoology
Once a year, somebody sends me a “Jewish book” for the holidays. Not sure if they are trying to be cute, or maybe trying to get me in touch with my heritage, but those two copies of “1,001 Jewish Recipes” still collect dust in my closet to this day. So it was a pleasant surprise when I opened up a package containing The Kosher Guide to Imaginary Animals (Tachyon Books) to read about “Borges”: Of Argentinean origin, this blind magical […]
Best of 2009: Books
Tobias Carroll’s picks Chronic City by Jonathan Lethem Midnight Picnic by Nick Antosca Scorch Atlas by Blake Butler AM/PM by Amelia Gray Lowboy by John Wray The Other City by Michal Ajvaz Asta in the Wings by Jan Elizabeth Watson Between Jan Elizabeth Watson’s novel of a brother and sister raised in isolation and Colson Whitehead’s Sag Harbor, this was a good year for novels evoking childhood. Both Watson and Whitehead deftly suggest their narrators’ adult destinies with a few […]