When he’d auditioned for a British TV adaptation of David Copperfield, it was less out of great hope or ambition than because he’d been having a rough time at school and his parents (his father was a literary agent; his mother, a casting agent) thought that the experience of auditioning might boost his confidence. - The Atlantic
"Called the 'dean of American post-modernists' and 'the most meta of American meta-fictional writers,' Auster blended history, politics, genre experiments, existential quests and self-conscious references to writers and writing. ... Starting in the 1970s, Auster completed more than 30 books, translated into dozens of languages." - AP
The document, carbonized by the eruption of Vesuvius in 79 CE and deciphered using advanced imaging techniques, recounts the last evening of the philosopher's life and reveals his burial place as well as the point when he was sold into slavery. - The Guardian
"A trial will start in October 'for sexual assaults likely to have been committed in September 2021' against 'two victims, on the set of the film The Green Shutters,' the statement said. It did not name the alleged victims." - AP
She returned to her home state, Texas, and settled in a rural town not far from Austin. Yes, there have been struggles with mental illness and mobility (from a longstanding foot injury), but, at 74, she's happy to be acting again, and her director praises her work. - The New York Times
The MacArthur-like prizes, given annually to up to six artists working in contemporary dance, theater, and jazz, go this year to theater directors Chay Yew and Nataki Garrett, dance artists Shamel Pitts and Acosia Red Elk, and jazz musicians esperanza spalding and Miguel Zenón. - Doris Duke Foundation
“We conclude that the trial court erroneously admitted testimony of uncharged, alleged prior sexual acts against persons other than the complainants of the underlying crimes,” said the 4-3 decision by the New York Court of Appeals. “The remedy for these egregious errors is a new trial.” - AP
In an era dominated by poststructuralist and politically influenced literary criticism, Ms. Vendler, who taught at Harvard for more than 30 years, adhered to the old-fashioned method of close reading, going methodically line by line, word by word, to expose a poem’s inner workings and emotional roots. - The New York Times
"Attorneys Greg Andrade and Edna de Castro were representing Alejandro Triana Prevez, the Cuban man who has testified that he stabbed Sikkema to death (in Rio de Janeiro) as part of a murder-for-hire scheme allegedly orchestrated by Sikkema’s ex-husband, Daniel Carrera." They have resigned "for reasons of personal conscience." - Artnet
"(Eike Schmidt) said he felt compelled to throw his hat into the ring ... after being encouraged to run for mayor by Florentines, who he said stopped him in the street to vent their frustrations over issues such as rising crime, a shortage of affordable housing, graffiti, ... overtourism — and fast-food stands." - The Guardian
"He fulfilled his dreams, save for being Spider-Man. He wanted to write and direct plays and movies. He wanted to do stand-up comedy. He wanted to be Roger Ebert. He just did it in one place." - Poynter
The documentary filmmaker " ocused her work on writing, directing and producing film and videos that centered the emotions and circumstances of Latin American, Mexican and Chicano experiences,” including Las Madres: The Mothers of Plaza de Mayo. - Variety
Davis was both chief conductor of the BBC Symphony Orchestra and the musical conductor of the Glyndebourne Festival Opera in the 1990s. In 1997, just after Princess Diana was killed in a car crash, his final Proms speech helped the audience process their grief. - The Telegraph (UK) (MSN)
And New Yorkers love an actor who is moving to Broadway from Hollywood; though Molina has been nominated for three Tony Awards, it’s been 15 years since he was on a New York stage. But let him explain why he loves the city, including the secret to “the best breakfast in New York." - The New York Times
