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Sam Neill’s Hardworking Second Act

After Neill’s blood cancer went into remission - and his book about his experiences was published - the Jurassic Park, Hunt for the Wilderpeople, and The Piano actor started working harder than ever. - The Guardian (UK)

Author And Philosopher Kwame Anthony Appiah Wins $500K Kluge Humanities Prize

"Appiah, a professor of philosophy and law at New York University, is author of more than a dozen books and is known for scholarly contributions to philosophy relating to ethics, language, nationality and race." He is also familiar for his advice column "The Ethicist" in The New York Times Magazine. - The New York Times

Venice’s Mayor, Under Investigation For Corruption, Refuses To Resign

"Luigi Brugnaro, who has maintained his innocence since the wide-ranging scandal involving public tenders and land sales broke in July, addressed the city council during a special meeting Friday, as hundreds of people gathered outside city hall calling for his resignation." - AFP (Barron's)

Walter Arlen, Who Fled The Holocaust And Became A Composer, Has Died At 103

Arlen was “a Viennese musical prodigy who fled to the United States after Nazi Germany annexed Austria in 1938 and became a music critic and a late-in-life composer of Holocaust and Jewish-exile remembrances in song.” - The New York Times

David Lynch Has Emphysema And Can’t Leave His House, But He Is Not Retiring

He dares not venture out for fear of catching even a cold, and he can only walk a short distance before running out of breath. He says he would try to direct remotely if it came to it. But he tweeted to fans that he "will never retire." - The Guardian

Remember Ruth Mackenzie, Who Was Abruptly Fired As Director Of The Châtelet In Paris? She’s Become A VIP In Australia

After her still-inadequately-explained sacking in 2020, she went in 2022 to be the Adelaide Festival's artistic director through 2026. She completed this year's event in March but has just resigned to take a major position as Program Director, Arts, Culture and Creative Industries Policy for South Australia's state government. - ArtsHub (Australia)

Alexander Waugh, Grandson Of Evelyn, Opera Critic And Composer, Has Died At 60

“Beginning with Mr. Waugh’s great-grandfather Arthur, the family has produced nearly 200 books and thousands of pieces of journalism; all four of Auberon Waugh’s children, including Alexander, became writers.” - The New York Times

Artist Anton Van Dalen, Who Made Art From Changes On The Lower East Side, Has Died At 85

He's famous for “Avenue A Cut-Out Theater, a three-foot-tall cardboard model of his townhouse at 166 Avenue A. He filled it with hand-painted and photographed cutouts of police officers in riot gear, drug addicts, homeless people, sex workers, hawks, pigeons and dogs.” - The New York Times

At His Centenary, Jimmy Baldwin’s Friends, And Family, Reflect On His Life

“There was splendor before me. … You know, James Baldwin was not very tall, but he was tremendous looking.” - NPR

Ina Jaffe, Longtime And Legendary NPR Journalist, Has Died At 75

Jaffe, “an NPR correspondent for roughly 40 years who was known for her unflinching approach to journalism and was the first editor of the network’s initial iteration of the weekly national news show, Weekend Edition Saturday.” - The New York Times

Where Does Donald Trump’s Hannibal Lecter Fixation Come From?

"After a harrowing deep dive through old Trump-rally speeches and xenophobic Tucker Carlson clips, I believe I have come as close as one can to explaining the origins of this bizarre bit. But be warned: Somehow the more you learn, the less sense Trump’s latest obsession makes." - New York Magazine

Founder Of Collapsed American National Ballet Convicted Of Shooting Her Ex-Husband

Ashley Benefield was acquitted of second-degree murder but convicted of manslaughter in the 2020 death of her ex-husband in Florida. The Benefields were the founders of the highly-publicized American National Ballet, which, in 2017, fell apart for lack of funding just as it was about to start rehearsals. - The Washington Post (MSN)

Richard Crawford, Leading Scholar Of American Music, Has Died At 89

Crawford entirely changed the field. He “was a pioneer who shaped the scope of American music research. … It wasn’t about celebrating an unchanging canon, but about opening up the magic of musical experience.” - The New York Times

Francine Pascal, Author Of The Sweet Valley High Books Who Remade YA Publishing, Has Died At 92

"The concept: Dallas for young people. The main characters: twin sisters, one mischievous (Jessica), the other more sensible (Elizabeth).” The Sweet Valley High universe books sold more than 200 million copies and engendered spinoffs and TV shows. - CNN

Lewis Lapham’s Secret For Great Editing? “Steal”

"Many of Lapham’s innovations at Harper’s and LQ were elegant systems of thievery. (Copyright holders were always paid for the republication of their poetry or prose.) The Harper’s Index and Readings Section and every issue of Lapham’s Quarterly were exercises in the arts of collage and anthology." - The Washington Post (MSN)

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