Winnipeg’s McNally Robinson Booksellers became Canada’s largest independent bookstore by offering a fun, stimulating place for booklovers.
In The Age Of Amazon, Used Bookstores Are Making An Unlikely Comeback
“Used bookstores, with their quintessential quirkiness, eclectic inventory and cheap prices, find themselves in the catbird seat as the pendulum eases back toward print. In many cities, that’s a de facto position: They’re the only book outlets left.”
He Was A Major Violinist And Teacher, Now Stricken With Dementia; Language Has Almost Abandoned Him – Except When Coaching
Walter Levin escaped the Nazis as a child and went on to spend 40 years as founder and first violinist of the La Salle Quartet – and longer as a feared teacher. (He once kicked James Levine out for being unprepared.) At age 91, dependent on his near-superhuman wife, and barely verbal, music is his one remaining tether to the wider world. And when giving a lesson to a young quartet, we can see his faculties gradually revive. (includes video)
The ‘Digital Dissenters’ – They Come From The High-Tech World, And They’re Very Worried About It
Jaron Lanier, Astra Taylor, Douglas Rushkoff – even Gary Shteyngart and Pope Francis. They and their fellows are “unhappy about the way the tech revolution has played out. Political progressives once embraced the utopian promise of the Internet as a democratizing force, but they’ve been dismayed by the rise of the ‘surveillance state,’ and the near-monopolization of digital platforms by huge corporations.”
Why We Still Need Physical Bookstores (And Why They’re Not Going To Go Away)
Customers regularly threaten booksellers with Amazon, like it’s a weapon they can deploy to get what they want from us. “I could get this much cheaper on Amazon,” people tell me when checking out.
Studies: A Definite Link Between Intelligence And Longevity
“The link between IQ and mortality has now been replicated in upwards of 20 longitudinal studies from around the world, and has given rise to the field of cognitive epidemiology, which focuses on understanding the relationship between cognitive functioning and health.”
Researchers: Dance Helps Mitigate Symptoms Of Parkinson’s
“Academics from the University of Roehampton have found that ballet can have significant physical and emotional benefits for patients.”
August Wilson’s Dilapidated Home In Danger (What To Do?)
“A decade after Wilson’s death, the Pulitzer Prize-winner’s plays continued to tell the story of the Hill District whenever they’re performed. But the home he grew up in is in terrible shape.”
The Problem With Colorblind Casting
“Colorblind casting might land a few promising actors prestigious roles, but it isn’t a sustainable strategy: It neither addresses the systemic problems that exists behind the camera nor does it compel Hollywood to tell more racially aware stories.”
The Big Threat To Opera: Lack Of Courage
“We live in a time where we’re all so focused on success, short-term success. And actually there are so many masterworks that wouldn’t exist if theatres hadn’t taken a risk on them.”
Eight Things We Learned In 2015 About How The Brain Works
“Studies published this year shed light on the mysteries of the brain and human behavior, and began paving the way for new treatments to mental and neurological health problems, ranging from addiction to autism to Alzheimer’s disease.”