NO ONE ON THE CORNER'S GOT SWAG LIKE US

I was so lucky to be invited to the Brooklyn Public Library's gala fundraiser three nights ago, and it was really fun. I was the guest of my friend, who is a lawyer, and whose boss' wife is on the board of trustees of the library and had bought a table at the gala. Soledad O'Brien (from CNN) was our MC and she kept shushing us, which was fine because we were all loud (not me, specifically, but the important people around me). Russell Simmons was a guest of honor, but he didn't know why and told us so. His brief, quite aloof, appearance diminishes my love for Run's House on MTV greatly. Otherwise, the night was pretty spectacular, with an open bar, and lots of money raised for the public library. Hurrah!! Fait accompli, and congrats & thanks to everyone that donated time and money to a wonderful public institution. And PS - Check it! look at all this free swag. Baller.

currently listening to:
Girl From the North Country
Bob Dylan

xoxo tiffany!

BEST ILLUSTRATED CHILDREN'S BOOKS OF 2008

But 2008's not over yet!

http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2008/11/06/books/20081109ILLUSTRATEDBOOKS_2.html

TAP'D NY

I am entirely not convinced.

Cool packaging and marketing materials though.

http://tapdny.com/
http://onthecommons.org//content.php?id=2230

xoxo,
Claire

ONCE AGAIN TO ZELDA

My favorite teacher this semester has this dedication in his textbook: "Very special thanks and love to Lilian, who has given me the time to put ideas together into the book...You are generous end olzo beautiful."

When we tire of talking graphic design and color theory, we speculate over our teachers and their private lives. This teacher is so eccentric ("end olzo"??) that none of us can imagine him with a wife or girlfriend. A special lady friend named Lilian, no less.

Wish Prof. Alex was included in this new release:


A fascinating look at the stories behind the dedications of 50 literary classics.

Mary Shelley dedicated Frankenstein to her father, her greatest champion. Charlotte Brönte dedicated Jane Eyre to William Makepeace Thackeray for his enthusiastic review of the book’s first edition. Dostoyevsky dedicated The Brothers Karamazov to his typist-turned-lover Anna Grigoyevna. And, as this collection’s title indicates, F. Scott Fitzgerald dedicated his masterpiece The Great Gatsby to his wife Zelda.

Often overlooked, a novel’s dedication can say much about an author and his or her relationship to the person for whom the book was consecrated. Once Again to Zelda explores the dedications in fifty iconic books that are an intrinsic part of both literary and pop culture, shedding light on the author’s psyche, as well as the social and historic context in which the book was first published.

EGGHEADS

I finally finished "Einstein," that monster of a book I received for my birthday (nearly three months ago). Oh my God. Do not read it! It has never taken me this long to read a book (dude, "Atlas Shrugged" only took me a month, and that is a really awful novel... but at least it has style). If there ever was a way to make Einstein unappealing and outdated, well, Walter Issacon of Aspen Institute and TIME fame, you have done a fine, fine job. Maybe it's because I read "American Prometheus" a few months ago, and that was such an amazing read that I find other biographies hard to live up to its standard, but really, Issacon has about much creativity with prose as.... most contemporary hip hop artists have with grammar and literacy.

Anyway, now I am onto "The Brain That Changes Itself" by Norman Doidge. I like Norman. He seems geninunely interested in neuroplasticity and the people whose lives have been deeply affected by the affirmation that the brain really can rewire itself. But I don't know how many tales of "personal triumph" I can take. And I'm only on the third chapter! Oh, no. New York has turned me into a hardened cynic, thanks to rush hour on the subway.

currently listening to:
You Still Believe in Me
The Beach Boys

xoxo tiffany!

From the New York Times:
October 29, 2008

Google Settles Suit Over Book-Scanning

By MIGUEL HELFT and MOTOKO RICH

SAN FRANCISCO — Settling a legal battle, Google reached an agreement with book publishers and authors that clears the way for both sides to more easily profit from digital versions of printed books.

The agreement, under which Google would pay $125 million to settle two copyright lawsuits over its book-scanning efforts, would allow it to make millions of out-of-print books available for reading and purchasing online. (continue reading)

THE DAY I ATE WHATEVER I WANTED

This sounds like a fun book, because moments of rebellion always make a good story. It's a collection of short stories by Elizabeth Berg - and I haven't read her in forever, the last was what, Durable Goods I think. From the reviews, it sounds like a feel-good, chocolate sundae for breakfast or conversations with an old friend type of easy read. And now - I'm off to eating whatever I want at a reserved table at Midtown gem Sakagura restaurant. Yay for out of town guests.

More info about The Day I Ate Whatever I Wanted: And Other Small Acts of Liberation.

xoxo,
Claire

A LITTLE BIT BEATNIK

To be honest, I dislike the Beat writers. I didn't find "On the Road" a manifesto intended to change my life, I cringed at "Naked Lunch" and  I never understood William Carlos Williams, who many of the Beat writers were students of or studied with. So color me confused about this whole movement. I do think, however, that I read a lot of this literature when I couldn't relate and so it has never been an important part of my own literary and emotional development. That bird has flown and it dropped its lunch contents on someone's head, most likely.(You know, in one ear... in this case, in one beak...)

But dude. I am couch-surfing (awesome sport) in San Francisco and I decided to visit City Lights Bookstore (where, according to wikipedia, the Beat writers made their headquarters in SF) and was wowed. The place is amazing, and it has everything you would ever want to be a socially conscious person. Seriously. I even saw a graphic novel about anarchist Emma Goldman. I know. Who wouldn't want a graphic novel about her?

currently listening to:

Land Locked Blues

Bright Eyes

peace out, 

tiffany

TOO NON-COMMITTAL FOR ME, BUT PRAISAL FOR THE SHORT STORY

From The New York Times, "The Ambition of the Short Story."

currently listening: Way to Normal album by Ben Folds

Sick :( ,
Claire

SWEDEN VS AMERICA

From Slate.com, "The Swedes Have No Clue About American Literature."

currently listening to:
Muddy Hymnal
by Iron and Wine

xoxo tiffany

PINK MOLESKIN?

Speaking of sacrilegious, Moleskins now come in pink and green. BRIGHT pink and green.



I'm not a fan, but most of these people seem pretty enthused: http://www.flickr.com/groups/moleskinerie/discuss/72157603850321126/

INAPPROPRIATE USAGE OF BOOKSHELVES

I've moved into my friend's place in San Francisco, and I've no place to put my clothing, so I've decided on the best next thing to keep my next best things: the bookshelves! I know, a bit sacrilegious but room is limited in the city.

And since I am a huge snoop I decided
to go through their bookshelves and this is what I found:

It's all these econ and financial books. Haha. Nerds! It's cute I guess. I'm making good use of their bookshelves.

xoxo tiffany