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Reading Week #8 – Beyond Link-Lists

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Mid-show view from BBC Pacific Quay
Mid-show view from BBC Pacific Quay 

 

Happy Friday! How has your week been?

This week I’ve been mostly making plans and planning/scheduling ahead of my sabbatical this June. Every year I take the month out to work at Edinburgh International Film Festival. It’s like a working holiday.

Meantime, it’s also the countdown to Small is Beautiful and I had a nice wee afternoon on the radio.

Here are some of the great links I pocketed along the way!

 

 –– On ROBOTNIC.CO ––

Yesterday I reviewed all of the weeks’ big releases and chatted fandom with 3 fellow journalists and the lovely Janice Forsyth. Here’s the running order and you can listen online here with BBC iPlayer.

 

 

–– ARTS & CULTURE ––

I’m looking forward to seeing Beyond Clueless. Here’s an interview with its director, Charlie Lyne.

Do you read novels on your phone? “War and Peace” on the subway: How your iPhone is saving literature.

 

–– DIGITAL ––

Some new Tumblrs for you to follow:

 

I’ve been gearing up for lots of training and collaboration at work lately, so here are guides to Choosing a Content Calendar and Getting Your Team Content Strategy Savvy.

Some interesting ways in which publishers are handling their video output.

In the latest episode of the Hello, Internet podcast, Grey & Brady have an interesting discussion about Net Neutrality.

 

–– LONGFORM / JOURNALISM ––

This lovely piece on the Scottish Independence debate is a nice break from the bullshit: Scottish independence: what young Scots want.

 

 

–– &c. ––

How to Scale Yourself and Get More Done Than You Thought Possible. Or, productivity gets hardcore-as-fuck.

Currently reading: The Secret History by Donna Tartt. (Not that I’ve finished any of the others I’ve started in previous weeks!)

 

What’s making you happy this week?

 

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Film Reviews: X-Men, Postmen, Gigolos & Fanboys

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Selfie of me in this week's press screenings.
Selfie: at this week’s press screenings.

This afternoon I’ll be broadcasting live on the BBC Culture Studio with Janice Forsyth and fellow critics!

First, I’ll be reviewing the new X-Men: Days of Future Past with the puntastic Graeme Virtue.

Then, Postman Pat and Fading Gigolo alongside Alison Kerr.

After that I’ll be promoting my new book, Fan Phenomena: The Hunger Games, with a chat about fandom and how fan culture is changing pop culture along with Gavia Baker-Whitelaw.

We’ll be on air from 2 to 4pm! Tune into BBC Radio Scotland or stream live here.

Reading Week #7 – Playing Catch-up

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Shakespeare & Co Prague

 

Going back to work was messier than expected so there was no Reading Week last week. Sorry!

This week is back on track, so as are we. How was your week? Read anything good?

Here are a few from me…

 

— ON ROBOTNIC.CO —

Further Adventures in Podcasting — more recommendations for you podcast fiends.

My belated April Reads with capsule reviews.

Review of Every Day is for the Thief  by Teju Cole.

 

— ARTS & CULTURE —

Someone finally asked why we’re ok with Louis CK getting with hot women on Louie, but not with Lena Dunham getting with Patrick Wilson. One Man’s Trash Is Another Man’s Treasure: Lena Dunham, Louis C.K., and the Persistent Sexism of Comedy.

I recently bought and began to read MFA vs NYC. Junot Diaz wrote a response about his experiences in a New Yorker piece: MFA vs POC.

Then Salon continued the discussion with Junot Diaz’ undergraduate reading lists. I want to go to there.

Ryan McGinley: Naked and Famous by Alice Gregory, recent guest on the Longform Podcast.

— DIGITAL —

I wrote a couple of blog posts about freelancing for Small is Beautiful – a conference I’m involved with. Here are some Social Media Tips & some thoughts on Managing Yourself.

Net Neutrality in the USA is under threat. New Yorker says Goodbye, Net Neutrality; Hello, Net Discrimination & CGP Grey issued a rallying call in Internet Citizens: Defend Net Neutrality [VIDEO].

 

— LONGFORM / JOURNALISM —

We all know that The Media Has a Woman Problem. But when you see it laid out like that…

Kerry Clarke on Rereading Fear of Flying: On Not Being Pregnant in Mid-Air With Isadora Wing. 

English Class with Mr. Roth sounds pretty awesome.

 

— & c. —

Evan and I just started watching Anthony Bourdain’s latest show, PARTS UNKNOWN – which made me want to go to Tangier even more. On Tumblr he asks: So, why don’t we love Mexico?

 

Currently Reading: In Cold Blood by Truman Capote & This is Where I Leave You by Jonathan Tropper.

 

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What’s been making you happy this week?