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Reading Week #39 – (Not So) Snow Day

01.30.2015 by Nicola Balkind //

TBT – 1 year ago, a chilly day's book shopping at Voltaire & Rosseau
TBT – 1 year ago, a chilly day’s book shopping at Voltaire & Rosseau

Happy Friday!

How are things in your part of the world? Here in Glasgow it’s been alternately snowing and hailing and dry freezing. It’s like a winter fucking wonderland.

But it’s all in your best interest. Lots of time indoors = lots of articles, so have at it!
 

 

–– ON ROBOTNIC.CO ––

The Essayist Project continues at last with my more-reviewy-than usual take on We Should All Be Feminists by Chimimanda Ngoze Adichie.

And, ICYMI, last week I launched a podcast! Bookish Blether is now on iTunes, Stitcher and Soundcloud. So no excuses! You can also follow us on Twitter and Tumblr. If you’re really picky here’s the RSS link too.

On my business blog, here are some January Links. I’m also sending a monthly newsletter (separate from Reading Week) about the world of social media and content – if that’s your kind of thing you can sign up here.

 

 

–– ARTS & CULTURE ––

If you’ve 90 minutes to spare, I recommend Power of Story: Serious Ladies at 2015 Sundance Film Festival with Lena Dunham, Kristen Wiig, Jenji Kohan and Mindy Kaling.

Why it’s a problem that writers never talk about where their money comes from. Now THIS is an article the publishing world has been waiting for. Long overdue – and very true.

I’m not big on listicles but, go on then: 24 Things No One Tells You About Book Publishing.

How to Write an Oscar-Nominated Movie, 2015 Edition. Thanks, WaPo.

Interesting piece from Catherine Bray on Self-Distributing Beyond Clueless – a documentary she produced, in selected UK cinemas now.

A great profile of Kaitlin Olsen of It’s Always Sunny… in which she discusses saving Sweet Dee from a straight woman fate.

“[McElhenney] was like, ‘Look, we just don’t know how to write for a woman, but we’ll figure it out,’” Olson says. “And I was like, ‘Well then, don’t write for a woman. Just write — look at all these great funny characters you wrote. Just write one of those. I’ll make it female.’”

 

 

–– DIGITAL ––

Holy Shit, Hank Green Interviewed the President. Then he wrote this fantastic piece about crumbling news institutions, the intersection of old and new media, and legitimacy.

So there’s this “liberal” writer called Jonathan Chait, and he thinks that white men bestow equality upon other groups in our society. He whinged about our so-called second age of Political Correctness and the internet eviscerated him. This writer, Alex Pareene, called him out on his reaction to being called out: Punch-Drunk Jonathan Chait Takes On the Entire Internet. (It also links to the original piece, but meh.)

Solid Dudes – a surprisingly sweet piece on online dating and finding the right person. (Side note: my husband’s name is Evan & he’s more than solid.)

 

 

–– AT THE INTERSECTION ––

A note on this section: I’m aware that a lot of arts and culture or digital topics can end up ghettoised under this subheading by virtue of their being about intersectional topics – so I’m trying not marginalise good writing in this way. This week there are a few specifically on topic, so here goes!

The writer Ijeoma Oluo fielded a racist troll on MLK Day and it’s pretty staggering to read. The definition of killing em with kindness.

A Leslie Knope In A World Full Of Liz Lemons (subtitle: Liz Lemon is who the world wants you to be. Leslie Knope is who you should aim to be.) is a great read. I don’t agree entirely, but Hanna Brooks Olsen puts forward a great argument here.

The above also cites this amazing piece by Sadie Stein on Typecasting: The Skinny Glutton.

In the Guardian: African women are blazing a feminist trail – why don’t we hear their voices? Rwanda’s parliament has more men than women! Why aren’t we talking about this?!

 

 

–– ON PAPER ––

Currently reading, fiction: As For Me and My House by Sinclair Ross.

Currently reading, non-fiction: In Praise of Messy Lives by Katie Roiphe and – because I can’t help myself from starting several books at once – Selfish Shallow and Self-Absorbed: Sixteen Writers on the Decision Not to Have Kids edited by Meghan Daum (mine’s an ARC).

Got a good book on the go? Hit reply and let me know.

 

 

–– &c. ––

The Secrets Of Highly Efficient Napping. NGL, reading this made me feel really sleepy.

 
Right, I’m off to pilates then getting ready for a fancy anniversary dinner.

​Have a lovely weekend, friends!

 
 

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Categories // Reading Week Tags // hank green, link list, reading week, sundance

Reading Week #33 – Hiya Pals

12.05.2014 by Nicola Balkind //

Xmas Tree | @robotnic
The tree is UP! (Pic from last year because I need more tinsel.)

Hiya, pals!

It’s December aka Pantomime Season so I had to get that one out of my system.

I’ve not much chat this week. Had my head down and aiming for a final workday this month of Monday 22 December. Freelancer naïvety or solid goal? We’ll soon find out.

Meantime, there’s plenty reading to be done.

 

–– ON ROBOTNIC.CO ––

Yesterday I reviewed the week’s big, non Madagascar franchise releases on the BBC Culture Studio: Black Sea, St Vincent, and Men Women and Children. Click through to listen on iPlayer catch-up.
 

 

–– ARTS & CULTURE ––

In the Hollywood Reporter: Chris Rock Pens Blistering Essay on Hollywood’s Race Problem: “It’s a White Industry”

The reading lists are out!

NPR’s Best Books of 2014 is just the most.

These lists are dime a dozen but I’ll also throw in Maria Popova of Brainpickings’ 2014’s Best Books on Psychology, Philosophy, and How to Live Meaningfully.

Okay, one more. BUT LOOK AT THE TOP COMMENT. UGH. A Year in Reading by Emily Gould, in The Millions.

 

 

–– DIGITAL ––

Podcast: Ira Glass was the first guest on the new season of Alec Baldwin’s show Here’s the Thing. Quality listening.

A tweet from Jess Furseth (click for great link list) reminded me to recommend the Longform App.

Finally downloaded the Longform reader app and it's soooo clever. The combination of RSS and curation! Game-changer.

— Jess Furseth (@jessicafurseth) December 4, 2014

 

Hank Green says You Can’t Make it On YouTube Anymore. And he would know.

People who are new to the medium are starting to think that online video is not “Just a little bit better than everything else on YouTube” but “Just a little bit worse than everything on TV.”

 

32 Things We Need Words For In 2015.

 

 

–– LADYBITS ––

Why Mockingjay is the “End of Men” Movie of the Year. “Mansplaining jokes have reached Hollywood blockbusters.”

Bondage, birth control and the suffragettes: Meet the real Wonder Woman. I have total superhero fatigue and wasn’t that curious about the release of this book. After this piece, I am.

Feminist Frequency released 25 Invisible Benefits of Gaming While Male [VIDEO].

 

 

–– ON PAPER ––

In Cold Blood by Truman Capote. Again. I will finish it this time!

I also read Mongol by Uuganaa Ramsay, which I mentioned last week. Not as political as I expected but a touching, straight-forward autobiography that deftly bridges cultures.

What are you reading this holiday season?

 

 

–– &c. ––

Chris Rock again. This time he talks about Ferguson, Cosby, and What ‘Racial Progress’ Really Means in Vulture. Mind-blowing point: black progress isn’t about black progress, it’s about white progress.

Related: The Other Side of Diversity by EricaJoy on Medium.

A eulogy for RadioShack, the panicked and half-dead retail empire. Disgusting and funny and fascinating all at once.

 

What have you been reading this week?

 

 

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Categories // Reading Week Tags // best books of 2014, chris rock, hank green, helen o'hara, link list, reading week

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