Editorial: David De Angelis
In the world of the modern woman, Florence Scovel Shinn resonated that persona during the late 1920s until she died in 1940. Her progressive thinking and writings helped many new world thought leaders define how affirmations and the connection to the power of our thoughts reshape the very life we are living.
The eldest daughter of the Times Square “King of Porn”, Romola Hodas recounts her chaotic childhood amid the turmoil of publicly growing up as the daughter of the man who almost single-handedly built New York City’s pornography and adult entertainment empire from the 1960s to the 1980s before his spectacular and public fall from grace. Behind the salacious headlines, Marty’s family paid a terrible price. In her shockingly honest, no-holds-barred memoir, Romola describes hanging out as a child in her father’s porn shops on 42nd Street and meeting the eclectic clientele who frequented the stores, making friends with the girls who performed live sex acts on stage, and spying on her parents’ sex orgies and crazy all-night swinger parties. Romola relates, in moving detail, how she cared for her three younger siblings when her brilliant, bipolar mother broke with reality, and how she survived verbal, physical, and emotional abuse; a year in reform school; her father’s three stints in prison; two kidnapping attempts by the mob (one while at summer fat camp); and how her baby brother, Jarrett, actually was briefly kidnapped by mobsters wanting to send Marty Hodas a clear, unambiguous message. For all its darkness, The Princess of 42nd Street is, at its heart, an uplifting and inspirational story of how one young woman overcame incredible odds to become a successful businesswoman who now devotes her life to helping others. Raw, unflinching, and devoid of self-pity, The Princess of 42nd Street is a one-of-a-kind story.Ver libro
“Reading Roberto Bolaño is like . . . watching the tracks of art and life merge at the horizon and linger there like a dream from which we awake inspired to look more attentively at the world.” —Francine Prose, The New York Times“We savor all he has written, as every offering is a portal into the elaborate terrain of his genius.” —Patti SmithAn aging judge retires from Buenos Aires to the family ranch in the Pampas to battle feral rabbits and reclaim the dignity of the gaucho life. An obscure Argentinian writer journeys to Paris to face down the filmmaker who has made a career out of plagiarizing his novels. An intrepid detective investigates a series of grisly murders—among his fellow sewer rats. Riffing on Borges and Kafka, yet utterly and inimitably Roberto Bolaño, these stories testify to his mastery of the short form. Rounding out the collection are two of his most provocative and piercing essays, “Literature + Illness = Illness” and “The Myths of Cthulhu,” each crackling with his signature black humor and incomparable powers of perception and critique. The Insufferable Gaucho is an essential part of the Bolaño oeuvre.A Macmillan Audio production from Farrar, Straus and Giroux.Ver libro
The Yamato period, spanning from roughly the 3rd to the 7th century, marks the emergence of Japan’s first centralized political power. At the heart of this transformation was the Yamato clan, a dominant force that laid the foundation for Japan’s imperial lineage. While early Japan was fragmented into numerous rival clans, the Yamato rulers gradually asserted their dominance, forging alliances, engaging in warfare, and adopting foreign influences to solidify their authority. One of the key factors behind the Yamato clan’s rise was its strategic control over fertile land in the Kinki region, an area well-suited for agriculture. This economic advantage allowed them to amass resources necessary to support a growing military force. By subjugating neighboring clans or bringing them under their influence through political marriages and alliances, the Yamato rulers expanded their reach across central and western Japan. The development of a hierarchical system of governance helped them maintain order, as powerful regional chieftains were brought into a centralized network of control under the Yamato court. Military strength played a significant role in the Yamato clan’s dominance. Archaeological evidence from kofun, or large burial mounds, reveals that these early rulers possessed advanced weaponry, including iron swords and armor, likely influenced by interactions with Korea and China. These military advantages enabled them to assert control over rival clans and protect their growing territory from external threats. The construction of these elaborate burial sites also served as a demonstration of power and legitimacy, reinforcing the Yamato rulers’ status as semi-divine figures.Ver libro
This hour-long interview is also available on the last part of the audiobook Street Gang: The Complete History of Sesame Street. Hear a fascinating discussion between author, Michael Davis, and narrator Caroll Spinney, the man (and voice) behind two of America's most iconic children's characters--Big Bird and Oscar The Grouch--listeners will learn about Spinney's contributions to the creation and history of the media masterpiece and pop culture landmark TV series, "Sesame Street." Spinney discusses, among other things, impressions of his early days on TV, the creation of Big Bird and Oscar The Grouch, and, of course, working with Muppet's creator Jim Hensen.Ver libro
A diabolically sinister but clownish villain, Joker is a symbolically rich and philosophically fascinating character. With his enigmatic motivations, infectious irreverence, and selfless devotion to evil, Joker never fails to provoke a host of philosophical questions. Bringing together essays by a diverse panel of acclaimed scholars and philosophers, this engaging book delves into the motivations, psychology, and moral philosophy of the character for whom mayhem and chaos are a source of pure delight. Joker and Philosophy offers deep insights into moral and philosophical questions such as: What is a sane response to a mad world? Can laughter be liberating? Is civilization a thin veneer over our natural lawlessness? Can violence ever be justified in response to an unjust social order? Is one bad day really all it takes to create a villain? Exploring a broad range of timeless issues of human nature, the metaphysics of freedom, the nature of identity, good and evil, political and social philosophy, aesthetics, and much more, Joker and Philosophy: Why So Serious? is a must-listen for all fans of one of the most fascinating villains in the DC comics universe.Ver libro
'I Knew This Place' by John MacKenna is a collection of twenty-eight of his radio essays from RTE's radio programme 'Sunday Miscellany.' John MacKenna is the author of twenty-seven books both fiction and non-fiction. A skilled actor and narrator, he won a Jacob's Radio Award for his documentary about Leonard Cohen. The radio essays in this collection were described by The Irish Times as 'enchantments woven with rich and intimate language, snapshots of lives lived, and days passed, distinctly Irish and yet utterly universal.' This audio book will carry you through three decades of life in the small Irish town of Castledermot and beyond. It offers strong stories and a depth of reflection that provides comfort, questions and laughter.Ver libro
