In his introduction to this rewarding anthology, critically acclaimed author Powers (Galatea 2.2; Plowing the Dark; etc.) says that reading is the “last refuge from the real-time epidemic.” To that end, the selections gathered here are grouped by how long they offer escape from real time: waiting rooms need long stories, for example, while elevators demand poems. Roth, Munro and Naipaul are among the 46 big-name contributors. In the Planes section, Junot Di… Buy The Paris Review Book for Planes, Trains, Elevators, and Waiting Rooms at Amazon
Starred Review. The first all-new publication from The Onion’s stable of mad satirists since 1999’s Our Dumb Century, this globe-spanning volume raises the bar for topical humor. Known for their savage, irreverent newspaper parody, The Onion staff delight in playing up stereotypes and skewering perceptions, and they have picked an enormous playground in which to do so; this skewed world atlas compiles enough fictional facts to tickle-and probably offend-jus… Buy Movies and the Moral Adventure of Life at Amazon
KEY BENEFIT: Consolidating major figures and film movements into their decade of greatest influence or prestige, this “no-nonsense” book offers a generously illustrated, concise, and very readable history of fiction movies with an emphasis on American cinema. Eclectic in methodology and written in a plain English style that audiences can relate to, it examines the full scope of traditional film history and criticism, viewing film as both an art and an industry— as it mirro… Buy Flashback: A Brief Film History at Amazon
Stills from The Red Balloon (Click for larger image)
Newly restored and available for the first time on DVD, Albert Lamorisse s exquisite The Red Balloon remains one of the most beloved children s films of all time. In this deceptively simple, nearly wordless tale, a young boy discovers a stray balloon, which seems to have a mind of its own, on the streets of Paris. The two become inseparable, yet the world s harsh realities finally interfere. With its glorious pa… Buy The Red Balloon at Amazon
For half a century, the Village Voice has set the gold standard for serious film coverage. The New York City alternative weekly has boasted three of America’s best critics–Jonas Mekas, Andrew Sarris, and J. Hoberman–and the backup reviewers have been nearly as good. In the pieces collected here, they turn their acumen to some 150 films, from Bunuel’s L’Age d’Or and Vigo’s Zero for Conduct to Scorsese’s The Age of Innocence, from meritorious crowd-pleasers like Chi… Buy The Village Voice Film Guide: 50 Years of Movies from Classics to Cult Hits at Amazon
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