A welcome revival of a 1980s comedy prophesying the collapse of the Soviet UnionHere is a revival of a 1983 film from the Georgian director Eldar Shengelaia (still alive at 90) and it is revealed as an intriguing, and perhaps even remarkable creation: a dapper, droll satire on Soviet bureaucracy, a shaggy dog story of absurd humour that creeps up on you, culminating in a truly bizarre apocalypse. The satire was arguably lenient enough to get the film made and lenient enough to win it the USSR State prize, but we can see from our 2023 vantage point that it is a deadpan prophecy of the Soviet Union’s imminent collapse. If we could go back in time to this film’s first release and tell Shengelaia that just six years later the Berlin Wall would come down and with it the entire Soviet system, would he have been surprised? Perhaps only about the fact that it was going to take so long.The scene is a state publishing company that also supervises printing and takes delivery of noisome chemicals in its basement courtyard. A would-be writer called Soso (Ramaz Giorgobiani) is scurrying about the building, desperately trying to interest its harassed or indolent functionaries in his novel, entitled Tian Shan, or The Blue Mountains – and therefore, we must assume, literally or metaphorically about the central Asian mountain ranges, although no one ever asks him about it or discusses literary matters in any way. No one definitively rejects him or accepts him. He is always referred to... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'
[ The Guardian | 2023-02-06 13:00:00 UTC ]
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The actor Michelle Williams reads the audiobook version of the recently liberated pop star’s memoir, “The Woman in Me.” Continue reading at The New York Times
[ The New York Times | 2023-10-24 21:32:55 UTC ]
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“The Upstairs Delicatessen,” a memoir by Dwight Garner of The New York Times, traces his life’s twin passions. Continue reading at The New York Times
[ The New York Times | 2023-10-24 09:00:14 UTC ]
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From her Louisiana roots to the quasi-imprisonment of her conservatorship, Britney Spears' 'The Woman in Me' paints the pop star's life as a Victorian nightmare. Continue reading at Los Angeles Times
[ Los Angeles Times | 2023-10-20 20:46:28 UTC ]
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In this week’s Dispatches from The Secret Library, Dr Oliver Tearle reviews John Plotz’s personal reading of a fantasy classic by Ursula K. Le Guin The American author Ursula K. Le Guin (1929-2018) is widely regarded as one of the finest authors of what is broadly termed ‘speculative fiction’.... Continue reading at Interesting Literature
[ Interesting Literature | 2023-10-13 14:00:53 UTC ]
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Bryan Washington’s Family Meal, Mary Gabriel’s Madonna: A Rebel Life, Jhumpa Lahiri’s Roman Stories, andWerner Herzog’s Every Man for Himself and God Against All all feature among the Best Reviewed Books of the Week. Brought to you by Book Marks, Lit Hub’s book review aggregator. * Fiction 1.... Continue reading at Literrary Hub
[ Literrary Hub | 2023-10-13 11:00:52 UTC ]
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The Mountains & Plains Independent Booksellers Association's fall conference in Denver was filled with high energy for its 400 total participants, as publishing industry veterans met up with the next generation of booksellers inside and outside the exhibit hall. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-10-10 04:00:00 UTC ]
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A new collection of her novels and stories is a showcase for a science fiction pioneer. Continue reading at The New York Times
[ The New York Times | 2023-10-08 09:00:34 UTC ]
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“Raw Dog,” by the comedian Jamie Loftus, is an investigative memoir that’s part gonzo travelogue and part takedown of the factory farming system. Continue reading at The New York Times
[ The New York Times | 2023-10-06 09:00:48 UTC ]
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The Mountains & Plains Indie Booksellers Association's annual FallCon kicked off quietly Wednesday afternoon, but quickly picked up steam Thursday as more than 200 booksellers gathered in Denver to network with each other and to meet authors. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-10-06 04:00:00 UTC ]
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In his fond memoir “Making It So,” the actor traces the path from the working class to the Shakespearean stage to “Star Trek” superstardom. Continue reading at The New York Times
[ The New York Times | 2023-10-03 09:00:17 UTC ]
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In his memoir “The Controversialist,” Martin Peretz reflects on his long tenure as publisher and editor of The New Republic. Continue reading at The New York Times
[ The New York Times | 2023-10-02 14:15:47 UTC ]
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No one emerges with much credit in Wolff’s second study of Rupert Murdoch and his family – a gossipy story of power and greed peppered with endless layers of psychological insightFifteen years ago, Michael Wolff wrote a study of Rupert Murdoch entitled The Man Who Owns the News. It benefited... Continue reading at The Guardian
[ The Guardian | 2023-10-02 06:00:06 UTC ]
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The Fire and Fury author returns with a typically readable account of the declining years of a rightwing media behemothIn September, Rupert Murdoch ceded direct control of Fox and News Corp to Lachlan Murdoch, his oldest son. At 92, Rupert became chairman emeritus. He is off the stage but... Continue reading at The Guardian
[ The Guardian | 2023-10-01 06:00:36 UTC ]
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“Collision of Power,” Martin Baron’s memoir of his tenure as the paper’s executive editor, is a gripping chronicle of politics and journalism in a period of instability for both. Continue reading at The New York Times
[ The New York Times | 2023-09-30 09:00:50 UTC ]
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Equal parts Terminator, The Golden Child and The Matrix prequel, The Creator is yet another sci-fi epic about a war between humans and AI, one told by someone who just can't shut up about their time backpacking across Asia. Director Gareth Edwards clearly understands the... Continue reading at Engadget
[ Engadget | 2023-09-29 17:30:21 UTC ]
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“Coming and Going” is the photographer Jim Goldberg’s visual memoir of three generations in his family, from 1980 to today. Continue reading at The New York Times
[ The New York Times | 2023-09-29 09:02:30 UTC ]
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A statement cited increased costs and removal of UK state funding as the magazine, which featured writers including Paul Murray, Caleb Azumah Nelson and Sally Rooney, is to consider its future Literary magazine the White Review will not be published “for an indefinite period” according to a... Continue reading at The Guardian
[ The Guardian | 2023-09-26 09:06:39 UTC ]
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The actor’s audio-only memoir delivers songs, stories and scenes with humor and vulnerability. Continue reading at The New York Times
[ The New York Times | 2023-09-22 09:01:07 UTC ]
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Jonathan Raban’s “Father and Son” is a memoir of illness and recovery paired with a parental history. Continue reading at The New York Times
[ The New York Times | 2023-09-18 09:01:46 UTC ]
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At a GlanceExpert's Rating ProsEasy to useSupports 12 simultaneous devicesDecent for streamingConsInterface feels outdatedSmall list of available serversPricey for the features offeredOur VerdictStrongVPN doesn’t have the largest server list, nor does it offer a very extensive feature set.... Continue reading at PC World
[ PC World | 2023-09-13 14:30:00 UTC ]
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