Tayari Jones calls on readers to "rise up," arguing that a "a reader-focused initiative reminds everyone that depriving the broad marketplace of books by black authors is a crime against society, not just an offense against the careers of a few folks who happen to write books."
Catch up with Emily Henochowicz's artwork, which she's now received from Palestine, at Thirsty Pixels.
Absent Cause salutes Frida Kahlo on the 103rd anniversary of her birth. I was lucky enough to be introduced to the great artist's work back in 1970 in high school, have studied her paintings both in books and, whenever possible, in person, read Hayden Herrera's definitive biography when it first came out, I believe in the early-to-mid 1980s--and yet I'd somehow forgotten about this painting, which Greg includes in his homage today. It's titled Marxism Will Heal the Sick. It's from 1954, the year she died.
It's 101 degrees outside and the temperature is still rising. I was half-seriously considering staying at work overnight for the air conditioning--but just now the provost sent out a university-wide email announcing that Con Ed requested that this big institution start shutting down the A.C. in non-essential buildings, and that we should leave when our offices get too hot! This is bizarre, unprecedented, and, strangely for an early-closing announcement, unwelcome. If only I had my swimsuit here with me I'd hop the train and head to Coney Island. I haven't yet come up with a Plan B.
