NYTimes Archives - Page 4 of 4 - Evanston Public Library

"Dear Abby" Pauline Phillips, 1918-2013

January 17, 2013

Advice columnist Pauline Phillips died in Minneapolis Wednesday at age 94. Her “Dear Abby” column began in 1956 and appeared in hundreds of newspapers around the world, covering a wide variety of personal topics. The column, still in print and with its own website, was taken over by Mrs. Phillips’s daughter Jeanne Phillips in 2000. Known for her sharp, sometimes risque replies as well as for her “much-publicized professional rivalry with her identical twin sister advice columnist Ann Landers”, Pauline’s column had a huge influence on American popular culture. Today’s NYT article discusses her early years, her competitiveness with her sister, and includes some of her more well-known advice:

Dear Abby: My wife sleeps in the raw. Then she showers, brushes her teeth and fixes our breakfast — still in the buff. We’re newlyweds and there are just the two of us, so I suppose there’s really nothing wrong with it. What do you think? — Ed

Dear Ed: It’s O.K. with me. But tell her to put on an apron when she’s frying bacon.

Laura

Dave Brubeck, 1920-2012

December 6, 2012

Legendary jazz pianist and composer Dave Brubeck died Wednesday in Norwalk, Connecticut on his way to a cardiology appointment. Today would have been his 92nd birthday. His recording Time Out, which included the hit single “Take Five” was the first jazz album to sell a million copies. Although some critics were not always kind, his music (whether original compositions or overhauled standards) remains recognizable and unique. “Forbidden to listen to the radio — his mother believed that if you wanted to hear music you should play it — Mr. Brubeck and his two brothers all played various instruments and knew classical études, spirituals and cowboy songs.” In 1954 he was featured on the cover of Time Magazine – the second jazz musician to do so (after Louis Armstrong). In 2009 he received a Kennedy Center Honor for his contribution to American culture. Read the full NYT article here. And check the library catalog for a listing of his music.

Laura

The Wrath of Roth

September 13, 2012

Philip Roth has written to Wikipedia denying that his novel The Human Stain was based on the life of Anatole Broyard. Instead, he contends, it was based on “an unhappy event in the life of my late friend Melvin Tumin, professor of sociology at Princeton for some 30 years.” The novel, published in 2000, deals with African American professor Coleman Silk who claimed to be white and Jewish – and was forced to retire on charges of racism. Mr. Roth claims there is no truth at all in the conjecture about Mr. Broyard. In response to his letter, a site administrator from Wikipedia wrote: “I understand your point that the author is the greatest authority on their own work, but we require secondary sources.” Unbelievable! Anyway, apparently although the Wikipedia entry still contains the Broyard theory, it has been revised to include Mr. Roth’s claims. Check out this NYT article and Mr. Roth’s letter.

Laura

"Literary Traffic Jam"– Notable Books Coming out this Fall

September 11, 2012

EarlyWord reports that according to the NY Times a veritable glut of new titles from “superstar” authors will be arriving, some of whom haven’t published a book in years. Considering I heard an interview with Junot Diaz this morning on NPR about “This is How You Lose Her” (which was interesting because Diaz explained his thoughts on men’s attitudes toward women), I imagine there will be plenty of book talks, appearances, and other publicity to get the word out. Both reviewers and bookstore owners sound very excited about the upcoming titles:

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