Every Friday I point you towards some recommended reading around the blogosphere:
1. If you’ve ever wondered what it would be like to visit a nudist camp (for the record, I haven’t, but now I do), have a look at Emily Yoffe’s account of her vacation at a nudist camp in Slate.
2. If you’ve ever used an internet dating service, you will love Paul Rudnick’s hilarious satire in The New Yorker about www.settlingdownward.com. (Note: subscription may be required to view this post.)
3. And while we’re on the subject of dating, OKCupid has compiled some trends you’ll want to have a look at called The *Real* Stuff White People Like, where they analyze things different ethnic groups like in the United States (by gender). (Sidebar: If you haven’t visited the original Stuff White People Like, do that first.)
4. Here’s a delightfully funny video review of Jonathan Franzen’s new novel Freedom by Washington Post book critic Ron Charles.
5. I would now like to ask you to drop whatever you’re doing and watch this video of the weirdest (and most disturbing) political speech EVER over on Gawker. (Non-American readers: see what you’re missing?)
6. In a more serious political vein, I’ve been absolutely riveted by Jeffrey Goldberg’s series in The Atlantic about his recent meetings with Fidel Castro. Read the first installment here.
7. Finally, here’s my take in www.PoliticsDaily.com on Tony Blair’s complicated legacy – and his incredibly awful book tour.
September 11, 2010, 7:33 pm
The review of Mr. Franzen’s book left me with a large desire to skip it. Mr. Goldberg’s piece on Castro, tho’, was. . .what was it anyway? A last-ditch effort by Fidel to hop into the statesman’s niche? Goodness, he has an awful lot of competition — not least from Tony Blair, the strangest mega-politician in years. Forgive me, but somehow my mind strayed to Sarah Palin, who perhaps someday will have a go at a similar stunt.
September 13, 2010, 8:59 am
Thanks for the links. I look forward to them every week. The nudist camp vacation story was timely for me because last week a nudist hiking trail opened in the Harz mountains in Germany (http://www.welt.de/reise/article2477680/Auch-das-noch-Nacktwanderwege-im-Harz.html). Nudist culture here is seen as not for everyone, but not terrible, and it doesn’t spark controversy in the way it does in many areas in the U.S., where a report on this hiking trail would never be shown on TV. Here it was reported on at least one of the main public channels in the early evening programming when (gasp!) children could have possibly seen naked people. There are some things I really like about Europe.
September 13, 2010, 9:02 am
yes I totally agree Paula vis US vs. Europe on all things naked. thanks for your kind words abt Friday Pix. I love finding them! (ps LOVE your upside down photo!)
September 15, 2010, 12:21 am
Fabulous as always! I’m passing along The Cherry On Top award. Couldn’t resist. Come and get it here. If you’re not keen – no worries! http://jollyoldengland.blogspot.com/2010/09/cherry-on-top-award.html