Jim Gaarder, Columbia
Presenting the Russian Revolution as both a landmark political event and as a breathtaking story, Miéville, author of London's Overthrow and Between Equal Rights, along with fiction that has won the Hugo, World Fantasy, and Arthur C. Clarke awards, gives a detailed and vivid rundown of how an autocratic monarchy became the world's first socialist state in just nine months. It happened in two stages, starting with the February Revolution, which rid the country of the Tsar and installed a Provisional Government. Consisting largely of members of the former imperialist Duma, this Provisional Government was itself overturned in October, after Socialists consolidated power via the Soviets, or workers' councils. Miéville captures the era's chaos as well as its exhilaration.
Miéville will be in conversation with Barbara Ehrenreich, author of several books including Nickel and Dimed.
Carolyn Kellogg
April 22, 2017
http://www.latimes.com/books/la-festival-books-updates-why-a-civil-rights-icon-chose-to-tell-1492906821-htmlstory.html
From Soviet satire to psychic Dilbert, the strangest strips hidden in CREST
Edited by Michael Morisy
Public Contact: Sara W. Duke (202) 707-3630
Website: Registration for downloadable images in online press kit
A new exhibition at the Library of Congress, "Drawing Justice: The Art of Courtroom Illustrations," will feature original art that captures the drama of high-profile court cases in the last 50 years.
The exhibition will open on Thursday, April 27, 2017, and close on Saturday, Oct. 28, 2017, in the South Gallery on the second floor of the Library's Thomas Jefferson Building, 10 First St. S.E., Washington, D.C. It is free and open to the public from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Saturday. Tickets are not needed.
"Drawing Justice" is made possible by Thomas V. Girardi and the Swann Foundation for Caricature and Cartoon. In addition, Girardi—the founding partner of Girardi Keese, a Los Angeles law firm—funded the acquisition of 95 high-profile trial drawings by Aggie Kenny, Bill Robles and Elizabeth Williams for the Library's collection. As a result of this benefaction, the Library's courtroom illustrations are the most comprehensive in any American institution.
The exhibition's illustrations—part of the Library's extensive collection of more than 10,000 courtroom drawings—are the work of talented artists hired by both newspapers and broadcast outlets to capture the personal dynamics of legal trials, which for many decades were off-limits to photographers and television cameras. The artwork brings the theater of the courtroom to life, capturing gestures, appearances and relationships in a way that humanizes the defendants and plaintiffs, lawyers, judges and witnesses.
The 98 illustrations on display will represent court cases dating from 1964 to the present day, including trials for murder, crime and corruption, terrorism, political activism and landmark legal issues. Among those depicted will be Jack Ruby, James Earl Ray, Charles Manson, David Berkowitz, John Gotti, the Chicago Seven and Bernie Madoff. Artifacts from the Library's Manuscript Division and the Law Library will supplement the drawings from a legal perspective.
Also on view will be an introductory video and an interactive video station that show the actual drawings from the exhibition being featured on television nightly news broadcasts. This footage demonstrates the important contribution courtroom illustrators make in bringing the drama of the court, and an understanding of the day's events, into the homes of millions of Americans.
The exhibition begins with the work of Howard Brodie, who popularized reportage-style courtroom illustrations with his documentation of the Jack Ruby trial in 1964 for CBS Evening News. Ruby had been charged with killing Lee Harvey Oswald, who allegedly assassinated President John F. Kennedy in 1963. Brodie supported and encouraged the first generation of artists who created the artwork for television and print media. Brodie donated his trial drawings to the Library of Congress, which spurred the development of the courtroom-illustration collections.
In addition to Brodie, the artists represented in the exhibition include Marilyn Church, Aggie Kenny, Pat Lopez, Arnold Mesches, Gary Myrick, Joseph Papin, David Rose, Freda Reiter, Bill Robles, Jane Rosenberg and Elizabeth Williams.
The exhibition is curated by Sara W. Duke, curator of applied and graphic art in the Library's Prints and Photographs Division. Assistant curator is Margaret M. Wood, a senior legal reference librarian in the Library of Congress Law Library. Betsy Nahum-Miller and Carroll Johnson, from the Library's Interpretative Programs Office, are the exhibition directors.
The Library has amassed the largest publicly accessible collection of courtroom illustrations through a series of gifts from artists, their families and heirs. Howard Brodie, with his donation of 1,400 drawings—for such seminal trials as those of Jack Ruby, Sirhan Sirhan, the Chicago Seven, and the My Lai Massacre court martial of William Calley and Ernest Medina—established the collection at the Library between 1965 and 1980. In addition, Los Angeles illustrator David Rose gave more than 100 drawings from the 1971 and 1973 Pentagon Papers trials of Daniel Ellsberg & Anthony Russo. In 2009, the family of New York-based artist Marilyn Church generously donated more than 4,200 drawings for trials from 1974 to 2008. In 2015, the family of New York Daily News artist Joseph Papin gave more than 4,700 drawings. Through purchase-gift arrangements in 2014, the Library was able to acquire the work of two mid-western artists, Gary Myrick and Pat Lopez.
The Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division preserves and provides access to nearly 16 million photographs, drawings and prints from the 15th century to the present day. International in scope, these visual collections represent a uniquely rich array of human experience, knowledge, creativity and achievement, touching on almost every realm of endeavor: science, art, invention, government and political struggle, and the recording of history. For more information, visit loc.gov/rr/print/.
The Library of Congress is the world's largest library, offering access to the creative record of the United States—and extensive materials from around the world—both on-site and online. It is the main research arm of the U.S. Congress and the home of the U.S. Copyright Office. Explore collections, reference services and other programs and plan a visit at loc.gov; access the official site for U.S. federal legislative information at congress.gov; and register creative works of authorship at copyright.gov.
Saturday at 6:30 PM - 8:30 PM |
by Rob Clough
Busboys and Poets 14th & V welcomes Mohammad Sabaaneh to present his new book "White and Black: Political Cartoons from Palestine."
Mohammad Sabaaneh, a talented political cartoonist from Palestine, has gained worldwide renown for his stark black-and-white sketches, which draw attention to brutalities of the Israeli occupation and celebrate the Palestinians' popular resistance. These provocative drawings do not flinch from tackling the tough subjects that confront Palestinians, from Israel's everyday injustices in the West Bank to their frequent military operations on Gaza. This collection includes 180 of Sabaaneh's best cartoons, some of them depicting the experience of Palestinian political prisoners being held in Israel.
In his Foreword, titled "Sabaaneh's Social Surrealism", veteran American political cartoonist Seth Tobocman notes the influence of Picasso and Braque on Sabaaneh's work, and asks: "Can there be an accurate depiction of an insane situation? Why should we draw in perspective when the world has lost its perspective? When reality becomes bizarre social realism gives way to social surrealism."
Join us for a discussion and signing by thriller/mystery authors Alex Segura (DANGEROUS ENDS, ARCHIE) and Neely Tucker (ONLY THE HUNTED RUN).
RSVP on Facebook or email rsvp@eastcitybookshop.com. RSVPs are appreciated but not required. This event is free and open to the public. | Wednesday, June 21 at 7:20 PM - 9 PM |
p | AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center 8633 Colesville Rd, Silver Spring, Maryland 20910 |
Find Tickets Tickets Available silver.afi.com |
THE GREAT WAR: ANIMATED MEMORIES/GRANDE GUERRE: MEMOIRES ANIMEES
Multiple directors - 75 min
Silent, in English or with English subtitles
As part of the celebrations of the Centennial of American involvement into World War I, the Cultural Services of the French Embassy present the screening of nine short films.
Set on the front, in the trenches and under fire, or behind the front line, through women's letters and through the memories of the elders or the collective memory, discover fascinating, sensitive and touching films by experienced directors, who revisit that catastrophe with a contemporary perspective.
With different techniques such as 3D animation, drawing, paper cut-outs, painting or plasticine, the directors invite us in their imaginary world and show once again the richness and the energy of the animated creations of today.
La Détente, Pierre Ducos, Bertrand Bey (France, 2011, 8min30)
1916, Fabien Bedouel (France, 2003, 7min40)
Poppy, James Cunnigham (New-Zealand, 2009, 10min54)
Fire Waltz/Toile de Front, Marc Ménager (France, 2011, 5min46)
The Trenches/La Tranchée, Claude Cloutier (Canada, 2010, 6min55)
Lettres de femmes, Augusto Zanovello (France, 2013, 11min25)
Le jour de gloire, Bruno Collet (France, 2007, 6min30)
So close/De si après, Rémi Durin (France/Belgique, 2009, 12min25)
Trois petits points, Rémy Schaepman, Lucrèce Andreae, Alice Dieudonné, Florian Parrot, Tracy Nowocien, Ornélie Prioul (France, 2010, 3min32)
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/
at La Maison Française - Embassy of France
4101 Reservoir Road, NW - Washington, DC
FREE ADMISSION
Parking available on Reservoir Road and across the street at Georgetown University Hospital's pay lot.
SECURITY RULES: A reservation on Eventbrite is mandatory, attendees must have a Government issued photo ID in order to enter the Embassy. Large backpacks and bikes will not be allowed inside the embassy.
NO ONE WILL BE ADMITTED WITHOUT RESERVATION OR PROPER ID
Name on reservation must match ID.
Due to strict security measures, please allow extra time for security screening; doors will be closed at 7 p.m. sharp.
Not recommended for children under 12.
Online registration is required for this free admission event.
Sign up online on http://frenchculture.org/newsletter to never miss an event by the Cultural Services of the French Embassy in Washington, DC.
Presented by the Cultural Services of the French Embassy with support from The French Mission du centenaire de la Première Guerre mondiale, in charge of the World War One Centenary in France; TV5 Monde and the French-American Cultural Foundation.
Meet William Joyce and celebrate the reissue of three of his classic picture books. You'll be able to spend A Day With Wilbur Robinson in his house of wacky relatives, marvelous creatures, and strange contraptions. Or perhaps you'll want to accompany the Lazardo family as they travel the world with their friendly pet, Dinosaur Bob. You can even join Bently Hopperton the musical frog in a lively song by the bank of a pond in Bently & Egg. All of these original, thrill-seeking characters come to life with Joyce's detailed illustrations and adventurous storytelling style. Ages 4 to 8.
Meet William Joyce and celebrate the reissue of three of his classic picture books. You'll be able to spend A Day With Wilbur Robinson in his house of wacky relatives, marvelous creatures, and strange contraptions. Or perhaps you'll want to accompany the Lazardo family as they travel the world with their friendly pet, Dinosaur Bob. You can even join Bently Hopperton the musical frog in a lively song by the bank of a pond in Bently & Egg. All of these original, thrill-seeking characters come to life with Joyce's detailed illustrations and adventurous storytelling style. Ages 4 to 8.
6/16 – 6/18: AWESOME CON 2017
Washington, D.C. (April 18, 2017) – Awesome Con, the mid-Atlantic's premier pop culture convention, brings a three-day celebration of television, movies, comic books, science, technology and more back to the Walter E. Washington Convention Center from Friday, June 16 through Sunday, June 18. Fans will be able to explore hundreds of hours' worth of programming including: celebrity and expert-driven panel discussions; iconic film memorabilia exhibits; cosplay fashion shows; video game showdowns; and more. Exciting additions to Awesome Con 2017 include an even more playful and educational kids zone in the form of Awesome Con Junior, Pride Alley showcasing LGBTQ artists and pop culture intersections in partnership with Geeks OUT, and a more stimulating science and technology pavilion sure to delight curious minds. Now in its fourth year, Awesome Con is setting a new standard as an ever-more inclusive and dynamic destination for fans of all ages across the spectrum of 'geeky.'
When: Friday, June 16; exhibit hall hours 12pm – 8pm, programming until 10pm
Saturday, June 17; exhibit hall hours 10am – 7pm, programming until 10pm
Sunday, June 18; exhibit hall hours 10am – 5pm
Where: Walter E. Washington Convention Center
801 Mt. Vernon Pl NW
Washington, DC 20001
Special Guest:
· Stan Lee (Creator of Spider-Man, Daredevil, Doctor Strange, Fantastic Four, Hulk, Iron Man, Thor, X-Men)
From Doctor Who:
· David Tennant (Doctor Who, Jessica Jones, DuckTales, Broadchurch, Gracepoint)
· Billie Piper (Doctor Who, Penny Dreadful, Secret Diary of a Call Girl)
· Catherine Tate (Doctor Who, The Catherine Tate Show, The Office)
· John Barrowman (Arrow, Legends of Tomorrow, Torchwood, Doctor Who)
Screen Stars:
· Wil Wheaton (Star Trek: The Next Generation, The Big Bang Theory, The Guild, Eureka, NUMB3RS)
· Khary Payton (AMC's The Walking Dead, Teen Titans GO, Transformers: Robots in Disguise, Big Hero 6: The Series)
· Eliza Dushku (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, Tru Calling, Dollhouse)
· Kel Mitchell (All That, Game Shakers, Good Burger, Keenan and Kel)
· Jason David Frank (Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers)
· Felicia Day (The Guild, Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog, Eureka, Supernatural)
Comics Stars:
· Greg Capullo (Batman, Reborn, X-Force, Quasar, The Creech)
· Scott Snyder (American Vampire, Batman, Swamp Thing, Voodoo Heart)
Cost: Daily and full weekend passes available
· Friday or Sunday Only Admission: $35
· Saturday Only Admission: $45
· 3-Day 'Geekend' Pass: $75
· Kids 10 and under: free with coupon code AWESOMEJR
VIP passes & experiences range from $150 to $379 and offer access to various celebrity appearances and special events.
Website: www.awesomecon.com is updated regularly with new guests, exciting exhibitors, and special programming.
Social Media:
· Facebook: facebook.com/AwesomeConDc
· Twitter: @AwesomeCon
· Instagram: @awesomecons
· Tumblr: awesomecons.tumblr.com
About Awesome Con
Awesome Con is the biggest annual comic and pop culture convention in Washington, D.C., having welcomed over 50,000 attendees in 2016. Awesome Con celebrates all aspects of geekdom and pop culture, with a wide assortment of engaging events, comic books, collectibles, toys, games, original art, cosplay and more. Awesome Con is presented in partnership with LeftField Media, an event organization company developed by the founder of New York Comic Con.
About LeftField Media
LeftField Media, LLC is an events company focused on developing face-to-face events in a range of communities rooted in contemporary culture and shared passion. LeftField was formed in 2014 by Greg Topalian (President, LeftField Media) and is now owned by Topalian and Clarion Events Ltd. With a keen sense of the evolving needs of businesses and their consumers, as well as new opportunities created by change, LeftField takes a clean slate approach to its work. LeftField's portfolio includes Play Fair (playfairny.com), a family-focused celebration of toys and play built with the Toy Industry Association; Awesome Con (awesomecon.com), Washington D.C.'s Comic Con; Rose City Comic Con (rosecitycomiccon.com), in Portland, O.R.; Anime NYC (animenyc.com), a Japanese pop culture festival presented by Crunchyroll; the Five Points Festival (fivepointsfest.com), a designer toy and comic art convention curated by Clutter; and the Classic Auto Show (theclassicautoshow.com), a vintage auto show launched in Los Angeles. LeftField Media is headquartered in historic Trumbull, C.T. (leftfieldmedia.com).
https://www.redistrictedcomics.com/billythehippo
U.S. presidents have had their share of pets, mostly dogs. But there have been a few odd ones, too. Benjamin Harrison had a pair of opossums, while Thomas Jefferson had two grizzly bear cubs gifted to him (he soon gave them to a museum in Philadelphia). And two presidents — John Qunicy Adams and Herbert Hoover — had alligators in the White House. But perhaps no other pet was as unusual and had such a history after his White House days like Billy.
