My grandfather was a self-educated man; it’s unclear whether he even made it to high school, yet he picked up a Masters Degree in Real Life via a voracious reading habit and thirty years in the Marine Corps. Of the many books he cherished, there was one he esteemed above all others: The Story of Philosophy by Will Durant. This general survey of the greatest thinkers of all time was the only book he refused to lend me–as he simply could not bear to part…
I’m giving up the Internet for Lent. I did the same thing last year. This might at first blush seem a very odd thing to write about on a Webpage. After all, if everyone followed my lead there would be no new posts and no readers on The American Culture from February 22 until April 7. Sam Karnick would not be very happy with me. Thankfully, I know my odd little decision is unlikely to influence anyone, so I can rest assured that the lively…
Writer Thomas Hayden has made quite a stir in the blogosphere recently with his provocatively titled post “In Praise of Crap Technology” on the site The Last Word On Nothing. Acting as a sort of modern day Martin Luther going up against the seemingly unassailable papal fortress of the Steve Jobs legacy, Hayden eschews high-end toys like the iPhone in favor of cheap, sturdy stuff that actually works. He cites his $20 Coby MP3 player, his Roadace 404 bike, his durable-but-unlovely pair of eyeglasses, and…
I can’t imagine any other band that could pull off such a spectacle. There was a giant “claw” planted in the middle of the stadium, glowing, flashing, and billowing smoke at various points during the evening; there were massive screens broadcasting footage of Mark Kelly from the International Space Station; plus remote controlled bridges that glided above the audience while the singer and guitarist performed atop them. By all rights, critics ought to have been able to write Spinal Tap across the top and be…
If you’re looking for a kick-ass espionage thriller that moves at a breakneck speed, features a large cast of characters behaving honorably and/or atrociously, and ups the ante and anxiety as well as any episode of 24, you’ve found the right book. - Terry Goodman, Senior Editor – AmazonEncore Chances are, you’ve already read John J. Miller without realizing it. Having “made his bones,” as the Corleones say, at Reason magazine, the libertarian-leaning journalist has been a fixture at National Review for well over…
At what point did the cool jazz of the Beat Generation curdle into the technicolor dissonance of the hippies? Was this an inevitable progression, as many believe, or did someone take a wrong turn somewhere? San Francisco–which served as the launching pad for both movements–yields some clues. At City Lights bookstore, the floor-to-ceiling shelves full of meticulously organized, attractive books by Beat authors impresses upon the visitor the sheer volume of this group’s contribution to the literary landscape. Contrary to what some critics might have…
Author’s note: a few months ago I profiled martial artist Ray Fisher on this site. The following segment is another excerpt from our work in progress The concept of loyalty seems positively archaic in this age of everyone-out-for-themselves. It could be argued that Aleister Crowley’s dictum “Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the law” has indeed come to pass. In some ways, this is not necessarily a bad thing: the idea of individual freedom is implicit in our national motto of “life,…
I don’t know about you, but I’m tired of reading/hearing all of these so-called cultural critics going on and on about how dreary and materialistic the 1980s were. I grew up in the ’80s. I effing loved the ’80s–and still do, without disclaimer or apology. I got to see Empire Strikes Back on opening night and had my interest in history jump-started by Raiders of the Lost Ark. The small screen boasted Magnum P.I., Steven Spielberg’s Amazing Stories, The Winds of War, The Cosby…
Let me make this perfectly clear: Harry Brown is not for the faint of heart. Although the film’s British origins ensure that the body count is lower than what you’d see in an American production, the violence is graphic and deeply disturbing. This is most certainly not a movie to take the kids to. However, for those who can handle it, Harry Brown may be the most deliciously un-PC vigilante thriller…ever. The story follows the titular Brown (Caine in one of his finest performances) as…
Let me tell you a little bit about Steve Kilbey… A long, long time ago–in the late 1980s, to be exact–an Australian rock band called The Church were on their way to significant mainstream success, or so it seemed. They had made impressive inroads into the Billboard Hot 100 chart with a darn-near perfect psychedelic pop ditty called “Under the Milky Way.” Its equally strong parent album Starfish went gold–no mean feat in that era of Poison and Def Leppard. Just imagine it: there our antipodean heroes were, trudging out of the musical…
Patience is something that’s practically unheard of these days. I worry that, like a vestigial limb, it has almost completely atrophied in modern society. But I confess: my stubborn heart, like Ray’s before mine, has been captured. I’m not a natural. No one would confuse me for being graceful. And I can’t say I’m particularly disciplined. But I’m patient. And, through providence, I have the best teacher a person could ask for.
If there were a Class of 1971 Rock ‘n’ Roll Yearbook, I’d bet good money that Robert Plant–the groupie-shagging, booze-swilling, caterwauling lead singer of Led Zeppelin–would’ve been voted “Least Likely to Age Gracefully.” What a surprise, then, to find Robert Plant circa 2010 entering his sunset years in dignity and style. Unique among his peers, he shows no intention of botoxing over the deep canyons in his face. And instead of blithely accepting the proffered millions t0 re-conquer the planet with a reformed Led Leppelin,…
A giant of polemics, William F. Buckley Jr. "coulda been a contender" as a novelist too. Robert Dean Lurie examines Buckley's mixed literary legacy.
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