Well, everyone, I've been doing many things with my life recently, but reading is not one of them. I don't have many more posts scheduled at all! But there is more to life than reading, I must say, and there have been some pretty amazing things I've come across this week that I would like to share with you. So, if you don't mind this interlude (which may easily become a regular posting on this blog), here are the things that I've been doing that are not reading:
For those of you who read and loved Nothing to Envy, about life in North Korea, I think you'll be interested to know about a new documentary out called Defector. It has an absolutely amazing website, too, telling the story of a real woman's escape from the country. I could easily spend an hour on this site. I am looking forward to seeing this movie, too, though it isn't yet available for download.
This American Life has a two-part series about Harper High School, a Chicago school that has dealt with more gun violence, more regularly, than any school should have to. The first half of the series aired last week and the second half airs today. It was such a powerful story that really brings the personal impact of violence to light, and makes the gang members and police officers so much more human and relate-able than most stories about guns do. I highly recommend a listen. I know it's a big time commitment, but it's so compelling and beautifully told I think it is well worth the time.
The PBS series Makers: Women Who Make America starts this week! I am so excited about this. I hope all those people who showered love and viewership on PBS during Downton Abbey will now transfer their love to PBS' other amazing programming, such as series like this. Just this trailer gives me shivers!
For those of you who read and loved Nothing to Envy, about life in North Korea, I think you'll be interested to know about a new documentary out called Defector. It has an absolutely amazing website, too, telling the story of a real woman's escape from the country. I could easily spend an hour on this site. I am looking forward to seeing this movie, too, though it isn't yet available for download.
This American Life has a two-part series about Harper High School, a Chicago school that has dealt with more gun violence, more regularly, than any school should have to. The first half of the series aired last week and the second half airs today. It was such a powerful story that really brings the personal impact of violence to light, and makes the gang members and police officers so much more human and relate-able than most stories about guns do. I highly recommend a listen. I know it's a big time commitment, but it's so compelling and beautifully told I think it is well worth the time.
The PBS series Makers: Women Who Make America starts this week! I am so excited about this. I hope all those people who showered love and viewership on PBS during Downton Abbey will now transfer their love to PBS' other amazing programming, such as series like this. Just this trailer gives me shivers!
Watch MAKERS: Women Who Make America Trailer on PBS. See more from Makers: Women Who Make America.
And that's what I'm doing when I'm not reading! What about you?
I have those This American Life episodes saved to my phone and am looking forward to listening to them. Several people have recommended them to me, and I love when TAL does this kind of in-depth stuff.
ReplyDeleteAs for what I'm doing when I'm not reading, as usual, I'm seeing lots of plays, but most of them have been unremarkable, except that I saw a great 4-man production of Romeo and Juliet a couple of weeks ago that I'm still thinking about.
Oh, interesting! I saw a stage adaptation of The City & The City last weekend and it was really good! I've never read the book (or anything by Mievelle), but I think I would enjoy it.
DeleteI like it when bloggers include a bit more on their blog, rather than just books. It's something I'm trying to do, too.
ReplyDeleteDefector looks very interesting.
Thanks, Sam! I think I'll be doing a lot more of it until my reading picks up, at least! And I like to share other things I enjoy, too :-)
DeleteTV has been cutting into my reading time lately as I was eager to get to end of Downton Abbey Season 2 to be ready when Season 3 is available on NetFlix or HuluPlus. Have also been watching complete series of Jeeves and Wooster on DVD (a Christmas gift) and Sherlock (not sure which season, but just came to end of what was available for streaming. I listen to podcasts, too, and have thought of adding This American Life, but can't really keep up with the ones I already subscribe to. My current favorites are Selected Shorts (which might sort of count as reading?) and The Splendid Table.
ReplyDeleteI really want to watch Jeeves & Wooster but don't want to pay for it, which makes it a bit harder :-)
DeleteI too have trouble keeping up with podcasts, so I completely understand. I don't listen to all of them every week, but I try to keep up.
Love this post -- and the links you shared! Will be listening to This American Life with my lunch this afternoon -- sounds ... I hesitate to sound great, but sounds good ... timely, at least. Anyway, thanks for sharing -- hope you continue to do this!
ReplyDeleteI will, Audra. I hope you enjoyed This American Life!
DeleteI'm looking forward to the PBS series on influential women! And what am I doing when I'm not reading (or blogging)? I direct two community choruses, one for children and one for teens. Right now, I'm getting everything ready for the first rehearsals of our spring season, which will take place next weekend. That means making sure accompanists have music, making rehearsal CDs so the kids can practice at home, and getting publicity out so we'll have singers. It keeps me busy!
ReplyDeleteHere's my Sunday Post/Salon.
I hope your spring season goes well!
DeleteI caught the first part of the second part of This American Life this morning and am now going to have to go back and listen to them both as what little I heard was very compelling. Also made me horribly sad that this level of violence still happens, especially intra-racial violence. It seems so contrary to common sense.
ReplyDeleteI know. It is heart-breaking. I'm not sure that I think intra-racial violence is any more upsetting than inter-racial violence. The episode gave me a lot to think about, though, pointing out that so much of the violence is NOT about drugs but about small, almost trivial things. And THAT ... how do you combat that?
DeleteAgree that we can't spend ALL our time reading My guilty pleasure is the Danish TV series The Killing!
ReplyDeleteI've heard good things about that one!
DeleteI've only listened to the first half of the podcast so far. I think I'm actually going to do some googling beforehand to find out what happens because it's too suspenseful for me not to know. If kids are going to die in it, I need to know ahead of time. (But hopefully they aren't, oh God, listening to the first half was already so hard.)
ReplyDeleteI tried to watch the trailer but the site wouldn't let me because it's 'not available in my region'. Boo.
ReplyDeleteI agree, reading is great but there are so many other interesting things to do too! I hope you do this kind of post more often, you have a great eye for interesting things!
I often find detailed shows, like those sound, tend to take you away from books. They have the same sort of learning and complex atmosphere which makes the lesser reading time really worth it. When I'm not reading I'm generally writing or reading up on a certain subject (as it's not books I guess it counts).
ReplyDeleteLots of working, house fixer-upping here. Thanks for the PBS rec! The series looks fantastic.
ReplyDeleteI heard about the North Korea movie and can't wait until we can all view it. My non-reading time is filled with driving my daughter to dance, traveling to dance conventions and competitions, and, um, more dance
ReplyDeleteWhat a cool feature! I also have not been reading much, or blogging for that matter, but it is not like I haven't had other things going on... And that I now don't want to go on a documentary spree. I have so many on my 'list' to watch in this century...
ReplyDeleteI'm definitely hoping to have a chance to watch Makers - hard to schedule that long a period for tv watching around my house, but hopefully sometime soon. My sister told me it was fantastic, so it's on my must-watch list.
ReplyDelete