notanotherbookreview

Like many pivotal times in human history, say global plagues and wars, when civilizations rise and fall, when there is a question whether humanity will survive, human life is somehow cheapened. Between the rise of gun culture in the U.S. and society's tragic acquiescence, and the sudden devaluation of women's lives, I found myself wondering, "what's a human life worth in these times?  I found a memoir, a "how-to," and a an ancient play translated into a very moving graphic novel. For what it's worth, read on.   I was certainly in the mood for Alice Feiring's coming of age story punctuated by very singular organic wines, To Fall in Love, Drink This: A wine writer's memoir   (Scribner) .   A memoir about learning to drink seemed a gimmick for a wine writer, except this connoisseur's education is like a painter learning his palette.  Her narrative searches for meaning in light-dark encounters with family, lovers, writing and publishers. She finds...

Written and Directed By Edward Einhorn  UNTITLED THEATRE CO. February 8 - March 2, 2019   at A.R.T./New York’s  Jeffrey and Paula Gural Theatre 502 W. 53rd Street (at 10th Ave) A new play examining the nexus between neuroscience, marketing, art, and love. With: Ashley Griffin*, Mick O’Brien*, Yvonne Roen*, Matthew Trumbull* *Indicates member of Actor's Equity Association Thu - Sat at 8pm Sun Feb 10 and 24 at 5pm; Tue Feb 12 and 26 at 7pm Here's the story. Amy, a lapsed artist and one-time artist's model, is married to Stephen, a neuroscientist investigating how emotions affect the brain. As the play opens, she's not been his only subject but his favorite, as he investigates the neurological impact of their relationship--their love. He speaks and she's not to answer. His words are a stimulus for her brain to register emotion. And when she's had enough she can exit by squeezing a bulb. As the story evolves, Stephen is ...

Edward Einhorn has adapted London's novel.  New Play Network's synopsis:   An adaptation of Jack London's 1908 novel, the first-ever dystopia, written as a socialist propaganda piece. It tell the story of Avis and Ernest Everhard, two leaders of an envisioned socialist revolution in the 1920's, when the oligarchy has taken on a totalitarian edge (The Iron Heel). Praised by Leon Trotsky and George Orwell. Set as a "reenactment drama", being told 600 years in the future, in a world that has become a socialist utopia. Using folksongs from the early 20th century throughout, some with altered lyrics. IRON HEEL Jack London's socialist dystopia, IRON HEEL, is rarely read in schools.  Somehow I missed it, thought a student of both utopias and dystopias. I did read Einhorn's adaptation and found it both rousing and quaintly pertinent to today's politics. But the "today" in this play is a socialist dominated future, whose leaders are re...