Awesome Issue of the New Yorker

Ok, it's a bit late since I got the latest issue of the New Yorker in the mail today but, I just have to say it: Last week's New Yorker was definitely one of the best issues evaaaaar. ( I know, I know, but can you really expect me to review the thing until I've had time to read it?)

Today, as I was finishing an article about NYPD espionage (well, kinda... I'll get back to that in a moment), I imagined all of the staff members of the New Yorker giving each other chest bumps and high fives. I bet when they put that issue to bed they all just looked at each other and were like, "Beat that, Newsweek!" and, "You can suck it, Atlantic!" I mean serrriously, who does it better than the New Yorker?

Here are some highlights from last week's issue:

First, let's start with the genius cover. It's an image of a Christlike Obama gracefully strolling on water toward the foreground of the image.... ....at which point he takes a very human spill. All too topical as the whole country, scratch that, the whole world, is starting to acknowledge that our President isn't the Second Coming as some had hoped. It's a great image and, despite my political leanings, I applaud the New Yorker for being so brave. A conservative friend from college always used to complain when I'd borrow facts or comments from the New Yorker. He always claimed it was biased and therefore - particularly in the Bush II era - incredible. While I admit their editorial-ish section - The Talk of the Town - leans liberal, this administration has proven that the magazine's overall content is only beholden to reporting the facts. It's a mini revolution in today's "news" media where taking a stance has somehow become a journalist's duty. Anderson Cooper, I don't care what you think about the future of Haiti! Just tell us what's happening and look pretty, you silver fox!
In all seriousness, I can't watch televised news any more, it's obnoxious. Well, with the exception of PBS - but admitting that I watch PBS news will only earn me admission to the AARP.


Let's continue on about the virtues of last week's New Yorker. I always turn to the critics' section first and check out reviews of new films, art, architecture, etc. Last week they had an encouraging review for the revival of Arthur Miller's "A View from the Bridge," starring Scarlett Johansson and Liev Schreiber and a pretty tough review for the revival of Noel Coward's "Present Laughter" starring Victor Garber (speaking of silver foxes). I think the consensus around town about the success of the former is, "Who knew?" I mean, most have seen Scarlett Johansson on screen in our lifetimes and I think few would claim that she's the most gifted actress around. Maybe she's found her calling on Broadway? Too bad it's probably already sold out. Arg. Damn you, New Jersey! And you too, Long Island! The two of you steal all the tickets in sight. Let's throw Texas in the mix there too! Always seems like there is a surplus of Texans swiping seats on B'way. You may never get to see them, but you can still read both reviews here... actually, to add insult to injury, I'm mistaken, you can't read the articles on newyorker.com afterall... but, you can read an abstract of the article! Woopee! http://www.newyorker.com/arts/critics/theatre/2010/02/01/100201crth_theatre_lahr

Then, I moved on to an architectural review for Aqua, a new apartment tower in Chicago, designed by Jeanne Gang. She's an interesting architect; firstly, she's a woman. Sadly, high-ranking female architects are a rarity. Also, she happens to come from the Koolhaas school of architecture (who hasn't worked with Rem? Lordy!) and is a proponent of functional design, unlike Zaha Hadid, which is a breath of fresh air after reading this crazy article (also from the New Yorker): http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2009/12/21/091221fa_fact_seabrook.


And, while I'm absolutely petrified of Aqua - until those balconies are glassed-in I'm not going anywhere near it - I can appreciate the design, especially considering how much thought was put into making it an efficient and fully-functional form. And, whoa!, the New Yorker is actually letting you read the entire article online still! Enjoy: http://www.newyorker.com/arts/critics/skyline/2010/02/01/100201crsk_skyline_goldberger

Next, I read a fascinating article discussing throries on grief. Though intended as a critical roundup of books specializing on the subject of grieving, the article is far more interested in exploring the subject itself. It was enlightening. The author, Meghan O'Rourke, writes with great clarity and, as the article reveals, empathy. Well worth reviewing for anyone who has experienced loss of any kind, if only to know others have felt the same way as you (not matter how irrational it may seem). I fully intend to look up some of the books Meghan cites but, I'll add one not included in the mix that I think is more than deserving: Joan Didion's "The Year of Magical Thinking." (Yes, I hear your collective groans and I see those eyes roll. I know, I know, you've all heard how much I love Joan but, you must admit, that book is truly brilliant - and although that word is FAR overused, it's more than earned here.) Thankfully, you can still read the full article on grief here: http://www.newyorker.com/arts/critics/atlarge/2010/02/01/100201crat_atlarge_orourke.

And, as long as we're talking about Joan. This is a remarkable conversation between Charlie Rose and Joan Didion about the book. If you've already read the book, it's further insight into what you already know. If you have yet to read the book, in my opinion, it's a great introduction to a book I think you'll want to read. If you have the time, watch it:

Video embed isn't working properly... you can find video here: http://www.charlierose.com/view/interview/682

Finally, the big tease: Today, I finished a fun read about NYC's D.O.I. or Department of Investigation - the city's undercover unit that "investigates fraud and corruption among the city employees and people who deal with them." It's a mild pulse-racer about uncovering crooked deals using old fashioned espionage: button cameras, watch microphones, walkie-talkies and all. It's quite a read. It was even more fun to read because much of the action occurs near my own hood in stake outs off Roosevelt Avenue and secret meetings at the Boston Market on Queens Blvd. It's a relief to hear that some arm of the city's government is trying to uncover corruption among city employees. While it's no surprise to hear that health and safety inspectors are being bribed left and right at restaurants and construction sites, it's still disheartening, especially to think that they're being bought for as low as $20. Sadly, this article is not online in toto, but you can read the abstract here: http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2010/02/01/100201fa_fact_macfarquhar.

And, who knows? After this sterling review, maybe you'll decide you should be a subscriber too!