Category Archives: Literature

Today at 4, Oxford American hosts book reading by Harrison Scott Key

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oa hskeyThis afternoon, the Oxford American is hosting a very special book reading by contributing writer and editor Harrison Scott Key. He will be reading from his latest release, “The World’s Largest Man,” beginning at 4:00 PM at the OA Annex (1300 Main Street, Little Rock). This event is free and open to the public. Following the reading, join the author and Oxford American editors at 5:00 PM next door at South on Main for a social hour of cocktails and conversation!

“The World’s Largest Man” is a grand comic satire of the contemporary American South and the tender story of a boy and his Bunyanesque father, told with the comic punch and the wild, burlesque charm of Mark Twain. Harrison grew up in Mississippi, where, he says, “there was very little to do but shoot things or get them pregnant.” Of his father, he says, “The man was perhaps better suited to living in a remote frontier wilderness of the 19th century than contemporary America, with all its progressive ideas, and paved roads, and lack of armed duels. He was a great man, who taught us many things: How to fight, how to work, how to cheat, how to pray to Jesus about it, how to kill things with guns and knives and also, if necessary, with hammers.” Sly, heartfelt, and tirelessly hilarious, “The World’s Largest Man” is an unforgettable memoir—the story of a boy’s struggle to reconcile himself with a place and a father it took him a lifetime to understand.

Harrison Scott Key is the author of the memoir “The World’s Largest Man” (HarperCollins) and a contributing editor for Oxford American magazine. His nonfiction has also appeared in The Best American Travel Writing, The New York Times, Outside, McSweeney’s Internet Tendency, Salon, Reader’s Digest, Image, Creative Nonfiction, and elsewhere, and his work has been adapted for the stage and performed by Chicago’s Neo-Futurists in their show “Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind.” He teaches writing at the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) in Savannah, Georgia, where he lives with his wife and three children.

86 Percent say YES to CALS Bonds

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Cals ELectionAs noted last night, 86.10% of the voters approved the Central Arkansas Library System bond refinancing.  It really was a no-brainer, though a complicated explanation.  A “Yes” vote meant property taxes would be reduced (thanks to refinancing at a better interest rate).

The final numbers were 3,834 FOR, 619 AGAINST.  Two ballots were cast which were overvotes (voters filled in both bubbles) and five ballots were cast which were undervotes (they were blank). 4400 votes in a special election in July is a fairly decent turnout. It was 3.51% turnout.  When one considers how anemic voter turnout is for presidential elections, this should be viewed as fairly strong.

Looking at the precinct reports, it shows a deep level of support from all areas of the city.  It passed overwhelmingly in every precinct.  The most votes garnered against it in a precinct were 291 at one of the two Pulaski Heights Presbyterian precincts in Hillcrest.  But as that precinct had over 3,000 voters, it was still only 9% of the voters at that ballot box.

The Central Arkansas Library System is in the process of hiring a replacement for retiring director Dr. Bobby Roberts.  Certainly one of the things they must find is someone who knows how to run elections.  Library knowledge, creativity and a vision are not enough. Without the ability to build coalitions of voters, the other skills are all for naught.

In the meantime, the Central Arkansas Library System will move forward with plans to upgrade and expand physical plants and acquire more books and technology.  As is often the case, the planning for the campaign can be the easy part.  After the win comes the execution of the plan.

Now (as Pulitzer Prize and Tony winning playwright Tony Kushner writes in Angels in America, which is available to be checked out from CALS) – “The great work begins.”

CALS Election Results – FINAL – 86% approval

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Cals ELection

FINAL UNOFFICIAL NUMBERS

FOR – 3834 (86.10%)  AGAINST – 619 (13.90%)

Landslide doesn’t even begin to describe it.

 

UPDATE 9:08.  If this trend continues, it is another rousing success for retiring CALS Director Bobby Roberts.  He will give deserved credit to the CALS Board and to the campaign committee.  But his vision and his hard work over the years have as much to do with the CALS success at the ballot box as anything.

 

UPDATE 9:03  No new numbers.  With only 1/3 of the precincts remaining, it is difficult to see how the negative votes could overtake the positive ones.  However, not knowing which precincts have reported, there could still be some strong pockets of NO votes out there.

 

UPDATE 8:52  46 precincts

2319 FOR and 451 AGAINST.

That continues the over 80% approval.  Perhaps my previous post can be disregarded.

 

UPDATE 8:49  Given the huge jump in the favorability percentage, I suspect that includes the Heights and Hillcrest.  I expect as the other results come in, the numbers will move back toward the middle to lower 70s.

 

UPDATE: 8:44  30 precincts

1421 FOR; 296 Against.  Moved to over 80% favorable

 

UPDATE 8:42. 12 precincts reporting (including early and absentee)

FOR: 682 and AGAINST: 209

Maintaining the rough 3 to 1 favorable margin.

 

UPDATE: 8:40.  And still we wait…..   I firmly believe I probably could have driven to all 70 polling sites and looked at their posted numbers by now.  Well that is a slight exaggeration, but not much.

UPDATE: 8:12pm – still awaiting the pollworkers to return to HQ with results.  In the meantime, a look at the first numbers.  Four people went to the trouble to vote absentee, and turned in Blank Ballots.   One absentee voter filled in both options.

I am all for voting.  Heck, I even vote for the school district millage every year.  But I make sure my ballot counts.

Oh, well….

 

ORGINAL: With the early and absentee votes reported, 569 people cast votes FOR the library refinancing and 174 people cast votes AGAINST the bonds.

There were also 4 blank ballots cast, and one ballot cast with apparently the voter marking For and Against.

This will be updated as results come in.

CALS Election Today – Vote Yes!

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Cals ELectionVoters in Little Rock need to go to the polls today! (July 14, 2015)

It is your chance to take an already outstanding library system and make it even stronger!

The Central Arkansas Library System is asking Little Rock voters to approve a bond refinance that will generate about $15,000,000 and reduce property tax rates from one mill to 0.9 mill.

Vote YES!
What will CALS do for Little Rock Voters?

  • Expand the Thompson, Fletcher, and Dee Brown libraries and reconfigure their children’s areas
  • Limited remodel in the Main Library and refurbish the Williams Library
  • Expand and upgrade the digital/Internet network
  • Purchase thousands of books, eBooks, DVDs, & CDs

How does it affect the Little Rock taxpayer?

It will lower taxes by about $2 per year on a $100,000 home and extend the bond payments by approximately five years.

Lower property taxes and higher quality libraries!

(This is only the second time the Culture Vulture has gotten political. The other concerned the vote to renovate Robinson Center Music Hall.  In both instances, the financial impact per citizen was negligible, but the cultural impact was phenomenal.  The Culture Vulture will never endorse candidates.)

Good Intentions make for Best Impressions in tonight’s Tales from the South at the Arkansas Arts Center

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talesfromthesouthThe road to Hell may be paved by good intentions.  But they also make fodder for great stories.

Tonight, Tales originates at Best Impressions at the Arkansas Arts Center. The storytellers for this edition are the 3Ms – Mary Lester, M.B. McQueen, and Marjorie Lacy.

Music is by Brad Williams and blues guitarist Mark Simpson.

“Tales From the South” is a radio show created and produced by Paula Martin Morell, who is also the show’s host. The show is taped live on Tuesday. The night is a cross between a house concert and a reading/show, with incredible food and great company. Tickets must be purchased before the show, as shows are usually standing-room only.

“Tales from the South” is a showcase of writers reading their own true stories. While the show itself is unrehearsed, the literary memoirs have been worked on for weeks leading up to the readings. Stories range from funny to touching, from everyday occurrences to life-altering tragedies.

Dinner is served from 5pm to 6:30pm, the show starts at 7pm.  Admission is $15.  Dinner can be purchased separately.

You MUST purchase your ticket before the show.

Previous episodes of “Tales from the South” air on KUAR Public Radio on Thursdays at 7pm.  This program will air on July 30.

Scottish Play to Strut on Ark Rep Stage for Students Thanks to Shakespeare in American Communities Grant

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ark repThe Arkansas Repertory Theatre was one of 40 nonprofit, professional theater companies across 26 states selected to perform the works of William Shakespeare for students through the Shakespeare in American Communities grant. Participating theater companies will present productions of Shakespeare plays to students from at least 10 schools. The Rep has received a $25,000 grant to support a week of student matinee performances of Macbeth.

The awards mark the 13th consecutive year of Shakespeare in American Communities, a national program managed by Arts Midwest in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA).

The Rep will produce Macbeth in September 2015 on its 377-seat main stage performance space on Main Street in downtown Little Rock as the first of its landmark 40th MainStage Season. The theatre will open the production with a week of free student matinees, attended by schools from across Arkansas.

Shakespeare in American Communities introduces middle and high school students to the power of live theater and the masterpieces of William Shakespeare. Since the program’s inception in 2003, Shakespeare in American Communities has benefited more than 2.5 million individuals, including 2.1 million students, with live performances and educational activities.

“Arts Midwest is so proud to once again partner with the National Endowment for the Arts to support the activities of 40 outstanding theater companies that will bring Shakespeare’s plays alive for students across the country,” says Susan Chandler, vice president of Arts Midwest. “Shakespeare in American Communities’ goals of introducing students to the art form of theater and to Shakespeare’s timeless themes of love, ambition, jealousy, courage, and betrayal will be brilliantly executed by these theaters.”

One hundred and two theater companies across the United States have taken part in Shakespeare in American Communities since its inception 13 years ago. These companies have presented 33 Shakespeare plays through 8,600 performances and 29,000 educational activities at more than 7,900 schools in 3,400 communities in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Additionally, to enhance the educational impact of Shakespeare in American Communities, Arts Midwest and the NEA have developed a comprehensive Shakespeare in American Communities website in order to share resources and grantee spotlights.

View the complete list of the 40 theater companies that have been selected to participate in Shakespeare in American Communities for 2015-2016 at http://www.shakespeareinamericancommunities.org.

The Science of Superheroes tonight at the Museum of Discovery

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SAD Superhero Promo 3Each month the Museum of Discovery hosts “Science after Dark” for adults aged 21 and up.  This month’s theme is “Science of Superheroes.”

It’s a bird, it’s a plane, IT’S SCIENCE AFTER DARK! Learn what makes superheroes so super with hands-on activities and demos (we’ll give you a hint; it has to do with science.)

Grab your favorite cape and pair of tights (tights are optional) and enjoy a night of pizza, beer and superhero science!

The program runs from 6pm to 9pm. Cost is $5, FREE for museum members. (Go ahead and get a membership, it will more than pay for itself within a year!)