Month: November 2008

Book of the Day: Post-Election

Stare, see, take in, grasp
Comprehend, assimilate, behold your reflection

Its framing – gold plated lies
The canvas – hurting souls caught and weaved
The artist – the human dream
Incinerated, devoured, deceived

-Meshuggah, “Combustion” from Obzen

I was once convinced the band Meshuggah were afraid of robots (Cylons specifically), but I think what they’re really afraid of is the idea that people ingest what they hear and become complacent or accepting of it without questioning the source.  This election has engrossed me, and I’ve always been cognisant of the fact that I’ve watched it primarily on MSNBC.  Sometimes, I tuned into Fox, and occasionally, Anderson Cooper and Wolf Blitzer (what a name!) would join me from CNN.

Why? Because like Meshuggah, I have to remind myself that everything I see is tinted by a point of view.  That processing what the media gives me means understanding the filters my information has been put through.  Today’s book, Media Literacy: Keys to Interpreting Media Messages applies to news, advertisements, print, electronic, online, on television: everything.  This book by Art Silverblatt examines the weight and influence leveraged by what we are shown, what we aren’t, and how it is presented to us. The book gives media students and enthusiasts a framework for analysis as well as a guide for specific media outlets and how to properly scrutinize sources of information.

…This doesn’t mean you don’t have to worry about Cylons…

Book of the Day Returns to Children’s Books (Kind Of)

Dear Kansans:  Vote. Before the end of tomorrow, if you have not already, please vote.

Dear Members of the Show Me State: Vote tomorrow.

In order to distract most from the political overload that all comes to a head tomorrow evening or Wednesday morning, I’m falling back on what will become the classic diversion here:  children’s books.

It’s a celebration!  Well, of art. A Caldecott Celebration by Leonard Marcus is an in-depth look at the history of the award, and seven of its most acclaimed winners.  It goes into the stories and studios of these honored artists and shows why and how they do what they do.  Included are the artists Maurice Sendak (Where the Wild Things Are) and Mordicai Gerstein (The Man Who Walked Between The Towers), plus five other famous folks. Quick reads are good distractions for the next 48 hours.  You may want to check it out.