The Existentialist Café by Sarah Bakewell

At the Existentialist Café
142.78 B179at
Sarah Blakewell

Paris, near the turn of 1933. Three young friends meet over apricot cocktails at the Bec-de-Gaz bar on the rue Montparnasse. They are Jean-Paul Sartre, Simone de Beauvoir and their friend Raymond Aron, who opens their eyes to a radical new way of thinking. Pointing to his drink, he says, 'You can make philosophy out of this cocktail!'

From this moment of inspiration, Sartre will create his own extraordinary philosophy of real, experienced life – of love and desire, of freedom and being, of cafés and waiters, of friendships and revolutionary fervour. It is a philosophy that will enthral Paris and sweep through the world, leaving its mark on post-war liberation movements, from the student uprisings of 1968 to civil rights pioneers.

At the Existentialist Café tells the story of modern existentialism as one of passionate encounters between people, minds and ideas. From the ‘king and queen of existentialism' – Sartre and de Beauvoir – to their wider circle of friends and adversaries including Albert Camus, Martin Heidegger, Maurice Merleau-Ponty and Iris Murdoch, this book is an enjoyable and original journey through a captivating intellectual movement. Weaving biography and thought, Sarah Bakewell takes us to the heart of a philosophy about life that also changed lives, and that tackled the biggest questions of all: what we are and how we are to live.

(from publisher)

Out on the Wire by Jessica Abel

Out on the Wire
GN Ab34o
Jessica Abel

A graphic narrative that takes readers behind-the-scenes of five of today's most popular narrative radio shows, including "This American Life" and "RadioLab."

Every week, millions of devoted fans download or tune in to "This American Life," "The Moth," "Radiolab," "Planet Money," "Snap Judgment," and other narrative radio shows. The pieces captivating listeners are by turns funny, heartbreaking, and profound. Using personal stories to breathe life into abstractions, these programs help us--all in the space of an hour or less--to understand ourselves and our world a little bit better. Each of these beloved shows has a distinct style, but every one delivers stories that are brilliantly told and produced. "Out on the Wire" offers an unexpected window into this new kind of storytelling--one that literally illustrates the making of a purely auditory medium.

With the help of "This American Life"'s Ira Glass, Jessica Abel, a cartoonist and devotee of narrative radio, uncovers just how radio producers construct a narrative, spilling some juicy insider details. Jad Abumrad of "RadioLab" talks about chasing moments of awe with scientists, while "Planet Money"'s Robert Smith speaks candidly about his slightly goofy strategy for putting interviewees at ease. And Abel reveals how mad--really mad--Ira Glass becomes when he receives edits from his colleagues. Informative and engaging, "Out on the Wire" demonstrates that, even in the midst of all the other media that consumes us, radio is still very much alive.

(from publisher)

Filmish by Edward Ross

Filmish
GN R733f
Edward Ross

Cartoonist Edward Ross uses comics to illuminate the ideas behind our favorite movies. In Filmish, Ross’s cartoon alter ego guides readers through the annals of cinematic history, introducing some of the strange and fascinating concepts at work in the movies. Each chapter focuses on a particular theme—the body, architecture, language—and explores an eclectic mix of cinematic triumphs, from A Tripto the Moon to Top Gun. Like other bestselling nonfiction graphic novels such as Scott McCloud’s Understanding Comics, Filmish tackles serious issues—sexuality, race, censorship, propaganda—with authority and wit, throwing new light on some of the greatest films ever made

(from publisher)

This May Sound Crazy by Abigail Breslin

This May Sound Crazy
791.45028092 B754b
Abigail Breslin

Academy Award-nominated actress and musician Abigail Breslin is your best friend in her publishing debut, a collection of hilarious and heartfelt nonfiction essays on the subjects nearest and dearest to our hearts: love, loss, and Tumblr.

Growing up in film and the online era, Abigail knows better than anyone—it’s rough out there in love-land. And this generation is ill-prepared to handle it gracefully. Let’s be honest: if Cinderella had been on Twitter, she’d have ended up a crazy old cat lady like the rest of us. #realtalk

So when your “boyfriend” is liking different eligible young things’ selfies, what’s a modern ingenue to do? Put down the iPhone, step away from the hair dye, and ~chill~. Abbie is here with cautionary tales and solid advice on being a classy-ass lady in the digital age.

Because, girls, we’re more than what meets the newsfeed. And this may sound crazy…

But we’ve got this.

(from publisher)