Books to Know – TOP 10 LIST – November 2012
1. Reading Lolita in Tehran
by Azar Nafisi, 2003 (See review)
2. Woes of the True Policeman
by Roberto Bolaño, Nov 13, 2012
Allegedly the last novel from posthumous author Roberto Bolaño, the English translation of Woes of the True Policeman will be released on November 13. Óscar Amalfitano is an exiled Chilean professor who moves to Mexico and encounters a characteristic slew of murders and corruption. The novel, although unfinished, builds on themes, characters, and places from Bolaño’s previous work.
3. The Round House
by [...]
BOOK REVIEW – Reading Lolita in Tehran: Celebrated as part of D.C. Reads
November 1, 2012
Miriam Laufer
Book Critic
Book Review
Reading seems like an ideal pastime for a city where free access to knowledge and culture is cherished, not to mention where so many have long commutes on public transportation. During the storm that hit the area this week, books looked a lot more attractive as their electronic counterparts failed in nearly 400,000 area outages as of Monday night. In an informal survey of 22 DC metro area residents, however, only three had heard of [...]
HEALTHY LIVING – The Meningitis Outbreak: Tragically Avoidable
November 1, 2012
By Alia Knight
News Writer/News Assistant
Healthy Living
Photo Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
In a fungal meningitis outbreak that Dr. Michael Carome, deputy director of the Public Citizen’s Health Research Group, has called “completely avoidable,” 372 infections have been documented across nineteen states. Twenty-five of those people infected died as a result. These cases have been attributed to contaminated steroid injections given for treatment of chronic pain. Despite a recall order and an indefinite cessation of production by the New England Compounding [...]
Redskins fall to Steelers 27-12; Giants are World Series champs
Photo: Associated Press
October 29, 2012
By Ceci Ferrara
Sports Writer
Sports Insider
For the second straight week, the Redskins fell short. But unlike last time, it wasn’t even close. Though the media mocked the Steelers for their bumblebeelike throwback uniforms, it was the Redskins’ performance that was laughable. Their receivers dropped 10 passes – the most by any team in a single game so far this season. Kai Forbath’s extra point was blocked in the second quarter, giving the Redskins only six points in [...]
METRO LINK – A.J. Cooper: An Uphill Climb to DC City Council At-Large
October 1, 2012
By Jordan Schatz
Reporter/News Writer
Metro Link
Washington, D.C. City Council hopeful A.J. Cooper had never intended to run for office, until it seemed he had not other choice. “Anyone who knows my family knows that we have a history of public service and a history of politics, so when I was growing up I wanted to do the exact opposite,” said Cooper, who resides in the same two-story house where he was born, just off Georgia Avenue in [...]
BOOK REVIEW – The Art Forger: A Fiction Nearly Compelling as the Truth
October 1, 2012
Miriam Laufer
Book Critic
Book Review
What is a forgery? Where does the fault line between artwork and forgery lie? This is what Claire Roth, the protagonist of B.A. Shapiro’s elegantly layered new novel, The Art Forger, refers to as the craquelure.
Now that Whitey Bulger has been brought to justice, Shapiro, novelist and professor at Northeastern University, turns our attention to Boston’s other great modern mystery—the 1990 art heist at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. At this time, there has been [...]
October 2012 – Calendar of Events – 50 Fun Things to Do in DC
October 1, 2012
Alexandra Taylor
Assistant Editor
Calendar of Events
Oct. 1. Blondie. The State Theatre. 220 North Washington St., Falls Church, V.A. Information: thestatetheatre.com, (703) 237-0300.
Oct. 1. David Byrne in Conversation. The National Museum of Natural History. 1000 Constitution Avenue Northwest, Washington, D.C. Information: smithsonianassociates.org.
Oct. 2-8. The Big Apple Circus. Dulles Town Center. 21100 Dulles Town Circle, Dulles, V.A. Information: bigapplecircus.org, (888) 541-3750.
Oct. 2-7. Black Watch. Sidney Harman Hall. 601 F St. Northwest, Washington, D.C. Information: shakespearetheatre.org.
Oct. 2. Animal Collective, Micachu, and the [...]
Books to Know – TOP 10 LIST – October 2012
1. The Art Forger
by B.A. Shapiro, October 23 2012 (See book review)
2. The Casual Vacancy
by J.K. Rowling, 2012
The long-awaited new novel from the bestselling author of the Harry Potter series was released on September 27. J.K. Rowling retains her fondness for odd names with a new ensemble cast set in the English town of Pagford. When Barry Fairbrother is murdered, the town unravels over the fate of his vacant seat on the parish council. It remains to be seen whether [...]
HEALTHY LIVING – Necrotizing Fasciitis: The Flesh-eating Disease Growing in the U.S.
Photo Courtesy WGCL-TV
October 1, 2012
By Hanna Mangold
News Writer/News Assistant
Healthy Living
The phrase “flesh-eating bacteria” has been thrown around a lot in the news recently as a result of Aimee Copeland’s high-profile survival story, but what does it mean for you, and how can its devastating consequences be avoided or prevented?
To begin, flesh-eating bacteria is the somewhat sensationalized term often associated with a quick-spreading infection known as necrotizing fasciitis. This serious and potentially fatal infection is the result [...]
CBC honors Norton’s 21 years of service to the District
September 26, 2012
Photos: Joshua Lanier/DC Spotlight Newspaper
Metro Events
On Friday, the Congressional Black Caucus ended their week of events with a reception honoring Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton. DC Mayor Vincent Gray and many loyal Norton supporters and DC residents joined in the celebration. Norton ended the night with her traditional dance — the electric slide — as supporters took to the floor to dance along with her. Norton is celebrating 21 years as the District’s only representative.
TRAVEL – Shenandoah Valley: An Autumn Adventure Rich in History
September 1, 2012
By Alexandra Taylor
Assistant Editor
Travel
Over a century and a half after the Civil War, the Shenandoah Valley is rich with American history. Bounded to the east by the Blue Ridge Mountains, to the west by the Ridge & Valley Appalachians, and spanned by the Shenandoah River, this most majestic section of Virginia is just over an hour’s drive from D.C on route 66. The Valley is a lovely locale for a romantic getaway, offering [...]
