“Quintessential American Fiction, According to the Rest of the World,” Literary Hub
For the Fourth of July, Literary Hub did a “deeply unscientific survey” of writers, editors, publishers, critics and translators, asking them to name three “quintessentially American books” and explain their choices. The resulting list of 92 titles is illuminating, fun to read, and occasionally puzzling (“The Donald Duck Book”?). We’re glad to see Ray Bradbury and F. Scott Fitzgerald in there. Kind of embarrassed at the number of books we haven’t read, and curious to see similar surveys, unscientific or not, of American experts on quintessential books from other lands. —Pamela Espeland, Artscape writer
“What’s in a Prison Meal?” The Marshall Project
It looks like jail/prison cuisine is worse than you thought. The Marshall Project looks into inmate meals – or lack thereof – at jails and prisons across the country, and the findings are pretty alarming. In Morgan County, Alabama, the jail spends a mere 58 cents on a meal per inmate. Offenders in Gordon County, Georgia have taken to eating toothpaste and toilet paper to supplement the measly 2,800 calories they’re served per day. The story also examines the spotty laws around feeding inmates, and civil rights claims over the meager portions. — Andy Mannix, data reporter
“Our 18th Century Bill of Rights Needs Revising,” Truthout
The framers of the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights did a lot of early work in establishing fundamental rights that government had to respect. But, as with other things that were invented more than two centuries ago, subsequent human experience, changes in attitudes and technology have produced more up-to-date models. In this story for lefty site Truthout, sociologist Judith Blau argues that the Bill of Rights needs updating, summarizing some of the rights that are guaranteed in many of the newer constitutions, but not in ours. — Eric Black, columnist
“Los Angeles Illustrator Dallas Clayton Draws Happiness,” i-D
Dallas Clayton has been a favorite of mine for years, since he released “An Awesome Book,” a picture book about big dreams and remembering how to dream. In this interview he tells some of his story, what he’s trying to do with his work, and throws in a few fun illustrations. — Jonathan Stegall, user experience engineer
“Remembering Hermann Zapf, 1918-2015,” MyFonts
Zapf, the German calligrapher and type designer who created more than 200 fonts, including Palatino, Optima and Zapf Chancery, is remembered for his enthusiasm, attention to detail, and work ethic by four collaborators and admirers. — Corey Anderson, web editor
“How Esquire Engineered the Modern Bachelor,” The Awl
Manisha Aggarwal-Schifellite takes a critical look at Esquire and its ongoing attempt throughout its history to plant a flag for male power, usually in opposition to even modest gains by women, rather than targeting the corporations that were really eating away at an individual man’s control of himself — but that also happened to be cutting the advertising checks. Behind all that confident swagger on the cover there’s a deep sense of insecurity about the erosion of male privilege. — Tom Nehil, news editor
“Wow. ClickHole,” Slate
Like many, I wept a little when satirical newspaper The Onion stopped printing their paper edition, which I would triumphantly pick up from the gas station each week then giggle madly as I pored over the articles. The Onion’s new baby Clickhole is the most certainly the best thing to happen to the Internet since the Internet — Clickhole’s parody of Buzzfeed-type listicles and quizzes is only slightly more absurd and inane than the actual thing. — Ashleigh Swenson, membership coordinator
“We don’t trust drinking fountains anymore, and that’s bad for our health,” The Washington Post
Thanks Perrier! Public drinking fountains have gone from symbol of clean water and public health to being rendered endangered by bottled water and local government neglect, all to the detriment of our health and environment, writes Kendra Pierre-Louis in the Washington Post. —Peter Callaghan, local government reporter
