This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more Research has looked into where holidaymakers feel like strangers (Image: Getty) A new study by Ubuy ranked countries where visitors are most likely to feel like strangers, based on key factors like English proficiency, friendliness, and…
EducationUSA Chennai and the American Center are organising a mix of student-centric events on Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Teaching Science through Storytelling and Drama at the U.S. Consulate General Chennai.In addition, EducationUSA Chennai is hosting a U.S. University Alumni Fair between 2:00 and 5:00 p.m. on Saturday, November 23 at the Anna Centenary Library in Chennai, where students aspiring to study in the United States can enjoy free live consultations with alumni from 13 U.S. universities. Entry is free. Those interested in attending the fair can register at https://bit.ly/EdUSA-AlumniFair-Nov23The United States and India share a longstanding relationship in the field of education and continue to work together on a wide range of initiatives, from early childhood education to promoting two-way student mobility at both the undergraduate and graduate levels.This ongoing collaboration is now expanding with the launch of the new “Women in STEMM Fellowship” (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Medicine), a partnership between John Hopkins University Gupta-Klinsky India Institute and the U.S.-India Alliance for Women’s Economic Empowerment, aimed at supporting and empowering early-career women scientists and researchers in India to become leaders in their STEMM fields.This investment in education is yielding significant results. Highlighting the release of the latest Open Doors Report, U.S. Ambassador to India Eric Garcetti announced that for the first time since 2009, India sent more students to the United States than any other country! More than 330,000 Indians pursued higher education in the United States in 2023/2024, a 23 percent increase over the prior year.The Open Doors report highlights significant growth across various levels:Graduate Enrollment: India retained its position as the top sender of international graduate students for the second year, with nearly 197,000 students—a 19 percent increase from last year.Optional Practical Training (OPT): The number of Indian students in OPT programs surged by 41 percent to 97,556, reinforcing India’s role as a leading source of skilled professionals in the United States.Undergraduate Enrollment: Undergraduate numbers from India rose by 13 percent, reaching over 36,000 students.These increases underscore India’s upward trajectory in U.S. higher education over the past two years, fueled by a strong interest in advanced academic and professional opportunities.This year’s Open Doors Report also shows a 300 percent increase in American students choosing India as a study abroad destination. The number of Americans studying in India rose from 300 to 1,300 in just one year.The release of the Open Doors Report marks the beginning of International Education Week (IEW) which celebrates the benefits of international education and exchange worldwide.Speaking at the STEMM launch event, Ambassador Garcetti said, “Today we gather to launch the “Women in STEM Development and Medicine Fellowship” — or the “Women in STEMM India Fellowship” — an initiative of the U.S.- India Alliance for Women’s Economic Empowerment led by the Gupta-Klinsky India Institute at Johns Hopkins University. This event is a reminder of the global importance of education, collaboration, and gender equity in shaping the future of science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and medicine (STEMM). The launch of the “Women in STEMM Fellowship” coinciding with International Education Week makes this moment particularly meaningful and more special. Today marks the celebration of the shared belief that education is not confined by borders, and that collaboration between our countries and institutions is the key to solving global challenges.”Johns Hopkins University President Ronald J. Daniels added: “At Johns Hopkins University, we believe that empowering women in STEMM is essential for advancing global innovation. The Women in STEMM Fellowship, launched in partnership with the U.S. State Department, is designed to help Indian women scientists gain critical research skills, access mentors, and connect with global networks. This fellowship addresses the barriers that often limit women’s progress in these fields by providing the support, training, and resources they need to start and sustain their research careers. We are honored to support talented women as they shape a more impactful future leading the R&D ecosystem in India.”The U.S. Mission India is celebrating its support for U.S.-India education collaboration from primary school to careers, working to increase women’s formal inclusion in the workforce and formal economy.The U.S. Consulate General Mumbai and the University of Denver will soon launch a free “Digital Guide on Internationalization: Simplifying U.S.-India Higher Education Institution (HEI) Collaboration and Partnerships.” This guide will provide Indian colleges and universities with information about the U.S. educational system, resources for internationalizing their campuses by partnering with U.S. colleges and universities, best practices for successful collaborations, the importance of DEIA in recruitment, and ways to build different types of partnerships in areas like student and faculty exchanges, curriculum development, research and data sharing, and more.The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) is celebrating International Education Week with the launch of Learn Play Grow, a new partnership with Sesame Workshop India Trust to enhance foundational learning and safe hygiene practices for children and families in Rajasthan’s Baran and Telangana’s Bhupalapally districts. The initiative will directly engage 20,000-25,000 children at Anganwadi Centres and reach 7.6 million people nationwide via social media. This initiative builds on the U.S. government’s longstanding commitment to quality primary education in India, aligning with the Government of India’s National Initiative for Proficiency in Reading with Understanding and Numeracy (NIPUN) Bharat mission for universal foundational literacy, inclusive school access, and gender-equitable education.EducationUSA, a U.S. Department of State-funded program, promotes access to U.S. higher education for students around the world, including in India, through a range of tailored initiatives and resources. The recently launched EducationUSA India website (educationusa.in) is part of ongoing efforts to make it easier for students across India to explore the possibilities of studying in the United States.Students can download the EducationUSA India app, available for free on iOS and Android devices, for the latest information about the college application process. It is a quick and easy first step to planning higher education in the United States. Or visit https://educationusa.in/.India Fact Sheet of Open Doors Report: https://opendoorsdata.org/fact_sheets/student-mobility/RelatedTags: American Center news, chennai news, Education USA newa, EducationUSA news, featured, India news, latest news, Latest US Education news, US Consulate news
Simplifying…
Inshort
Despite global efforts to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius, scientists warn we’re heading towards a 2.7 degrees increase.
The UN Secretary-General urges swift action, but the goal seems unattainable without major advancements in carbon removal technologies.
The potential return of Trump could further hinder progress, while irreversible climate tipping points, like Amazon deforestation and polar ice sheet collapse, loom dangerously.
Was a long read? Making it simpler…
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Nov 19, 2024
01:23 pm
What’s the story
Climate scientists have deemed the global target of limiting temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius as unachievable.
As world leaders convene at Cop29 in Baku, experts anticipate that 2024 will surpass this threshold, marking the hottest year on record.
Leading research groups corroborate that three out of five expect a temperature rise of at least 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.
Climate warning
Paris Agreement’s 1.5 degrees Celsius target impractical, warns experts
Despite the Paris Agreement’s goal to keep long-term temperature rise below 1.5 degrees Celsius, scientists now warn that this target is no longer feasible.
Zeke Hausfather from Stripe and Berkeley Earth stated that the goal of avoiding a temperature rise of 1.5 degrees Celsius is effectively unattainable, describing it as being “deader than a doornail.”
He emphasized the need to curb rising emissions to prevent further global warming.
Rising temperatures
Climate Analytics warns of a 2.7 degrees Celsius increase
Last year’s shocking heatwave has led to a lot of soul-searching among climate scientists, with high temperatures continuing to persist even as the El Nino effect fades.
Sofia Gonzales-Zuniga from Climate Analytics said that even if the current pledges are met, the world is on the path to a 2.7 degrees Celsius increase.
This rise in temperature threatens severe climate impacts and further highlights the urgency of tackling global warming.
Climate action
UN Secretary-General urges swift action at Cop29
At the Cop29 conference, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged world leaders to act swiftly against the planet’s ongoing “masterclass in climate destruction.”
However, the 1.5 degrees Celsius target now seems more rhetorical than feasible without major advancements in carbon removal technologies.
NASA’s Gavin Schmidt expressed skepticism about reaching this target but acknowledged its motivational impact on reducing emissions and mitigating warming effects.
Political impact
Potential Trump return could hinder climate efforts
The possible return of Donald Trump to power could further stall climate efforts, possibly adding 0.04 degrees Celsius to global temperatures, the Climate Action Tracker report said.
Despite the challenges, progress in clean energy provides some hope compared to pre-Paris Agreement projections.
Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo noted progress in climate policy over the past decade at Cop29, but fears of triggering irreversible climate tipping points remain.
Climate risks
Climate tipping points loom, warns UK Met Office
Grahame Madge of the UK Met Office highlighted the escalating risks of irreversible climate tipping points, such as Amazon deforestation and polar ice sheet collapse.
He described these thresholds as looming dangers that must not be underestimated.
Zeke Hausfather reinforced the urgency of action, stressing that even slight temperature increases significantly affect the climate.
He underscored the uncertainty of pushing the climate system beyond its historical stability, describing it as venturing into unknown and potentially perilous territory.
Your support helps us to tell the storyFrom reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it’s investigating the financials of Elon Musk’s pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, ‘The A Word’, which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.Your support makes all the difference.CloseRead moreEngland Women manager Sarina Wiegman has recalled Gabby George to the squad for the first time in two years and Millie Turner is also called up after missing out since summer, as the Lionesses prepare for fixtures against Emma Hayes’ USA at Wembley and then Switzerland in Sheffield.There are several notable injury absences from the squad, including Ella Toone, Lauren James and Lauren Hemp.Orlando pride goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse, Leicester midfielder Ruby Mace and Manchester City’s Laura Blindkilde Brown are the three uncapped players in the squad, the latter two receiving their first senior call-ups.The game against USA will see Emma Hayes return to London, where she succesfully managed Chelsea to multiple WSL titles – and has since led the USWNT to Olympic gold in Paris.Switzerland are the hosts of next year’s European Championship, with England not having faced off against either nation since 2022 – when the Lionesses won both encounters.“This is an important international window for us to continue our work to be ready for next summer’s Euros. Every minute of these two games and every moment spent together at St. George’s Park is to make sure we’re where we need to be when the tournament begins,” said Wiegman.“As we continue our preparations we want to test ourselves against the very best and that’s why we have carefully selected the USA and Switzerland. They are two opponents who will challenge us in different ways this window and that’s exactly what we want.”England Women squad in full:Goalkeepers: Mary Earps, Hannah Hampton, Anna MoorhouseDefenders: Millie Bright, Lucy Bronze, Jess Carter, Gabby George, Alex Greenwood, Maya Le Tissier, Esme Morgan, Millie Turner, Leah WilliamsonMidfielders: Laura Blindkilde Brown, Grace Clinton, Fran Kirby, Ruby Mace, Jess Park, Georgia Stanway, Keira WalshForwards: Aggie Beever-Jones, Chloe Kelly, Beth Mead, Jess Naz, Alessia RussoThe games take place on Saturday 30 November against USA at Wembley, before the squad head north to face Switzerland on Tuesday 3 December at Bramall Lane.
Amazon, Uncommon Goods, Rifle Paper Co.A set of packing cubes, a travel stub diary and a luggage tag.If you have a loved one who’s constantly boarding flights or seeking new adventures, a holiday gift that feeds their wanderlust might be the perfect type of present. Travel-related gifts can straddle the line between fun and practical, and your recipient can get years of use out of many of them, making these gifts the ones that keep on giving.Think about it: A good travel gift can make your giftee’s airport experience less hectic, their packing situation more organized or even their overall trip more memorable. If you’re hoping to score some brownie points with someone who’s. caught the travel bug, look no further — we’ve rounded up some of the best options from all over the internet.Advertisement
Check Out All Of Our Gift GuidesHuffPost and its publishing partners may receive a commission from some purchases made via links on this page. Every item is independently curated by the HuffPost Shopping team. Prices and availability are subject to change.1AmazonA handy travel jewelry organizerAvailable in three colors, this velvet travel jewelry box has two larger compartments, six slot rolls and one elastic pocket on the underside of the lid. The box’s measurements are less than 2-by-4 inches, so it can easily fit inside a suitcase or carry-on. The organizer zips shut with gold hardware for both security and elegance.$22 at Amazon2Uncommon GoodsA travel stub diary to keep track of their mementosOne of my favorite parts of traveling has always been collecting ticket stubs, maps and other little mementos to take home with me, though they always eventually get lost somewhere at the bottom of my purse. If your recipient is the same, a travel stub diary can provide both a solution and a conversation starter. The diary has space for them to write about their travels, as well as clear sleeves that can preserve any mementos they want to keep, like postcards and museum brochures.Promising review: “My daughter put the Travel Stub Diary on her wish list and I found it such a useful and fun item. Instead of accumulating mementos in random places or a dusty shoe box, this diary will serve as a way to organize them into a ‘good times album.’ She can refresh good memories and rekindle the excitement that travel offers whenever she chooses. I’m already thinking about who else I want to give that opportunity to.” — Alicia$15 at Uncommon Goods3AmazonA sleeping mask with Bluetooth headphonesFor someone who frequently takes long-haul flights, blocking out the noise and lights of the plane can make a huge difference in getting some shuteye. This mask blocks out the light while doubling as wireless Bluetooth headphones so your giftee can listen to music or a podcast uninterrupted, and is made of a stretchy, breathable material that can fit to their face.Promising review: “I give these as gifts for traveling – block out noises and are so comfortable to sleep with. I use them every night at home and they have stood up to a lot of use. Easy to wash which is so important.” — LeenR$20 at AmazonAdvertisement
4AmazonA reusable silicone Go Bag from StasherWe’ve covered reusable Stasher bags before, for their ability to save people money and waste on single-use plastic bags. But while these are great for produce or snacks, they can also be used to hold a phone, makeup or other items your gift recipient may want to take with them on the go. This version, called the Go Bag, comes with a carabiner to attach to a belt loop or backpack for easy storage and access. It has the same pinch-lock seal you know and love Stasher for, and is dishwasher-, microwave- and oven-safe up to 425 degrees.Promising review: “I use these to keep my phone dry when I’m around water. They are not meant for submersion, but will easily protect my phone from splashes. I love the attached carabiner for anchoring this to a kayak webbing or to attach my keys when I’m out at the pool. At the beach, these also keep sand away from the phone. I’ve given several as gifts and everyone loves them.” — Kathryn$14+ at Amazon (regularly $20)5AmazonA set of packing cubes in their favorite colorIf your giftee doesn’t already have packing cubes to organize their luggage, they’ll likely thank you for purchasing them a set like this popular eight-piece collection. The polyester cubes are available in a wide range of colors and have smooth zippers, mesh panels so they can easily see what’s inside each one and compact designs that can fit multiple suitcase sizes. The set includes standard cubes of four sizes in addition to bags for accessories, laundry, cosmetics or toiletries and shoes.Promising review: “These are a must have for travel! Now that I have used them I can’t fathom traveling without them. I even use them in my gym bag. This will be my go to Christmas gift this year and for graduations gifts. I am a teacher and I get invited to many graduation parties. This will be my new graduation gift for my college bond students.” — Frequent shopper$17+ at Amazon6AnthropologieA glass matchbook-style ornament of their favorite destinationWhile it won’t exactly help your recipient during their travels, this glass ornament can be a thoughtful way to acknowledge their journeys at home. Shaped like a matchbook and about the same size, the ornament has fun, colorful designs for cities all over the United States and beyond. Choose their home away from home, favorite vacation spot or the next place on their bucket list, and add some of the outside world to their home.Promising review: “Great gift. Great quality, and perfect size! I got the New York match box and it’s perfect” — AlyssaJarae$28 at Amazon$28 at Anthropologie$28 at Furbish StudioAdvertisement
7AmazonA bestselling toiletry bag with a convenient hanging hookIf an entire set of luggage organization seems like a lot, even just one toiletry bag can make your recipient’s life way easier. Take this Bagsmart toiletry bag, for example — it’s the No. 1 bestseller in its category on Amazon, and has over 48,000 5-star ratings on the site for its convenience. The bag comes in two sizes and a bunch of colors, has four compartments, is water-resistant and comes with a non-slip, 360-degree hook so they can hang it up to get easy access to all the contents. Speaking of the compartments, two of them are transparent so they don’t have to rifle through to find what they’re looking for, and the main pockets also have elastic straps to keep bottles in place and avoid spills.$15+ at Amazon$30+ at Bagsmart8SephoraA travel gift set with a trio of TikTok-viral skin care favoritesSelf-pampering is important on the go, too, and this travel size gift set by Sol de Janeiro makes that clear. The clear travel case comes with three travel-size products: a fragrance mist, shower gel and the ever-popular Brazilian Bum Bum Cream. If your giftee likes both travel and beauty, this is a happy medium between the two.$32 at Amazon$32 at Sephora$32 at Ulta9CalpakAn award-winning Calpak duffel bag that can hold just about everythingSay it with me: Nine pockets! Yes, nine, including a shoe compartment to keep them separate. Anyone who takes a lot of weekend trips can appreciate a duffel bag like Calpak’s Luka duffel, which comes in a bunch of colors and two sizes, depending on how much your recipient needs to pack. The material is water- and scratch-resistant, and the back has a luggage trolley sleeve for easy transportation with a suitcase. The bag can hold up to 25 pounds in the interior and exterior pockets. With a Readers’ Choice Award for best luggage from “Condé Nast Traveler” this year, this is a reliable option if you’re looking to spend a little more on a travel-friendly gift.$102 at CalpakAdvertisement
10NordstromA Hydroflask water bottle to keep them hydrated on their adventuresWhether for a long flight, outdoor adventures or city trekking, a reusable water bottle will always come in handy for a traveler. And while there have been many contenders for the best one on the market, this Hydroflask remains a favorite with 4.8 stars across more than 26,000 ratings on Amazon. The lid is leakproof, and the bottle is insulated and dishwasher-safe — basically everything you could want in a water bottle. And even if your recipient doesn’t have a dishwasher, the wide-mouth design makes cleaning easier anyway. The bottle comes in a bunch of colors, so there’s bound to be one they’ll love.$33+ at Amazon (regularly $50)$37 at Nordstrom (regularly $50)11Rifle Paper Co.An appropriately themed chic luggage tagA baggage tag makes for a fun gift that they’ll probably use for years, and can also bring a bit of personality to their luggage. This one from Rifle Paper Co. is covered in a pattern aptly titled “Bon Voyage,” showcasing landmarks every world traveler should know. They can write any important information on the inside card, which slides out — otherwise, only their name is visible through the clear window for privacy.Right now, Rifle Paper Co. is the best place to add this to your cart with a 50% off deal, though it’s also sold at Anthropologie at full price.Promising review: “Can’t wait to take this luggage tag on many adventures. It’s beautifully crafted and colorful. It’ll stand out nicely amongst the other luggage when I travel.” — Caroline R.$14 at Rifle Paper Co. (regularly $28)$28 at Anthropologie12EtsyA deck of travel challenge cards to help them make new memoriesIf your recipient is the kind of traveler who enjoys spontaneity and cultural immersion over tourist traps, this travel challenge card deck can help them make the most of their trips. Great for solo travelers, couples and groups alike, each of the 50 cards contains a quote and a task, from learning a local craft to going without technology for the day. This is both a tangible gift and an experience gift, and the best part is it’s reusable for many trips down the line.Promising review: “I bought these cards for my boyfriend’s mom as a travel thank you gift. She was so excited to use these with the nephews. We cannot wait for our next trip.” — Bekah$23+ at EtsyAdvertisement
13Senko Nelly via Getty ImagesNeed more gifting inspiration?Check Out All Of Our Gift GuidesRelatedshopping travelGift Guides20 Things On Amazon That Make Perfect Gifts26 Foolproof Holiday Gifts For People Who Are Hard To Buy For22 Gifts That Are Wildly Practical Without Being Boring
“Mud Lake” by TJ Buck is set in a small town similar to Bemus Point, and what happens after a serial killer is discovered. The cover photo comes from Buck’s friend, Chuck Ferraro.
Submitted photoLocal author, TJ Buck, has focused all of his novels on crime in some way or another, and this time his focus is on crime in a small town.Buck’s ninth novel, “Mud Lake” will be released on Nov 15. The book includes multiple crime story aspects including good cops, bad cops, love, murder, and a priest’s redemption, according to a review of the book from Douglas Osgood, a Western short story writer. Buck said for this novel he wanted to focus on a small town.
“I wanted to set it in a small town that is reliant on tourism,” Buck said. “So, I set it in a fictional version of Bemus Point, though I changed some things for the story. My last few novels have been set in cities and I wanted to explore the small town and what having a serial killer might do to a place like that.”
This is Buck’s second novel this year, and while he said he usually only does one a year, after getting the idea in his head, Buck felt the need to write this one now as well. The main character, Father Joe, stems off of his previous novels, and Buck added that the other main character is an adult film star, and he wanted to explore the two main characters as polar opposites as they move to the small town and get involved in the murder.
“What I try to do with each of my novels is explore different aspects of crime,” Buck said. “I look at the victims, their families, the place, rather than the actual criminal. You know, for serial killers, everyone knows Ted Bundy, but not the names of his victims. I focused on the town at large for this novel, rather than the killer.”
Pictured is TJ Buck, who recently wrote his ninth novel, which will be released on Nov 15.
Submitted photoBuck added that he always gives each book a different twist in order to challenge himself and generate new ideas. He said he has the idea for his next one in his head already, but that he likes to sit with the ideas in his mind for a few months before beginning to write, and that the next one after “Mud Lake” will most likely come out sometime next year.
“I can sit with an idea for months before I write,” Buck said. “I like to know the end beforehand, so I have something to write towards.”
All of Buck’s books are available on Amazon in both ebook format and paperback, along with at Good Neighbor Bookstore in Lakewood. Future events for “Mud Lake” include an interview with WRAF radio and a book signing at Good Neighbor Bookstore sometime after the book is released on Nov 15.
Can you sing along to “Wicked” show tunes in a movie theater? Depends on who you ask.The cinematic retelling of the famed Broadway musical has sparked a debate online among die-hard fans about whether it’s appropriate to belt along with the on-screen cast while at the movies.Moviegoers who spoke to NBC News said they expect excited “theater kids” to know the etiquette of not singing over the actors during the show. Many said they plan to lip sync, but that they would save the actual singing along for another time.“You would never sing in a Broadway theater,” said Alex Lewis, a longtime member of the off-Broadway community who was among the many people who posted his take on the debate on TikTok. He and his band, Lewberger, posted a short song joking about the discourse last month.“I want to hear Cynthia Erivo singing, I want to hear Ariana Grande singing,” Lewis said, referring to the actors who star as the film’s protagonists, Elphaba, the eventual Wicked Witch of the West, and Galinda/Glinda, who is later called “Glinda the Good,” respectively. “I don’t want to hear you singing.” The discourse surrounding “Wicked” mirrors other recent conversations about etiquette at public gatherings. At concerts and sporting events, many people have noticed an influx in perceived bad behavior, including throwing items at artists or athletes. However, when it comes to movie theater etiquette, the conversation has largely centered around people using their devices during the film. In the past, some moviegoers have welcomed singing out loud. When the “Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour” film hit theaters, singing and dancing appeared to be encouraged after a scramble for expensive tickets left some without an opportunity to see the tour in person. Similarly, some “Wicked” fans who never saw the musical onstage said the movie version will give them the opportunity to experience watching the Wicked Witch of the West take flight for the first time. The musical, which takes place before, during and after “The Wizard of Oz,” follows Elphaba and Glinda’s unlikely friendship. “It was always way too expensive to go because it was just so popular,” said Lexi Williams, 30, who listened to the “Wicked” soundtrack religiously as a teen. “I still haven’t seen it. So when they announced that the movie was coming out, I was like, ‘Oh, that’s gonna be great.’” Part one of the film, directed by Jon Chu, also stars Jonathan Bailey as the love interest, Fiyero, and Michelle Yeoh as Shiz University headmaster Madame Morrible. The second part of the feature film adaptation will debut Nov. 21, 2025.Williams is among the contingent of “Wicked” fans who think singing along in a theater wouldn’t be the worst offense. Though she’s still not sure if she’ll be the first to break into song. In her TikTok video, she joked that when the song “Defying Gravity” comes on, she will need all of her willpower to refrain from belting.Recognizing the fan passion surrounding the musical, some theaters like Alamo Drafthouse have already sold out “interactive” showings, which actually recommend fans go all-out. The popular chain frequently hosts what it calls Movie Parties, which are interactive and prop-filled.For “Wicked,” the theater chain promised on its website, there will be “props no visit to Oz would be complete without,” as well as “singing, green-tinted glasses, pink bubbles, glitter, Shiz University notebooks, and even broom pens.”A spokesperson for Alamo Drafthouse did not immediately return a request for comment about its showings. On Monday, a spokesperson for Universal Pictures, the distributor of “Wicked,” confirmed Variety’s report that the studio plans to offer interactive showings of the movie in roughly 1,000 North American cinemas starting Dec. 25. (NBC News and Universal Pictures share Comcast as a parent company.)In an interview with NBC News, Grande and Erivo acknowledged that the urge to sing along in the theater is “tempting.”“I say if you come the first time and you sing through, sing through,” Erivo said. “But come a second time and let us sing to you.”“We understand it if you do, and if you don’t,” Grande added. “We support whatever makes them [the fans] happy.”However, Grande joked, “if someone throws popcorn at you, or their phone or something, maybe stop.”
By Amir Orusov and Anastasiia Kozlova (Reuters) – Sonova reported half-year core profit below market expectations on Tuesday, hit by costs related to the launch of its new AI-boosted hearing device which it is betting on to regain market share. The world’s largest maker of hearing aids reaffirmed its targets for the year through March…
November 19, 2024, 4:21am
November has been quite a month, and one of the few constants it has had is its lack of constancy, its surprises. Still, one thing does remain consistent: that there will be new books to consider each Tuesday. Below, you’ll find twenty-three books out today in fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. You’ll find well-known and up-and-coming authors alike; you’ll find beautiful new editions of classics that might make excellent gifts, as well as innovative new stories and explorations.Article continues after advertisementRemove Ads
It may be a strange time for many of us, but there’s truly something comforting, if not salvific, about finding a new book to curl up with when the world seems to be spinning widdershins beneath us—and I hope these, which span such a wide range of styles and subjects, will do just that for you.
Read on, stay warm, and be safe, Dear Readers.
*
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Haruki Murakami, The City and Its Uncertain Walls (trans. Philip Gabriel)(Knopf)
“Another beguilingly enigmatic tale from Murakami, complete with jazz, coffee, Borgesian twists, the Beatles, and other trademark motifs….blends science fiction, gothic novel, noir mystery, horror (think Kiyoshi Kurosawa’s film Pulse), and coming-of-age story….[An] elegant fable that deftly weaves ordinary reality…with a shadow world that is at once eerie and beautiful. Astonishing, puzzling, and hallucinatory as only Murakami can be, and one of his most satisfying tales.”–Kirkus Reviews
Jane DeLynn, Colm Toibin (foreword), In Thrall(Semiotext(e))
“Jane DeLynn’s newly republished coming-of-age novel set in the pre-Stonewall ’60s is comedic, haunting, and decidedly untidy.”–Andrew ChanArticle continues after advertisementRemove Ads
Ursula Le Guin, Karen Joy Fowler (foreword) The Dispossessed (5oth Anniversary Edition)(Harper Perennial)
“The Dispossessed, [Le Guin’s] most intricate and beautifully realized book, channels her lifelong obsessions—Daoism, pacifism, humanity’s sacred relationship to the natural world—into a moving story that is also about loneliness, will, and what it means to return home. More than a novel, this is an ontological work of extraordinary imagination and compassion.”–The Atlantic
Abigail Thomas, Still Life at Eighty: The Next Interesting Thing(Scribner)Article continues after advertisementRemove Ads
“Reflections on aging from a master of the fresh and moving fragment….Thomas is always fun, smart, thoughtful, and pithy, modestly trying not to take up too much of your time….her candor is a gift to us all.”–Kirkus Reviews
Robin Wall Kimmerer, The Serviceberry: Abundance and Reciprocity in the Natural World (illustrated by John Burgoyne)(Scribner)
“The Serviceberry is a profoundly important book about how we might remodel consumer economies around mutuality, generosity, and bountifulness. The time you’ll spend reading this book will, like the time spent picking wild berries, nourish your soul, heart, and mind. I hope to give this book to everybody.”–Anthony Doerr
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Edwin Frank, Stranger Than Fiction: Lives of the Twentieth-Century Novel(FSG)
“For lovers of the history of literature, there is no better book to pick up….In a time in which books and book culture are under threat, Frank’s literary history proves to be more than just a trip through our greatest works; it’s an urgent call for daring in our reading and writing.”–Chicago Review of Books
Langston Hughes, Danez Smith (editor), Blues in Stereo: The Early Works of Langston Hughes(Legacy Lit)
“Langston Hughes…wrote directly into the fullness and complexity of the Black experience. The suffering. The joy. The violence. The resilience. His poetry revels in the music of our language. His love for his people leaps from the page. What a gift that Danez Smith, one of our greatest living poets, serves as our guide through this stunning collection of Hughes’ early work. What a gift that we get to see the past and present meeting in this beautiful way.”–Clint Smith
Ryan Ruby, Context Collapse: A Poem Containing a History of Poetry(Seven Stories Press)
“Context Collapse is an erudite and a perceptive essay in the form of a poem, which traces the history of poetry from ancient orality to the electronic age. Using both the line and the footnote in a self-referential and sophisticated performance, it argues that what poetry is depends on the economic, social and technological conditions of its production.”–Eugene Ostashevsky
Billy Collins, Water, Water: Poems(Random House)
“[Billy] Collins remains the most companionable of poetic companions.”–The New York Times
Ann Moschovakis, An Earthquake Is a Shaking of the Surface of the Earth(Soft Skull)
“Like Anna Kavan and Mary Shelley before her, Anna Moschovakis knows that the phone call is always coming from inside the building. An Earthquake Is a Shaking of the Surface of the Earth is a haunting in nine acts–a terrifyingly apt commentary on contemporary psychology in which what has been lost is somehow too close to touch.”–Lucy Ives
Homeless, My Heart Belongs in an Empty Big Mac Container Buried Beneath the Ocean Floor(Clash Books)
“My Heart Belongs in an Empty Big Mac Container Buried Beneath the Ocean Floor is a miserere of grease-soaked depression 2,100 fathoms deep. Surreal and achingly vulnerable. Anyone who has sat paralyzed in the darkest fathoms of human emotion will find this book unsettlingly relatable, and maybe even a little hopeful. Homeless took the kind of desperation that leads you to the point of no return and created something beautiful.”–Alan ten-Hoeve
Ingvild Rishø, Brightly Shining (trans. Caroline Wright)(Grove Press)
“Ingvild Rishøi’s Brightly Shining is a dazzling contemporary fable of hardship and grit about two sisters who refuse to lose hope. Curl up with it for instant hygge and a warming of the heart.”–Lily King
Nate DiMeo, The Memory Palace: True Short Stories of the Past(Random House)
“Nate DiMeo delves through history with a poet’s eye, recovering the strange and revealing and even wonderful detritus of our past and reflecting on it in profound ways. The Memory Palace is a beautiful, moving, and often funny book made out of our collective history and DiMeo’s unique sensibility.”–Phil Klay
Jessie Van Eerden, Yoke and Feather(Dzanc)
“Linking seemingly discordant experiences so apt they ring harmonious as playground song, Van Eerden ruminates within the mundane, connecting memories of past loves and losses to moments here and gone in a spidery blink, burrowing deep in search of illuminating connections. This moving collection explores the poetry only found in meditation on our deepest longings.”–Southern Literary Review
Jim O’Heir, Welcome to Pawnee: Stories of Friendship, Waffles, and Parks and Recreation(William Morrow)
“Filled with hilarious stories and sweet observations, Welcome to Pawnee is a book for any Parks and Rec fan. It’s funny and straight from the heart, and it took me back to the absolute joy it was to make this show with people like our dear Jim O’Heir. Jim did a great job of not Jerry-ing this book.”–Amy Poehler
Traci Brimhall, Love Prodigal(Copper Canyon Press)
“With each successive book, there’s even more grandness to Brimhall’s narrative voice. She writes with a commanding sense, with some poems feeling like the voice beaming to Job, and other poems arriving like a hypnotizing whisper at night….Another masterful book from one of our finest poets.”–The Millions
Niall Williams, Time of the Child(Bloomsbury)
“On the surface, Time of the Child by Niall Williams is an elegiac portrait of life in an Irish village in the Christmas season of 1962. But it is so much more than that. Somehow, by laying bare the inner lives of these decent country people, my own life feels so much richer for having read it. I was deeply moved by this novel.”–Mary Beth Keane
Sascha Naspini, The Bishop’s Villa(Europa)
“The Bishop’s Villa illuminates a dark slice of Italian history. Naspini exposes the brutality of the prison camp and highlights the immense courage of the Resistance fighters. Fans of The Book Thief and All the Light We Cannot See will be moved by the bravery and humanity shared among prisoners, civilians, and sympathizers.”–Booklist
Richard Schoch, How Sondheim Can Change Your Life(Atria Books)
“Richard Schoch presents the complexity of Sondheim’s work with clarity and accessibility. Sondheim continues to change my life, and this book will help many readers, listeners, and theatergoers to understand a bit better how he does it.”–Ben Brantley
Lucy Hughes-Hallett, The Scapegoat: The Brilliant Brief Life of the Duke of Buckingham(Harper)
“I greatly enjoyed this superb chronicle of power and passion, which unfolds like the most improbable fiction, with the oddest cast of characters, the strange king and his favorite, and the court of enablers and plotters—a true Jacobean drama, except bloodier and sexier. Lucy Hughes-Hallett writes with gusto and insight.”–Paul Theroux
Jean Strouse, Family Romance: John Singer Sargent and the Wertheimers(FSG)
“A riveting book about an amazing vanished world, a remarkable family and a great and mysterious artist, told with energy and vividness and sharp humor, full of extraordinary characters, some dubious, some shocking, some tragic, and sweeping with speed and brio over a great arc of time. No one could tell this story better, and what a story it is!”–Hermione Lee
Marcus J. Moore, High and Rising a.k.a. The De La Soul Book(Dey Street Books)
“High And Rising is, among other things, a love letter, but not one grounded solely in the romantics of the past. Nostalgia enriches the storytelling, the touchability of this historic group, but it is also an ode to how they touched the present, and how they will endlessly touch the future.”–Hanif Abdurraqib
Rita Omokha, Resist: How a Century of Young Black Activists Shaped America(St. Martin’s Press)
“With Resist, Rita Omokha has achieved a dual debut as an author. She has vividly captured more than a century of activism by young Black Americans, and filtered that saga through her own experience as a Nigerian immigrant being thrust into a society of ruthlessly binary racial identity. Part history, part memoir, part call to political arms, Resist is a valuable addition to our nation’s protest literature.”–Samuel G Freedman
The photographer renounced his first career to focus on filmmaking. Starting Wednesday, the Museum of Modern Art will stage a cinema retrospective of his uncompromising search for the real.In one of art history’s greatest zigzags, Robert Frank, who would have been 100 this year, renounced photography even before he was famous for it.“I put my Leica in a cupboard,” the Swiss-born artist recalled, soon after his masterpiece, “The Americans,” a photobook documenting a now legendary 10,000-mile cross-country tour, was published in the United States in 1960.The book’s unpolished depiction of Frank’s adopted country was scandalous to some (the photographer Minor White, in Aperture, called it “a degradation of a nation!”), but almost no photographer has proved more influential: Everyone from Diane Arbus to Dawoud Bey bears Frank’s mark.Though he would eventually return to still photography in the 1970s, he gravitated toward the narrative possibilities of moving pictures, producing some 30 films and videos.Frank resented that his films never got as much attention as his photographs. Yet the director Richard Linklater, speaking with the journalist Nicholas Dawidoff in 2015, called Frank the “founding father of personal film”; in 2008, the critic Manohla Dargis hailed Frank in The New York Times as “one of the most important and influential American independent filmmakers of the last half-century.”“Robert Frank’s Scrapbook Footage,” part of the MoMA show, is made up of newly assembled film by Frank’s longtime editor, Laura Israel, and the art director Alex Bingham.Karsten Moran for The New York TimesWe are having trouble retrieving the article content.Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times.Thank you for your patience while we verify access.Already a subscriber? Log in.Want all of The Times? Subscribe.