[jwi]

A place for quality writing on other topics than climbing.
I start off with Knausgaard's article on the Breivik murders

http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2015/05/25/the-inexplicable

[Falling Down]

Great idea.

Here's Seymour Hersh's controversial piece on the killing of Osama bin-Laden from last week.

http://www.lrb.co.uk/v37/n10/seymour-m-hersh/the-killing-of-osama-bin-laden

[Sasquatch]

Thanks guys!  both were great reads

[andy popp]

The Knausgaard is very good, of course.

[moose]

on a less significant topic, an interesting article (at least for children of the 80's) on the darkness of Mike Tyson (not UKB's own):

https://www.sbnation.com/longform/2015/2/11/7957523/mike-tyson-interview-history-background

[Falling Down]

Ian Penman on Sinatra.  Brilliant.  http://www.lrb.co.uk/v37/n13/ian-penman/swoonatra

[Plattsy]

Paul Haggis and the Church of Scientology.
http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2011/02/14/the-apostate-lawrence-wright

Couple with this film you get a really good idea of just how fucked up it is.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt4257858/?ref_=fn_al_tt_5

[the_dom]

China Mieville on Utopia: http://salvage.zone/mieville_all.html

[Falling Down]

John Lanchester on the Wright Brothers and Elon Musk http://www.lrb.co.uk/v37/n17/john-lanchester/lets-all-go-to-mars

[jwi]

Great review!

[Falling Down]

I love the way John Lanchester writes his articles and reviews. Always really enjoyable, entertainin & informative.

[Falling Down]

The FT nails Yentob http://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/c0e910c4-d005-11e5-831d-09f7778e7377.html "If name dropping were an Olympic sport, Yentob would be accused of doping"

[Falling Down]

An oldie from 2013 but great considering the news from RBS this morning. John Lanchester (again) on banking http://www.lrb.co.uk/v35/n13/john-lanchester/are-we-having-fun-yet

[seankenny]

Have you read Lanchester's book on the financial crisis, "Whoops!"?

[SA Chris]

Is there a non-quality non-climbing articles section, as this one had me spitting feathers

http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/cover_story/2016/03/how_donald_trump_happened_racism_against_barack_obama.2.html

[Rocksteady]

Personally I think Obama is the smartest guy who's been in the White House for a very long time, and that there probably won't be anyone better in that job during my lifetime, so I don't agree with the tone of this piece which implicitly criticises him for his foreign policy "pivot" away from the Middle East. But it is a good read, presents both sides of the core arguments and contains some great stories.

Fantastic article, very much agree with your thoughts above. Really good insight into Obama's thinking, which is impressively strategic. What one would hope, but not necessarily expect, from a world leader. God forbid that the American reaction to a wise president is to elect a fool.

[Falling Down]

Have you read Lanchester's book on the financial crisis, "Whoops!"?

Sorry I never saw your question Sean.  Can I borrow your copy after Connor's finished with it?

[Falling Down]

Litvinenko http://www.lrb.co.uk/v38/n07/peter-pomerantsev/murder-in-mayfair

[Falling Down]

That Obama piece is great - thanks Habrich

[Johnny Brown]

Great profile on Jake Phelps, Thrasher editor for the last twenty years. Some parallels to be drawn with climbing, and the absorption of outsider culture into the mainstream. More than a touch of Anthony H. in that last pic too...

https://story.californiasunday.com/jake-phelps-thrasher

[Falling Down]

Great article JB.   Thanks for the link...

[Johnny Brown]

Thought you'd like it!

[Wood FT]

That was really good

[andy_e]

Yeah, that was ace. Plus he looks like Wallander on a comedown too.

[Falling Down]

A good piece on 'Nature Writing" https://newhumanist.org.uk/articles/5019/the-cult-of-nature-writing

I stuck a link on the Hip-Hop thread to a brilliant set of interviews about Rawkus Records if mid 90's independent hip-hop is of interest.