Monday News: free books, Netflix & franchising, ‘raising happy girls,’ and book-inspired beers
The Internet Archive “Liberates” Books Published Between 1923 and 1941, and Will Put 10,000 Digitized Books Online – Utilizing a section of copyright law that allows libraries to digitize works published between 1923 and 1941 that are “not being actively sold,” the Internet Archive is working with a Tulane scholar and her students to build out this digital collection, some of which is already available online here (and check out some of the covers).
At the moment, the Sonny Bono Memorial Collection offers such 94-to- 76-year-old pieces of reading material as varied as André Malraux’s The Royal Way, Arnold Dresden’s An Invitation to Mathematics, René Kraus’ Winston Churchill: A Biography, Colonel S.P. Meek’s Frog, the Horse that Knew No Master, and Donald Henderson Clarke’s Impatient Virgin. Kahle assures us that “We will add another 10,000 books and other works in the near future,” and reminds us that “if the Founding Fathers had their way, almost all works from the 20th century would be public domain by now.” – Open Culture
Netflix’s comic books are a preview of potential franchises – I posted last week about Mark Millar’s deal with Netflix, and here David Lumb outlines some of the potential implications of the deal. Millar’s motives are obvious, writes Lumb, because he is no longer just a creator, but a producer and a brand (like DC and Marvel). Netflix, in the meantime, does not have to rely on publishers like DC and Marvel, and may even be looking to disrupt the traditional model of comics delivery:
Marvel and DC titles rule films and TV, and those giants have, in turn, charged streaming services to host their superhero content. But Netflix gets to keep whatever income Millarworld IPs make, in whichever medium. Perhaps the company could convince other creators to publish comics under Netflix’s brand, which would be even more attractive, given the wide-open pipeline to TV and film adaptations made by the streaming service. Millar himself could be a lightning rod to attract creators, given his savvy business reputation in the industry.
Netflix could be the way into the comic adaptation boom for independent creators, who are surely aware of how much more money films make than the comic books they are based on. – Engadget
Reminder: She Doesn’t Owe Anyone a Hug. Not Even at the Holidays. – So I started following Amber Tamblyn on Twitter in the wake of an awesome response to some creepy online comments (I won’t mention the actor to whom she was responding, but you can catch up on the whole story here). Tamblyn has become one of the most vocal critics of the ‘it’s no big deal’ treatment of sexual assault and harassment, and yesterday she posted this great essay from the Girl Scouts website on the need to support young girls in establishing personal boundaries and not being forced into commonly ritualized physical contact like holiday hugs. I had no idea that the Girl Scouts was weighing in on these issues, or doing so in such an empowering way. Take this post on catcalling to young girls. Some great messaging here that even some grown people might need to review.
Give your girl the space to decide when and how she wants to show affection. Of course, many children may naturally want to hug and kiss family members, friends, and neighbors, and that’s lovely—but if your daughter is reticent, don’t force her. Of course, this doesn’t give her license to be rude! There are many other ways to show appreciation, thankfulness, and love that don’t require physical contact. Saying how much she’s missed someone or thank you with a smile, a high-five, or even an air kiss are all ways she can express herself, and it’s important that she knows she gets to choose which feels most comfortable to her. – Girl Scouts
Mystery Brewing Beatrix
North Carolina’s Mystery Brewing has more than a few beers with something literary at their center: besides the Beatrix spring saison, they also brew beers inspired by the works of Victor Hugo and Charles Dickens. As befits a beer inspired by the creator of Peter Rabbit, the brewery describes this saison as “hoppy.” Could it have been anything else?
Food pairing: Slow-roasted carrots. – Electric Lit
I was not a hugger as a child. I hated it from relatives, so you can imagine how horrible it was when strangers (to me) would swoop in and squeeze me. I always felt trapped. But as a child I had no choice, sadly. As an adult, I learned how to step back and thrust my hand out, but even now some people don’t get it.
Thank you for the Tamblyn article. It’s good to have something other than gut feelings to explain why I’m always contradicting my relatives in front of their kids. Yes, I shouldn’t do that, but…
Yes, I remember being “encouraged” to hug people as a kid. I remember paralyzing fear in each instance. I remember guys encroaching my space when saying “Hi”. I remember female acquaintances bursting in to rescue and lead me away with a whispered warning, and then learning it was wrong. I remember “friends” taking advantage of my inability to say “no” when I grew older, going from casual touch to playing with my bra strap in public.
So yes, thank you DA thank you Girl Scouts thank you Tamblyn for giving me a quotable, respected source to justify contradicting relatives. Instead of getting sidetracked by wominimization while exposing my own story.
Thank you for the link to the Girl Scouts’ message to, well, everyone. Everything we’re taught as girls tells us to ignore our inherent and instinctual boundaries, so much that we don’t recognize when someone crosses them. We lost our voices, the trust in the validity of our own responses. So many messages sent over so many years: it takes a conscious and sustained effort to push back. No more.