Time Magazine Remembers 9/11

Ten years after 9/11, I’m still at a loss for words for how to describe the events of that horrible day, when horror and heroism collided on the streets of New York.  The shocking images of perhaps America’s darkest, most unfathomable hour continues to reverberate.

But as the 10th anniversary of 9/11 passes, I find myself drawn more to stories of survival than images of destruction.

If you feel the same then don’t miss Time Magazine’s special report, “Beyond 9/11: Portraits of Resilience”, a graceful, masterful collection of testimonies and tributes that say everything you need to know about character and fortitude.

Bravo, Time.

PSST! Digital Stories... Pass it on!

 It’s hard to believe that there are those among us who, 121 days out, are talking about the holidays—then again, my local Target is schlepping seasonal décor while it's still 100 degrees outside, so what do I know? So for all you early birds, a gift:

Let me introduce you to the digital narrative—a personal documentary featuring anecdotes and photos that, woven together, serve as a sort of timeline of one’s life. Consider it the next evolution of “slides,” only those you actually want to see.

Intrigued? Then check out Reel Tributes, a DC-based company that produces “Documentaries of a Lifetime” for everyday folks with the assistance of legit filmmakers, an oral historian and a genealogy expert who are far more skilled at digital storytelling than your iPhone.  Their aesthetically slick tribute films reveal compelling backstories, unearth little known stories and reveal commemorative insight about someone you suspected may have been on the lam, but could never confirm. (I’m pinching myself too.)

Or, you could make it a real production out of things and try your own hand at filmmaking. On the West Coast, the Center for Digital Storytelling, a Berkeley non-profit, holds workshops for those who want to manage their own digital story project or wider community initiative.  Here, experienced facilitators offer creative direction and technical assistance to novice digital filmmakers.

Learn more about how the art of personal history here: http://www.reeltributes.com/view/.

A New Chapter for West Side Story!

Head’s up, collectors: The 50th Anniversary Edition of West Side Story on Blu-ray drops November 15. The score! The dancing! The costumes! It's Jets and Sharks, people, and this musical lover can’t wait.

No matter what team you’re on (Love ‘Em or Hate ‘Em), no one can argue that West Side Story is quintessential in its importance to popular history and—no offense to The Sound of Music—the gold standard of all movie musicals, netting 10 Oscars, including one for Best Picture in 1962 that forever cemented its standing as iconic Americana. This version promises to bring pop culturists and film lovers to their feet with plenty of tech upgrades (think 7.1 DTS-HD Master Audio—whatever that means—and hours of restoration), a tribute CD, 10 collectible postcards, and a hardcover tome. All together these James Bond bells and whistles make this four-discer must-have merch.

Even better, Blu-ray will breathe new life to West Side Story’s award-winning score (a stunner from Leonard Bernstein) and performances (a scorcher by Rita Moreno)—not like it needed it, but still.

Check out the original West Side Story theatrical trailer! 

The Whole Tory: Designer Gives “Thanks to the Memories”

 I just finished reading the September issue of O Magazine and must trumpet its brief Q&A with designer Tory Burch.

The stylemaker offers an intriguing list of “bests,” but it is her response to “Best Gift to Myself”—an ongoing letter to her children that she has been writing since their birth—that struck me as an especially good example of personal history. Burch’s lengthy dispatch to her twin boys already has filled the pages of two journals with keepsake recollections and memories. I can think of no more literal interpretation of “the gift that keeps on giving” than honoring and passing down one's history to those who means the most.

Read O’s entire Q&A with Tory Burch and let me know what family heirloom best reflects your history.

Spielberg’s “WAR HORSE” Gallops Into Theatres

After seeing the new trailer for Steven Spielberg’s WWI opus “War Horse,” I honestly cannot understand the ongoing beef that so many “film enthusiasts” seem to have with the master lensman. Certainly it’s not for a lack of chops—the man can make a movie. So what if his films make millions, appeal to the masses, and win Oscars—get over it, hipsters.

The latest in Spielberg’s oeuvre, “War Horse” is based on a young adult novel that tells the story of Joey, a horse sold to the army for duty on the Western Front. There he witnesses the horrors of trench warfare, brings comfort to the men who fight it, and longs to be reunited with a farmer’s son, the crestfallen Albert. I love that “War Horse” tackles familiar historical territory from the POV of a homesick colt while recognizing the role that horses played in brutal battles for centuries.

With chest-tightening military sequences and an alienated young boy at its center, “War Horse” has the makings of Spielberg gold—namely, Hollywood’s most coveted gilded statue.

Check out the War Horse trailer – complete with another three-hanky score from John Williams.

Go Postal! Decorating With Vintage Postcards

I love the stories that old postcards tell. Recently I came across a stash of these inspiring cast-offs wasting away in a dusty shoebox (pity, I know). If, like me, you are always on the hunt for cost-effective alternatives to high-priced design for your digs, incorporate this recycled craft into your décor. It’s a quick, thrifty fix and a great way to merge the past with the present. Just make sure there is one overriding theme to eliminate visual chaos (I’m partial to retro travel messengers).

Here, ways to adorn with old postcards on the cheap from some of my go-to resources.

1. Invest in low-cost wall art—HomeLife.com shows you how.

2. No headboard? No problem—source chicer slumber from the creative folks at Sunset Magazine.

3. Make a lovely tabletop collage with DIY tips from Dispatch from L.A.

4. Office lacking panache? Hang a postcard holder. I love this one from Apartment Therapy.

Afghanistan Rebuilds; Restoration Works International Recruits

Casualties of global conflicts are myriad. Those in Afghanistan have and continue to be well reported. There is a really interesting story on NPR’s Morning Edition about the restoration of two massive 6th century Buddha statues in the Bamiyan Valley of central Afghanistan destroyed by the Taliban in 2001. According to NPR’s report, these monuments were erected centuries before Islam came to the region. Listen to the NPR story here.

To learn more about historical and cultural restoration, or to get involved, check out Restoration Works International. Formerly known as the Cultural Restoration Tourism Project, this good will, good works organization recruits volunteers to help restore civic structures in communities through the world while providing them with a unique, cross-cultural immersion experience that has economic and social benefit to the region. Take a peek at the org’s work in the Nepali village of Chhairo and join an upcoming project. Fall trips are filling up!

Thornton Editorial Link Love for Apartment Therapy

I have followed Apartment Therapy for years, but with more frequency since I purchased my 1940s-era cottage bungalow last summer—a "project" that reawakened my slumbering interest in interiors and architecture. Many homes featured on AT's daily "Hot House Tour" are period, so naturally, I’m a fan. Currently, I’m loving "Jeremy & Joe's Collections with History" nest—a historic Providence pad filled with a well-curated collection of objects and inheritables.

Take the tour! And, check out AT's Maxwell Gillingham-Ryan's essential decorating tips in the latest issue of House Beautiful.

Happy adorning…

First Look at The Iron Lady Online!

The supernaturally talented, and Oscar’s favorite frontrunner, Meryl Streep, is at it again (thank the cinematic gods), this time taking on the role of steely Margaret Thatcher in The Iron Lady.  It’s Streep and it’s a biopic so consider the key nuances—mannerisms, accent—in the bag.

My only concern is director Phyllida Lloyd at the helm. Although a capable auteur, the last time Lloyd teamed with Streep, she managed to crush all my fantasies of curling up next to Pierce Bronson when she allowed sexy 007 to croon (badly) in Mamma Mia! Not even a pokerfaced Meryl could have saved that particularly horrific reveal, although damn if the woman didn’t nearly pull it off.

Get a sneak peek of the teaser trailer on The Guardian and let me know what you think!

The Iron Lady Trailer

Countdown to Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest!

The 4th of July is here and I’m insatiable for the return of Nathan's 2011 International Hot Dog Eating Contest, broadcasted live on ESPN. What can I say, sparklers and the Boston Pops used to captivate me too, now its one of the more bizarre feats in human history—competitive eating. Go figure.

This 4th of July juggernaut is about as American as it gets. Tons of food, gross over-consumption, and controversy—it’s got it all.  Funny, I can’t stomach watching any other form of competitive eating, but there’s just something about Nathan’s fairly disgusting throwdown—a singular sense of the absurd, perhaps—that is impossible to turn away from. Consider the ridiculousness of it all: Everyday people from all walks of life who pay taxes and join the PTA actually do this for a living, and survive. They also enjoy quirky celebrity of a sort and, as members of Major League Eating, tour their very own circuit. Only in America.

For me the fascination begins and ends with the sport’s larger-than-life personalities.  Sonya “The Black Widow” Thomas and reigning champ Joey “Jaws” Chestnut, who last year downed 54 beefy links in 10 minutes to take the crown, are heroes of the sport. The nemesis role belongs to six-time Nathan’s titleholder, Takeru Kobayashi, who hoovers food with samurai-like attack and actually bested a 1,089-pound Kodiak bear in a head-to-head eating duel. Plus, the monikers are gold.

Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest has taken place every year since its inaugural chow-down in 1916, except, oddly enough, when it was cancelled to accommodate that other American pastime, protesting; first in 1941, when an objection to the war in Europe was staged, and again in 1971, when the dog days of summer halted for a stand against “free love” and civil unrest.

I’m proud to say that this year is free and clear and that I’m pulling for The Black Widow. How about you? Send me your reply on Facebook or on Twitter @ThorntonEditing!

Thanks for the Memories! Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum Turns 35

As the nation prepares to celebrate another birthday, so too does the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum, which turns 35, July 1. You don’t have to know anything about aeronautics, space history, or planetary studies before visiting this national treasure—home to the 1903 Wright Flyer, the Spirit of St. Louis, and the Apollo 11 command module among other marvels of aviation—as you will likely learn a little of all three with an afternoon fly-by of the facilities (its flagship building located on the National Mall, and the other, an expansion at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Northern Virginia).

Can’t make it to DC? Make a virtual visit to the museum via the website “Celebrating 35 Years of Memories at the National Air and Space Museum,” specially created to mark the anniversary.

Did you know that the museum started amassing its unrivaled aeronautical collection 100 years before it was established in 1876, when a group of kites obtained from the Chinese Imperial Commission became its first acquisition? More fun facts on the website—and catch a sneak peek at some of the museum’s most popular collections.

Personally, I’m a sucker for a saucy aviatrix and a B-52 with killer nose art…how about you?

Spotlight on the CBS Evening News and “Assignment America”

I simply cannot resist a “slice of life” story. These deceptively simple snapshots of everyday life are usually about complications and conditions that we all can relate to, and thus have a homespun quality that recalls a bygone era. 

Recently my friend, well aware of my weakness for the anecdotal, turned me on to journalist Steve Hartman’s “Assignment America” on the CBS Evening News.

For two minutes every Monday night, Hartman tells a uniquely American story in way that is both charming and compelling (credit ace reporting, witty writing, and the human factor).  Most amazing is how in the telling Hartman manages to tug at the heartstrings without over-sentimentalizing or manipulating the subject matter or the viewer.  Two of Hartman’s more memorable snippets—“Man and Goose Form Unlikely Friendship” and “Father Read to Daughter Every Night Until College" --are super examples of fine sketch journalism (and I dare you to not get sucked in).

Both accounts touchingly illustrate the beauty in unlikely connections—and isn’t that what history is? The great connector of all things, people, and experience? If reality TV were anything like it is on Monday eve, I’d reconsider my decision to ditch cable.

Got a story that you think deserves 15 minutes of air-time (or at least two)? Email your ideas to Steve Hartman online via the CBS Evening News.

Obit? You bet! The Fascinating World of Obituaries

 One of my obsessions and true pleasures in life is reading obituaries.  It’s an odd fascination, but not if I really think about it. I love history—both the bang-the-drums watershed moment and that which is less known but far more personal. My preferred outlets for these mini-histories are the obit sections in the Sunday editions of the San Francisco Chronicle and The New York Times. Steaming cup of coffee in hand, I comb through these one minute summations of lives energetically (or unceremoniously) lived in utter fascination. Obits are, essentially, human interest stories at their most mesmerizing and least time consuming—a must for those whose schedules require a thumbnail sketch opposed to 500-page novel. Too often we do not see history beyond the timeline. But a well-written obit—one with cadence and poetry that is equal parts hilarious, sentimental, mysterious, wacky, and sometimes, near criminal—considers history from a more personal POV.  And did I mention the near-nothing time commitment?

Learn everything you’ve ever wanted to know about everyone you’ve never met—but probably should have—in three of my favorite books on the fascinating and oddball world of obituaries and those who write them.

The Economist Book of Obituaries  

 

 

Obit: Inspiring Stories of Ordinary People Who Led Extroadinary Lives

The Dead Beat: Lost Souls, Lucky Stiffs and the Perverse Pleasures of Obituaries ()

Chess, Mates! Bobby Fischer Posthumously Resurfaces…

Good yarn alert! Word on the street is that HBO has spun another winner, folks. This time around it is the compelling new documentary Bobby Fischer Against the World, which premiers tonight at 9 p.m. EST and kicks off the network’s documentary Summer Series. Early reviews mark this one as a winner—a captivating look at a compelling and controversial character. In this case, one the most bewildering figures of the 20th century, Bobby Fischer; a brilliant chess prodigy who became a grandmaster in his teens (the youngest in history), took on Boris Spassky in 1972, and retreated into seclusion except for the rare occasions he would pop up and puzzle the world with bizarre antics and erratic behavior.

 

Director Liz Garbus has earned raves for her skilled direction—and I have no doubt she deserves every kudo. But let’s be honest, I could be behind the lens of this one and have a decent shot of making it serviceably watchable. Fischer is that interesting—and troubling.  Mad genius? Boy wonder? Tragic figure? Check it out and let me know what you think... 

Memorial Day: Don’t Forget the Fallen

 As you prepare for what I hope is a long, wonderful weekend, take time to remember those who have served and bravely made the ultimate sacrifice. In their honor, here are a few Memorial Day observances...

Great Book Alert! Hellhound on His Trail: The Stalking of Martin Luther King, Jr. and the International Hunt for His Assassin

My entire life I was convinced that books were my passion until I realized that they were the porthole to my real passion—history. (What gave it away, I wonder…the documentary collection, the repeated readings of Shelby Foote’s Civil War trilogy, the college major?).

On the book front, I’ve been on a roll lately. Somehow—and I honestly don't know how this happened—I missed Hellhound on His Trail: The Stalking of Martin Luther King, Jr. and the International Hunt for His Assassin when it was released last year. And shame on me. Needless to say I’ve made up for lost time and devoured the non-fiction thriller in three days. 

Author Hampton Sides (Ghost Soldiers, Blood and Thunder, Americana) is a truly proficient storyteller and at top of his game with the hold-your-breath Hellhound—a lightning-quick account of the months leading up to and the aftermath of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. All three of book’s principal characters—a human King; his assassin, the enigmatic James Earl Ray, and J. Edgar Hoover, a riddle who for years waged his own campaign to bring down the Civil Rights leader, but instead would be tasked with hunting down his killer. A riveting three-parter, Hellhound does the impossible—it humanizes King, while giving us a glimpse into the troubled Ray, who not only engineered an ingenious escape from prison (he was on the lam when he shot King), but very nearly evaded justice for one of the most notorious slayings in history. 

Sides is at his best when describing the moments following King’s killing (a brutal, sometimes beautiful rendering by the author), the night after his now prophetic Mountaintop Speech, when he said “Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord!” 

My one quibble (maybe) is that Hellhound is a little thin on Ray’s motives for killing King beyond racist comments and a connection to George Wallace’s presidential campaign—a shortcoming Sides compensates for with a compelling story and meticulous reporting. 


I encourage you to read all about it in the book! And please leave a comment to recommend what I should be reading…

O, No! Please Don't Go!

T-minus four episodes before the Oprah Show takes a final bow, and this armchair historian has been glued to the tube every day at 4 o’clock to see what’s coming down the pike (Oprah pays the mortgages of every member in the audience, then takes care of the national debt?).

OK, so the ramp-up to Oprah’s big farewell has been a little much, even for me (a total sap).  Which marketing genius did Harpo get to create those curtain call promos, anyway—the “remember-when” montages featuring O audiences shrieking like jungle monkeys, crying like babies, and rocking out to whoever their Leader has managed to coax on stage after a 30-year absence, six months in rehab, a stint in prison, and other drama that only Oprah has access to. (Watch out, Nike, you’ve got competition of the advertising gold variety.)

This season has been a non-stop promo for OWN, a parade of celebs worshiping at the altar of Oprah, and more “A ha” moments than I ever thought I’d see in my lifetime. Oprah pulled out all the stops to outdo herself (the only person who could—and did, revealing to the world a long lost sister!). She even managed to make amends with James Frey for heaven’s sake, by offering up an apology—and a not-so subtle treatise on the evils of leading from your Ego—years after publicly stoning the man. 

While the idolatry for Oprah borders on unhealthy, her influence on popular culture and her place in social history is unequaled. Detractors might say, “Well, she’s only one person. She hasn’t cured cancer or anything.” True, but here’s the point: a whole lot of people have faith that she—Oprah, not the president (who many believe is occupying the Oval Office thanks to O’s endorsement)—has this kind of power. We’re talking real sway, people. And, like her or not, she uses it—for good.  In my world, this forgives all other talk show trespasses. (Remember when Oprah shared the same demo as Maury?) Like it or not, the world has witnessed Oprah make history (many times over).

Here, a few of The Oprah Show’s greatest hits:

•    Oprah’s Book Club launches (“Night” finally sees the light of a new day...and people dig it!)
•    The Rwandan family reunion
•    The Great Audience Car Giveaway of 1994
•    This season’s “Ultimate Favorite Things” two-parter (I wonder if the one guy in the audience commanding the attention of Camera B ever recovered?)
•    Oprah’s bra intervention (thanks to this episode, I am actually wearing a bra that fits, and you probably are too)
•    Oprah drops a bombshell (back the truck up Oprah, you have a half-sister you never knew about?)
•    Oprah reveals she was a victim of childhood sexual abuse, starting a national discussion
•    World, meet Dr. Phil

 What’s your favorite O(MG!) moment? Please post a comment and share with us!

HerStory: History is NOT Boring

In middle school—way back when history teachers moonlighted as gym teachers and history curricula consisted of dates with no relevance to 7th graders and definitions that only resurface on final Jeopardy! (a fave, by the way)—the logic that brainwashed people into believing that “history is boring” had legs. (I never drank the kool-aid, personally, but I understand how this rumor got floated.)

The launch of Herstorical Perspectives marks an enlightening separation of fact (history rocks!) from fiction (“history is boring”). As a porthole through which to examine history as it relates to all aspects of modern culture and lifestyle through a uniquely feminine lens (in short, no look backs at the Teapot Dome scandal or analysis of General Patton’s battle plans), Herstorical Perspectives will emphasize that which is most fascinating—the narratives of people, places, and turning points; the human element of the past that informs the present.

Those who recently read Stacy Schiff’s insightful Cleopatra: A Life or Laura Hillenbrand’s page-turner Unbroken know how compelling narrative history is. If you forgot (or simply never realized), Herstorical Perspectives aims to change your mind.