Osamu Tezuka, long hailed as the Will Eisner (the artist not the CEO) of Japan's Manga tradition, and creator of "Astroboy" put together a graphic novel series of the life of the Buddha. This 8 part work, completed toward the end of his life in 1989, is rendered beautifully and scripted humorously and with humanity. The first 4 books (now available in paperback for about $16 each) deal with the life and legends of prince Siddhartha Gotama as he grows and becomes a wandering monk. The parables are touching, and the translation is hilarious - characters say things like "yo"and "moms" and "what the fuck?" and even cite movies and modern culture (out of context of course) tastefully briefly and sparingly. I am digging this immensely along with my more formal personal study of Buddhist history and its canon, and cannot wait until spring for the release of the #5 and #6 in paperback. The hardcover editions have been in english for some time, but they're difficult to find and cost $27 apiece. Dag, I love tour de forces!

I just spotted this book today and grabbed it to give away as a birthday gift for somebody tomorrow night. It is a most unique and awe-inspiring book.

Doris Eaton ran away from home and became a dancer in the legendary Ziegfield Follies in 1920. She was 14 years old. She is the last of those once scandalous-now elegant dancers currently still alive. Through tragedy and triumph, "stage-door Johhnies" and the stock market crash of '29, marrying late in life (though both Rudolph Valentino and Babe Ruth hit on her), and outliving all her loved ones, she has lived in both celebrity and humble servitude to this very day with grace and charm.

The biographer, Lauren Redniss is one chick I would love to meet. Culling photos and facts from Doris' scrapbooks and storage space of memorabilia, she has hand-crafted a bouncy and quirky life monologue in the second person. All around the photos, clipped and positioned in jaunty fashion, the text is hand-written and swirls around from image to sometimes-tinted or embellished image. The backgrounds are other photos or her own hand drawn single-line illustrations, all put together in a 'zine-like collage style. There is humor and history, both haunting and incredible!!! Next time I have an extra $30 I'll buy it for myself.

Dig the energy

...called Hush Hush Revolution. They blended acoustic country stomp with sudden bursts of 1-2-3-4 harcore punk rock. And lots of whoopin' and hollerin'. Man...just when I thought I had grown old and away from that energy and that MY hardcore was the one from 20 years ago, as was decently portrayed in "American Hardcore"...I gotta go to NYC's little radical collective phenomenon known as ABC No Rio and see these guys and feel part of it again!!! - even though I WAS probably the third oldest out of the 100 or so people there.