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ISSUE . June 17th, 2010

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Throwing the Books at You

City Paper's Summer 2010 Book Quarterly

by Carolyn Huckabay

Visit Critical Mass every day through June 23 for Book Quarterly Trivia Week; answer ridiculous questions about the books mentioned in these pages; and if you win, we'll send you a copy. Free. All you have to do is read.

Imperial Bedrooms by Bret Easton Ellis

For When: You just can't say goodbye

by Sam Kaplan

The basic question is: What exactly happens to the characters you create, decades after you create them?

Hitch 22: A Memoir by Christopher Hitchens

For When: You're getting crucified

by Natalie Hope McDonald

Noted writer and intellectual Christopher Hitchens delves into the private side of his public persona in a new memoir about perhaps his toughest subject yet.

Extra Lives: Why Video Games Matter by Tom Bissell

For When: You're on a killing spree

by Jakob Dorof

Bissell is no fanboy, and he spends more time exploring his frustrations with video games than his fascination with them.

Anthropology of an American Girl by Hilary Thayer Hamann

For When: You're having girl problems

by Emily Currier

In her literary debut, Hilary Thayer Hamann weaves the intricate web of an introverted young woman's interior life.

Packing For Mars by Mary Roach

For When: You’re finding your zero-G spot

by Shaun Brady

No matter how popular they’d like their science to be, it’s hard to imagine Stephen Hawking or Neil deGrasse Tyson using terms like "splooge" or "fecal popcorning."

At Least in the City Someone Would Hear Me Scream by Wade Rouse

For When: You gotta be out in the country

by Josh Middleton

For this quintessential girly man, it's not surprising that some of his greatest challenges derive from the realization that certain urban luxuries no longer make the cut when living among trees and rabid raccoons.

Hollywood Hellraisers by Robert Sellers

For When: The sheriff gon' come for you

by Janet Anderson

Robert Sellers explores the hair-raising escapades of the film legends, all of whom were much more than troublemakers — they were really bad, and they liked it that way.

The Hundred-Foot Journey by Richard C. Morais

For When: You're all over the map

by Gary M. Kramer

This lighthearted novel by Philadelphia-based author Richard Morais is simply a delectable treat.

The Philadelphia Phillies: An Extraordinary Tradition edited by Scott Gummer

For when: You realize you peaked in 2008

by Andrew Milner

It took 127 years, but the Phillies finally have an oversize photo book worthy of a coffee table.

Medium Raw by Anthony Bourdain

For When: You're feeling hangry

by Hadley Assail

Whether you find the chef turned celebrity author obnoxious, endearing or both, you can't accuse Bourdain of being uninteresting.

Kraken by China Miéville

For When: You've got ocean madness

by Mark Cofta

All pursue the kraken, and no one knows who squidnapped it.

The Lonely Polygamist by Brady Udall

For When: Your wandering days aren't over

by Molly Eichel

Golden Richards' construction business is falling apart, he's losing social status in his community and he's fallen in love with someone who isn't his wives.

The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake by Aimee Bender

For When: You've eaten your feelings

by Katherine Hill

Aimee Bender may test the limits of quirk, but she's a treasure nonetheless: a modern fabulist drawn equally to magic and the realities of contemporary life.

Zift by Vladislav Todorov translated by Joseph Benatov

For When: The reds want you dead

by Matt Jakubowski

Potent stuff distilled from ugly memories, already a cult movie in Bulgaria, Zift is like a flaming shot of rotgut smuggled in from the old country.

Mr. Peanut by Adam Ross

For When: Your wife is driving you nuts

by Char Vandermeer

"When David Pepin first dreamed of killing his wife, he didn't kill her himself. He dreamed of convenient acts of God." That's the ontologically uncertain bang that begins Adam Ross' Möbius-strip debut novel, Mr. Peanut.

Made By Hand by Mark Frauenfelder

For When: You need just one fix

by Brian Howard

When it comes to DIY bonafides, Mark Frauenfelder, editor in chief of Make magazine and founder of überblog Boing Boing, is as legit as they come.

Talking to Girls About Duran Duran by Rob Sheffield

For When: You're hungry like the wolf

by Julia West

As in his first book, Love Is a Mix Tape, Sheffield is a charming, bumbling nerd who exists solely for music and pop culture.

The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet by David Mitchell

For When: You've fallen and you can't get up

by Justin Bauer

David Mitchell has a knack for identifying a beautiful moment.

The Shallows: What the Internet Is Doing to Our Brains by Nicholas Carr

For When: A tangled web you weave

by Andrew Thompson

Should you find yourself still thirsty after the following brief review, you'd do well to blame the Internet.

A Visit From the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan

For when: Your rebel yell goes hoarse

by Rodney Anonymous

With Egan's considerable gifts for constructing interesting, quirky characters and her skill at capturing the feel of a given time and place, this could have been a tremendously satisfying read.

Opinion

Editor's Letter:

Reusefulness

In praise of doing it yourself.

by Brian Howard

I reviewed Mark Frauenfelder’s excellent Made By Hand: Searching for Meaning in a Throwaway World, and the book’s been rattling around in my head ever since I put it down.

Loose Canon:

Child-free and Proud

Praise the Lord and pass the diaphragm.

by Bruce Schimmel

My contribution to our marriage's longevity was to love, honor and obey.

Feedback:

Letters to the Editor

What You Say

"These people moved into a house without walls, a broken water heater, a leaking roof? My God, these are not things that were hidden from them!"

News

A New Hope

Can the Phillies' first-rounder overcome his privileged upbringing?

by E. James Beale

For two years, Biddle dragged himself to post-practice workouts, where he packed on 45 pounds of muscle. He wanted to know if it was all worth it. So he found out.

A Million Stories

All the news we care to print.

"I watched the Cultural Trust save the core of [Pittsburgh] when there was nobody coming into the core of this region," says the Allegheny County executive.

Man Overboard!:

The Capital J

Are some Philadelphia media outlets more worthy of attention than others?

by Isaiah Thompson

Is there an important difference between advocacy and journalism? Of course. But the line can get blurry.

The Bell Curve

City Paper's Quality-o-Life-o-Meter

When news breaks in Philadelphia, we make jokes.

Arts

Full Exposure:

Thanks for the Memories

John Vettese sees what develops: Kaitlin Mosley's "Expiration"

by John Vettese

The aged medium causes some colors to fade and others to shift. It conjures distortion and noise that pops up across the frame. Generally, it makes Mosley's scenes seem on the verge of disappearing into obscurity.

Arts Picks:

The Playboy of the Western World

Through July 3, $33-$50, DeSales University, 2755 Station Ave., Center Valley, 610-282-9455, pashakespeare.org.

by Mark Cofta

The infamy of The Playboy of the Western World seems quaint today, even though John Millington Synge's play caused riots in Dublin's streets more than 100 years ago.

Theater Review:

Wonder of Wonders

REVIEW: Fiddler on the Roof

by David Anthony Fox

The little village of Anatevka, as seen on stage at the Walnut Street Theatre, is so full of life that the old show feels newly minted.

Kaleidoscope

A Visit From the Goon Squad | The Promise | Android Karenina | Obsessive Consumption: What Did You Buy Today?

Arts Picks:

Samantha Bee

Samantha Bee will read from and discuss her book Sat., June 19, 2 p.m., free, Free Library, Central Branch, 1901 Vine St., 215-567-4341, freelibrary.org.

by Brian Howard

Correspondent Samantha Bee is the most recognizable squawking head of Jon Stewart's cabal of satirical Daily Show pundits.

Movies

The Neverending Story

Buzz and Woody animate once again as Pixar revisits well-trodden terrain in Toy Story 3.

by Sam Adams

Essentially extending the loss-of-childhood montage from its predecessor to feature length, Toy Story 3 finds the gang abandoned by their once-faithful Andy.

Micmacs

City Paper Grade: B

by Sam Adams

Jean-Pierre Jeunet's latest trifle is his first film since 2004's A Very Long Engagement, a relatively sober and melodramatic adaptation of a best-selling French novel.

Music

Reverse Engineering

South Philly hip-hop producer Haj reinvents the frontman.

by John Vettese

Haji Rana Pinya has a tough time explaining his Philadelphia hip-hop project to the casual listener.

Music Picks:

The New Pornographers

Mon., June 21, 7 p.m., $27, with The Dodos and The Dutchess & the Duke, Trocadero, 1003 Arch St., 215-922-6888, thetroc.com.

by Patrick Rapa

File all that cold, minimalist no-fi noise back in the crates. It's summer — time to go huge, happy and catchy.

Thao and Mirah with The Most of All

Mon., June 21, 8 p.m., $13-$14, with These United States, First Unitarian Church, 2125 Chestnut St., 877-435-9849, r5productions.com.

by M.J. Fine

Following a successful pairing at San Francisco's Noise Pop Festival earlier this year, two of indie rock's most captivating performers are taking the show on the road.

Neutral Uke Hotel

Tue., June 22, 8 p.m., $8, with The Spotted Atrocious, Ukulele Orchestra and Solved with Science, The Khyber, 56 S. Second St., 215-238-5888, thekhyber.com.

by Patrick Rapa

Yeah, yeah, Neutral Milk Hotel was amazing, but do we need to be so glum and reverent?

Aid or Invade:

Nigeria!

So infectious it should come with directions to the free clinic.

by Rodney Anonymous

If the song "Awa Na Re" doesn't stir something inside you, then you are dead. Stop reading and lie down.

One Track Mind:

Pernice Brothers

"Bechamel"

by Patrick Rapa

The new Goodbye, Killer is a wonderful specimen of acoustic pop.

Album Reviews

Nina Natasia | Crystal Castles | Dot Allison

Music Picks:

Danzig

Sat., June 19, 7 p.m., $28, Trocadero, 1003 Arch St., 215-922-6888, thetroc.com.

by Patrick Rapa

I first saw Danzig years ago, at one of those early indoor Ozzfests, and damned if the dude didn't open with "Mother."

The Golden Filter

Sat., June 19, 7:30 p.m., $10, with Hundred in the Hands, Kung Fu Necktie, 1250 N. Front St., 215-291-4919, kungfunecktie.com.

by K. Ross Hoffman

They've crafted one of the more assured, subtle and strikingly pleasant synth-dance debuts in recent memory

Crossing Over

Want to describe Nu Directions? You better have plenty of hyphens.

by Shaun Brady

"Not one person is a strict straight-ahead jazz player or a strict orchestral musician; everybody's got a pretty varied background."

Music Picks:

Tia Fuller

Fri., June 18, 5:45 and 7:15 p.m., free with museum admission of $16, Philadelphia Museum of Art, 2600 Ben Franklin Parkway, 215-763-8100, philamuseum.org.

by Shaun Brady

Tia Fuller is determined to make herself heard.

Disappears

Thu., June 17, 7:30 p.m., $8, with Woven Bones and Far-Out Fangtooth, Kung Fu Necktie, 1250 N. Front St., 215-291-4919, kungfunecktie.com.

by K. Ross Hoffman

Nobody wears black leather jackets anymore, but I sure feel like I should when I'm strutting down the street with Disappears in my ears.

Eddy Current Suppression Ring

Thu., June 17, 9 p.m., $10, with Pissed Jeans and Pop. 1280, Johnny Brenda's, 1201 N. Frankford Ave., 877-435-9849, johnnybrendas.com.

by K. Ross Hoffman

In one of the great rock 'n' roll origin myths of our time, some employees at a Melbourne record pressing plant started jamming at a Christmas party and decided to cut a 7-inch.

Food

From Tunisia With Love

At an Italian BYOB, an unlikely tasting menu celebrates a resonant cuisine.

by Brion Shreffler

Ben-Ouhiba serves up his own interpretations of the national dishes of Tunisia, ranging from street food to the robust dishes most common to home cooking. "In seven courses," he says, "I'm trying to give you everything."

The Beer Blues

Philly Beer Week is a tricky proposition for local breweries and bar owners.

by Tara Nurin

Philly Beer Week (PBW), though hailed as a coup for the city's craft-beer reputation, does not guarantee enhanced revenue for local bars and breweries.

What's Cooking:

The Week in Eats

Get Out!

by Hadley Assail

Roof-to-Table Dinner at Noble | Classic Summer Seafood and Wine Dinner at fish | Father's Day Weekend Cheesesteak Tour of Reading Terminal Market | Taste of the Nation Fundraiser | Food Fight at the Kimmel Center

Feeding Frenzy

Restaurants opening, closing and pending

by Drew Lazor

Tweed | Trolley Car Cafe | The Blue Comet | Barbuzzo

Agenda

Agenda Lead:

'Cast Party

Scott Mosier and Kevin Smith talk about sticking bananas up their asses. And they want you to listen.

by Molly Eichel

Scott Mosier is asking people to pay to watch him sit around and shoot the shit with his buddy.

Agenda Picks:

Philadelphia Independent Film Festival

June 23-27, $8-$100, various times and venues, 215-592-1242, philadelphiaindependentfilmfestival.com.

by Eric Henney

The Philadelphia Independent Film Festival (PIFF) is like the wily little brother of the Philly film family.

Queer Bait

Josh Middleton on the LGBTQ scene

by Josh Middleton

Gay Cartoonists | Full House: A Series of Cabarets | Lesbian Rockers @ Sugar Town

Icepack

Amorosi on the news, nightlife, gossip and bitchiness beats.

by A.D. Amorosi

Icepack's always personal — more personal than my choice in mustache wax, even.

Agenda Picks:

Transfags Taking Over: A Seductively Smooth Night of Genderfuct Poetry

Fri., June 18, 8 p.m., $5-$10, Moonstone Arts Center, 110A S. 13th St., 215-735-9598, moonstoneartscenter.org.

by Will Stone

A stacked roster of Philly's red-blooded young rhymers have picked their muse: Transfag.

World's Largest

Fri., June 18, 8:30 p.m., free, Piazza at Schmidts, 1050 N. Hancock St., atthepiazza.com.

by Molly Eichel

As any sucker for tourist traps will tell you, anything that claims to be the world's largest is a must see.

Doug Benson

Thu., June 17, 8 p.m.; Fri.-Sat., June 18-19, 8 and 10:30 p.m.; $15-$20, Helium Comedy Club, 2031 Sansom St., 215-496-9001, heliumcomedy.com.

by Stephen Rose

Comedian Doug Benson is afraid of broken dreams as much as broken bongs.

Philly Strongman 2010

Thu., June 17, 9 p.m., $30, South Philadelphia Bar & Grill, 1235 E. Passyunk Ave., 215-334-3300, southphillybar.com.

by Stephen Rose

Pump the shit out of your hand squeezers and consume as many protein shakes as you can.

Philadelphia Beekeepers Guild

Thu., June 17, 7 p.m., free, Unitarian Society of Germantown, 6511 Lincoln Drive (meetings continue Thu., July 15, 7 p.m.; and Sat., Aug. 7, 2 p.m.; Wyck House, 6026 Germantown Ave.), phillybeekeepers.org.

by Matthew Cahn

For the inner Thoreau within every city-dweller, there is the Philadelphia Beekeepers Guild.

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