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the macefield house
from edith macefield posted in literature by pete_nice
Edith Masefield was living in this small cottage in the fishing village of Ballard (near Seattle) when she was offered $1 million from developers to tear down her home to make room for a Lifetime Fitness and Trader Joe's. She refused the offer, and the "mixed-usage" commercial building engulfed the rest of the block, but her house defiantly remained.
As William Yardley at the New York Times put it: Ms. Macefield’s refusal to sell her house made the news more than once. In a city knotted over its shifting identity, she seemed a familiar face, old Seattle, vulnerable but resistant to the march of gentrification and blandness.
Edith Masefield spoke English, French, German and Italian. She was the cousin of Benny Goodman, and she played the clarinet and sax. She self-published a book that was 1,138 pages long called Where Yesterday Began un
dalton school
from samuel r. delany posted in literature by pete_nice
The Dalton School is a prestigious college prep school in the Ivy Preparatory School League. Founded in 1918 by Helen Parkhurst (a contemporary and colleague of Maria Montessori), Dalton was established as an "educational model that captured the progressive spirit of the age." (from wiki)
Notable folks that have attended the Dalton School include science-fiction writer Samuel R. Delany, actors Chevy Chase, Christian Slater and Claire Danes.
“this is water” speech
from david foster wallace posted in literature by pete_nice
For the commencement speech to the graduating class of 2005, writer David Foster Wallace delivered a speech on education as a tool for consciousness, empathy and compassion.
The speech at the Bailey House was later turned into a 144-page book published by Little, Brown.
franz kafka’s grave
from franz kafka posted in literature by pete_nice
On June 3, 1924, writer Franz Kafka died of laryngeal tuberculosis in a Vienna sanatorium. Kafka was editing "The Hunger Artist" in his bed when his throat seized up. He was 40 years old.
Kafka was buried in the New Jewish Cemetery in Prague-Žižkov on June 11, 1924.
chumley’s
from j.d. salinger posted in literature by pete_nice
Closed since the facade collapsed in 2007, Chumley's has been undergoing renovations for seven years. In early 2014, the classic tavern faced a new challenge- neighbors who are sick of unruly tourists flocking to the destination (NY Times article link here).