Saturday news and reviews
Here's a look at the arts stories making headlines...
Books
A young woman struggles with the complexities of a new marriage and life on a secluded Arizona ranch.
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-Emily H. Freeman, Star Tribune
Online publishing popular with writers
University of Minnesota literary magazine Ivory Tower will print about 1,000 copies of their publication this year, less than half of last year's total, as a result of a tight budget and the increasing presence of online publishing, said Editor in Chief Phil Hart.
- Sadelle Schroeder, The Minnesota Daily
A surprisingly lively and varied collection of stories, set in Iowa.
- James Cihlar, Star Tribune
The final volume in Edmund Morris' spectacular trilogy wraps up the amazing story of Teddy Roosevelt.
- Kevin Duchschere, Star Tribune
Mosley's latest explores a legacy of racism and aging dreams
In Walter Mosley's 30th novel, a dying old man seeks to redeem his family from a legacy of racism.
- Chuck Leddy, Star Tribune
A schmaltzy voice about 'The Voice'
An ambitious biography of Sinatra that doesn't quite achieve all it attempts.
- Carl Rollyson, Star Tribune
Music critic Alex Ross hopes to demystify music, celebrating the energy of rock, the fun and emotion of classical.
- Craig Morgan Teicher, Star Tribune
Movies
Coens go West for remake of a classic
The filmmakers say "True Grit" was less about redoing the 1969 John Wayne movie and more about their love of the original book.
- Colin Covert, Star Tribune
An old-fashioned shootout at the O.K. Corral understimulates. We want to see what it's like for the world to blow up.
- Emilio DeGrazia, TC Daily Planet
Music
Rose Ensemble offers a Christmas in Spain
If you've ever wondered what the soundtrack to the Spanish royal court was like circa 1500 and in the ensuing century, you can get an earful at this weekend's Rose Ensemble concerts.
- Rob Hubbard, Pioneer Press
Q & A with Rapper Brother Ali: High school opens huge doors
ThreeSixty reporters Erika Roedl and Edwin Flowers interviewed Brother Ali by phone this fall after he made a public service announcement supporting an effort by Minneapolis public schools to persuade people who have dropped out of school to return. The rapper left high school without a diploma. This is an edited version of their conversation.
- Erika Roedl and Edwin Flowers of Twin Cities Academy and ThreeSixty staff
With apologies to the Lady, our pop favorites weren't necessarily Monster-sized.
- Jon Bream and Chris Riemenschneider, Star Tribune
Theater
A look at how music from pop stars has fared onstage
It takes a certain skill set to craft the perfect pop song, to boil down complex emotions into three or four minutes that are catchy, but not overlong. It takes a whole different skill set to craft a musical, where those complex emotions are expressed by numerous characters, through song, over the course of two or three hours.
- Ross Raihala, Pioneer Press