NYFF: ‘Returning to Reims (Fragments)’ and Freedom from Political Ideology
Inspired by Didier Eribon’s eponymous autobiography, Jean-Gabriel Périot’s film Returning to Rimes (Fragments), urges French citizenry to reinvent democracy.
autobiography
Billie Jean King’s ‘All In’ Takes a Swing at Gender Equity and the Big Game Called Life
A maverick force in promoting women’s sports, Billie Jean King’s courage and diligence also helped transform acceptance of gay and lesbian culture in America.
Filmmaker and Critic Virginie Despentes Is Still, Unfortunately, Quite Necessary
Virginie Despentes’ feminist arguments in her recently rebooted collection of essays, King Kong Theory, remain fresh and frustratingly relevant.
Martin Amis’ ‘Inside Story’ Is a Grimoire
Where things don't quite add up in autobiography Inside Story, Martin Amis fashions the untidy sum into a sort of punchline; where there aren't any punchlines, he makes the mess into a cosmic joke.
Jon Zazula’s ‘Heavy Tales’ Is a Strong, if Blemished, Autobiography
Founder of both Rock 'N' Roll Heaven and Megaforce Records, Jon Zazula spares nothing in chronicling the highs and lows of his journey in Heavy Tales.
Wall-Buster Ani DiFranco Has a Chokehold on Irony: ‘No Walls and the Recurring Dream’
Ani DiFranco is growing up and getting over herself. Her memoir, No Walls and the Recurring Dream, highlights the ironies of a one-of-a-kind musical legacy.
‘Blame This on the Boogie’ Blurs the Lines between Graphic Novel and Songbook
Passion defines Rina Ayuyang's life as Blame This on the Boogie explores the pleasures and pitfalls of pop culture devotion.
‘Room to Dream’, in which David Lynch Has a Conversation with His Own Biography
Room to Dream brims with detail but the real David Lynch remains elusive.
From Paris, with Poetry: On Henri Cole’s ‘Orphic Paris’
Henri Cole's Orphic Paris mines the city of light to illuminate the ends of his art.
Elsa Lanchester Was Born to Defy Heteronormativity
The reissue of autobiography Elsa Lanchester, Herself, brings forth an engaging woman who helped to queer Hollywood well beyond her role in The Bride of Frankenstein.
David Lynch and Kristine McKenna’s ‘Room to Dream’ Never Awakens
The legendary director behind Twin Peaks, Eraserhead, and Mulholland Drive joins co-author Kristine McKenna for a unique blend of autobiography and biography that does little to solve the mysteries of his life and work.
Loudon Wainwright III’s ‘Liner Notes’ Is Witty, Sad and Wonderful — Like His Music
As the patriarch of a dynasty which makes The Osbournes seem as staid as The Waltons, Wainwright III muses on life, death, and public swimming pools.