Paintings by Michael Harrington

White Cadillac
Cowboys in the Clearing

In Strangers, a Blind Centenarian Finds a Literary Lifeline

Stephanie Sandleben, a yoga instructor with tattoos on each shoulder, just finished Chapter 19 of Tina Brown's biography of Diana, Princess of Wales. Sara Nolan, a 28-year-old graduate student, is 30 pages into a Rumer Godden novel. Mark Kalinowsky, 48 and a real estate broker, has long since stopped reading; he just comes to chat.

These three disparate characters are part of a ragtag crew that cycles through the worn one-bedroom Murray Hill walk-up where Elizabeth Goodyear, who recently celebrated her 101st birthday, is confined after two knee operations. A lifelong lover of books, Ms. Goodyear lost her sight about four years ago, but in its place has acquired a roster of readers who stop by regularly, bringing with them dogs, gifts from their international travels and offerings of dark chocolate, the elixir she has savored daily since she was 3.

Hear some of her amusing stories with a short slide show.
http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2008/07/31/nyregion/20080731_read-goodyear/index.html

I enjoyed this story -read the rest here - it's not long.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/01/nyregion/01read.html?ref=nyregion

Different Places

Tristam Shandy : A Cock and Bull Story

Steven Coogan plays himself and Tristam and Tristam's father in this hillarious movie. This along with Irma Vep are my favorite making of a movie movies.

Fuseli Nightmares

Intersection in Hanoi, Vietnam

Monkey Pig

Villagers were shocked after a monkey-like piglet was born in China. Curious locals flocked to the home of owner Feng Changlin after news of the piglet spread in Fengzhang village, Xiping township.
"It's hideous. No one will be willing to buy it, and it scares the family to even look at it!" Feng told Oriental Today.
He says the piglet looks just like a monkey, with two thin lips, a small nose and two big eyes. Its rear legs are also much longer than its forelegs, causing it to jump instead of walk.