LLR Newsletter — Psychology of the News, Tolkien on the Big Screen, Korean Literature, NASA Applauds SpaceX, and More

Welcome to the LLR newsletter — curated this week by John Tuttle.

Our latest mashup of content includes some splendid writing from around the web and right here on Medium. In this issue, we focus on the art of writing and modern advancements in the arts and sciences. Meanwhile, John throws in some pointers on the craft of writing itself.

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Enjoy,
LLR

Books

You Are What You Read by Jodie Jackson

On the horizon, we shall very soon see Unbound’s crowdfunded publication of You Are What You Read by Jodie Jackson. Jackson’s book examines the effects of the news media and discusses how the news stories being told and how they are presented cause differing associations within the reader’s subconscious.

It suggests that the type of news being produced can lead to a general indifference among society. You Are What You Read is the fulfilled fruition of research into the fields of psychology, sociology, and journalism.

In the chapter “Misread or Misled,” Jackson opens with a terrific quote from Mark Twain which sums up the dangers of the influence of media: “If you don’t read the newspaper, you’re uninformed. If you read the newspaper, you’re misinformed.”

Beyond the influence texts have via culture and media to influence one’s opinions (the main point of Jackson’s book), every writer should understand the significance of the need to read. Whether a critic, a creative author, or a friendly occasional letter-writer, exposure to good, creative literature is a must for any writer.

The White Book by Han Kang

Anyone interested in reading a novel through which the writer creates a character (the narrator) to be nothing more than a writer herself may find Han Kang’s The White Book an interesting read.

Her book is a Korean work of literature and has recently been translated into the English language. NPR says it might not “appeal to fans of the traditional novel, but will reward readers with a taste for more unconventional narratives.” It may include some interesting notions for creative writers to generate ideas.

Culture

“The Worst Book-to-Screen Adaptations”

A very recent article from The Writing Cooperative, “The Worst Book-to-Screen Adaptations” really covers some of the most iconic blunders of poor cinematic storytelling. In it, ProWritingAid touches on flops such as The Hobbit and Eragon adaptations.

There’s a Tolkien Movie to Be Released in May

In this article from Digital Fox, I discuss some of the nuts and bolts of the as-yet-known facts regarding the production of the film on J.R.R. Tolkien, the author behind The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. He also notes some of the hopes he anticipates to be satiated on the big screen.

Creative Photographer Uses Special Lens to Capture Hidden Floral Glow

The digital publication Colossal is always showcasing superb visual art. Photographer Craig Burrows was recently featured on the site. Burrows created several stimulating images of a vibrant variety of flowers. But these are photos with a difference. The subjects appear in lustrous, glowing colors.

Burrows employed ultraviolet LEDs and the technique of long exposures. Some of the flowers have a purple glow sort of like the heart-shaped herb from Black Panther.

Science

SpaceX’s Craft Crew Dragon Has Docked at the International Space Station

A recent article from Business Insider relates the exciting story of Crew Dragon’s docking at the ISS. Elon Musk is constantly making headlines, but SpaceX’s peers see this achievement as monumental.

Hints of DNA Left on Flowers Disclose What Pollinators Have Visited Them

Earlier last month, a research team from Aarhus University in Denmark, which looking into interactions between plants and insects, released their findings. They have concluded that they can read traces of insect DNA left behind on flowers. This discovery opens the doors to a number of interesting new possibilities for recording the movements of various insects.

Curator Bio: John Tuttle is a Catholic man with a passion for creativity and mass communications. He’s an editor and contributor at Written Tales. Among the print magazines he has written for are Culture Wars Magazine and Prehistoric Times. He founded Of Intellect and Interest and writes regarding literary publications for The Review Review. He is a regular writer for other publications such as ZME Science, Movie Babble, American Watchmen, and Hacker Noon.

END NOTE

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