Literary Pick (***)

Abandoned
-Anya Peters

Literary Pick (****)

Kitchen Confidential
-Anthony Bourdain

Belated RIP

Anne Meara

Born: September 20, 1929, Brooklyn, New York City, NY

Died: May 23, 2015, Manhattan, New York City, NY

As one-half of the country's most renowned and universally beloved comedy duos, Anne Meara charmed millions with her hilarious and sometimes absurd banter with real-life husband Jerry Stiller. Known by many simply as Stiller and Meara, the pair incorporated their personal anecdotes - from relationship squabbles, to personality differences and cultural clashes - into their decades-long comedy act. Stiller and Meara's routine garnered national attention after numerous appearances on the seminal variety series "The Ed Sullivan Show" (CBS, 1948-1971). Apart from her husband, Meara also established a successful career as a hardworking actress, appearing in feature films and making memorable guest appearances on shows such as "The King of Queens" (CBS, 1998-2007) and "Sex and the City" (HBO, 1998-2004) throughout her career. Dedicated not only to her craft, but also to her family - raising their son, blockbuster movie star Ben Stiller - Meara shared her life with the world and made it collectively laugh, a feat that could only be accomplished by a true comedy legend.  

Hollywood.com

Literary Pick (***)

The Tao of Humiliation
-Lee Upton

Honor Spotlight

Omayra Sánchez Garzón (August 28, 1972 – November 16, 1985) was a Colombian girl killed in Armero, department of Tolima, by the 1985 eruption of the Nevado del Ruiz volcano when she was 13 years old. Volcanic debris mixed with ice to form massive lahars (volcanically induced mudslides, landslides, and debris flows) that rushed into the river valleys below the mountain, killing nearly 25,000 people and destroying Armero and 13 other villages.
After a lahar demolished her home, Sánchez became pinned beneath the debris of her house, where she remained trapped in water for three days. Her plight was documented as she descended from calmness into agony. Her courage and dignity touched journalists and relief workers, who put great efforts into comforting her. After 60 hours of struggling, she died, likely as a result of either gangrene or hypothermia. Her death highlighted the failure of officials to respond promptly to the threat of the volcano, contrasted with the efforts of volunteer rescue workers to reach and treat trapped victims, despite a dearth of supplies and equipment.
Sánchez became internationally famous through a photograph of her taken by the photojournalist Frank Fournier shortly before she died. When published worldwide it generated considerable controversy; it was later designated the World Press Photo of the Year for 1985. Sánchez has remained a lasting figure in popular culture, remembered through music, literature, and commemorative articles.
-Wikipedia

Literary Pick of the Day (***)

28 Stories of AIDS in Africa
-Stephanie Nolen

Stephanie Nolen writes 28 compelling stories of people living with AIDS in Africa, and the bureaucracy that surrounds the availability of antiretroviral drugs and care.