The Comment Factory

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Follow-ups are a crucible. The first novel brings the challenges of any piece of literature. At least half, if not more, of the book’s success comes the readers’ experiential discovery of the central characters. Ideally, every page is a new awakening, and the sense of wonderment shouldn’t cease until the book is done. So the second novel in a serial poses a problem. We know the characters. We’ve already tagged along through an adventure with them. If we’re reading the second book, that doesn’t mean we simply liked the plot and the protagonists; it means we enjoyed the process of learning to like the plot and the protagonists

Paradoxically many artists have tried in vain to keep such traditions alive; scornfully discrediting “the system” while developing increasingly reactionary and self interested justifications for its perpetuity. In delighting in the virtually unrestricted opportunities for the creation of wealth, many rappers criticism of the status quo reeks of dishonesty. The result is a frustrating paradox; an attempt to idealise and identify with the poor yet a ritualised debasement and ridicule of those who either fail to accumulate wealth or simply do not sufficiently value such endeavours

Vignesh Subramanian can’t understand why Indian genius composer Ilaiyaraaja has not been recognized by the music world in the West.

It is rare for musicians to successfully straddle the line between mainstream appeal and forthright political activism, but it has happened in the past, and rising artists must begin engaging again with the issues that affect us all.

With a changed global economic system and cultural superstructure, American politicians need to catch up quick, for their own sake and ours.