The Dr. Horrible sequel comes out in October and other stories

If you’ve been following Project small fry regularly you’ll know that Neil Patrick Harris has talents that go beyond playing smooth-talking Barney Stintson. We’re talking about Dr Horrible’s sing along blog, the 2008 web-based sensation born purely out of the restless genius of Joss Whedon and the acting prowess (and that free moving blonde eyebrow) of Neil Patrick Harris. Well, we learned this past week that there’s a sequel due somewhere in October and it made us nearly wet ourselves with excitement. Will Dr. Horrible’s new and dangerous life as a member of the super bad league of evil, be cast over with the shadow of his tragic loss?

The Casual Vacancy, JK Rowling’s first non-Potter book for adults will be on shelves in the US and the UK by the end of this month. Or so Little Brown promises. I know you expect to be happy and expectant but I’m a little wary. I’m Potter fan enough to get the book, but should I really believe all this pre-print marketing schtick? Once a writer really reaches the peak of her form, I don’t know, it’s only human to crash and burn. At any rate, this book has big shoes to fill. Huge. Some Felix Felicis might be in order.

Speaking of books, Nilanjana Roy’s The Wildings is out to brilliant reviews.  That’s two debut novelists this year by David Davidar fledgling publishing house Aleph, which really seems to tapping the journalist-turned-author pulse.  And no wonder, if Project Small Fry (yes, we’re a collective now) is any indication of readership, their sales will probably be sky high. Think about it. We devoured Pinto’s articles and then promptly bought the book. We devour Roy’s articles and now that salaries are credited, we’ll be lining up to buy the book. No-brainer really.

We try to be free of political strain, but this was too much for us to bear. I can’t decide what’s funnier about the whole situation. Is it that Eastwood looks like the crypt keeper’s older brother and can’t form a sentence without mumbling? Is it Obama’s tweet in response? Is it the series of web memes that took over the internet? So many angles!

 

– Sheena

Six articles that you should have read this fortnight

A portrait of just what happened while a tornado raged outside. Though the story broke last September, it recently won an award for Best Magazine Feature. Via Esquire

““I kept wanting to exclaim, “It sounds like a play.”” Giles Harvey on the revival of Millers Death of a salesman.  Via New Yorker

“You should care about politics. Unless you care about politics too much, in which case please stop caring about politics so much because you’re making everyone tired.” Via Jezebel

Nilanjana Roy lists controversial subjects Indians shouldn’t write about.

We saw Mamta Banerjee lose her mind and call a student a maoist on a news channel. Read the girl, Taniya Bhardwaj’s letter to the CM Via The Telegraph

 Backpfeifengesicht. Meraki. Gigil. 25 Handy Words That Simply Don’t Exist In English