"The engaging documentary ‘Born Into This’ peers beyond the myth of lovably cantankerous counter-culture author-hero Charles Bukowski.

'When you get the shit kicked out of you long enough...you’ll have the tendency to say what you really mean,' states Charles Bukowski in the engaging new documentary 'Bukowski: Born Into This.' That terse observation hints at the brutality of Bukowski’s childhood, when his father would beat him with a razor strop. It also affords a context in which to view his famously stripped-down, no-nonsense literature, charged with autobiographical detail, an urgent, acerbic world-view and that balls-to-the-wall take on booze, sex, poverty and the daily grind.

The documentary marks the filmmaking debut of John Dullaghan. The former advertising copywriter felt such a kinship with Bukowski that he devoted seven years to making what is, at heart, a loving tribute to a writer, his craft and, above all, the idea of living and dying by one’s own creed. 'Born Into This' manages to peer beyond the Bukowski Myth to arrive at something far more layered and fascinating."

From a review at LA ALTERNATIVE PRESS

Torrent (AVI DivX- 772 MB)

Lots of new stuff on the other site...

And of course the shop will be on MySpace soon.

Check this out!

"There is relatively little respected academic work about a science of social prediction, but in the late 1940s to early 1950s science fiction authors Robert Heinlein and Isaac Asimov (who were often ahead of their time) wrote speculative stories about the concept, Heinlein referring to "social psychodynamics" (Heinlein 1941, 1953) and Asimov calling it "Psychohistory" (Asimov 1951, 1952, 1953). ("Psychohistory" has a more recent use that has nothing to do with social prediction.)"

Read on at kuro5hin

Check out the new MySpace-Site with music to listen to and become their friend! .

English blog with politically incorrect observations on reporting in the German media...

"If you're an expat or someone who has spent time in Germany, we want your help. Why do pedestrians wait for the light to change at 3:00 a.m.? Why are the shops closed on Sunday? Is German beer a stereotype or a reality? Why do toilets have shelves? Why do we have to bag our own groceries at the supermarket -- assuming we get to the checkout in the first place? And why are there so many dogs on German streets and naked people on German beaches? Are Germans rude? Why are there so many sex shops?

Please send your accounts of German quirks to SPIEGEL ONLINE. We'll post the best of them and try to answer your questions if there's a specific German cultural peculiarity you'd like to know more about. "

The Spiegel Germany Survival Bible

"The German Embassy, the German National Tourist Office and Air Berlin have joined forces to promote holidays in Germany with a poster campaign on the London Underground.

In the run-up to the 2006 FIFA World Cup™ in Germany, England Football legend Sir Geoff Hurst MBE suggests that you'll have a ball when you visit Germany - and not just one you kick around! "

Check out the posters!

"Infinite Matrix was a webzine featuring new science fiction by major writers, reviews by respected critics, and essays by original thinkers. It was kind of monthly, kind of weekly, and kind of daily. It was published from August, 2001 to January, 2006. It revived temporarily in April 2006 for a single issue, due to zombie activity that may have been caused by the publisher's penchant for fugu sashimi."

"A ton of amazing stuff in those archives." (boingboing.net)

Nice stuff at the Smithsonian Institution Libraries

I added another thing to the sidebar o the left: my latest 5 events from upcoming.org! Click here for my whole list of cool events coming up in Berlin and add some yourself...

This looks like a great book:

This enormous volume is the first comprehensive encyclopedia of fantastic literature of the nineteenth century. From detective fiction to historical novels, from well-known authors like Jules Verne and H.G. Wells, to Russian newspaper serials and Chinese martial arts novels, THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF FANTASTIC VICTORIANA is a truly exhaustive look at every aspect of fantastic literature in the days of Queen Victoria. Readers of science fiction and fantasy will be surprised to find here the roots of genres thought to be strictly contemporary, and students of literature will be amazed at the breadth and scope of writings produced in the Victoriana era. This is an invaluable reference, and truly one-of-a-kind."

Written by Jess Nevins Introduction by Michael Moorcock

Via Warren Ellis

Photographic Portraits from a past that never was

At the bookshop from March 26th until April 6th or even a little longer.

A few words from the artist>

In the spring of 2003 I began what was to become an all consuming project: a photographic odyssey with Another Country and its habitués as the central focus.

Since my early days at University I have wanted to do something similar to Ed Van Der Elsken’s Love on The Left Bank, a photographic story set in Paris in the autumn of 1952. In the early spring of 2003 I met Faye in the bookshop and after a short time we decided to collaborate on a fictional photographic story.* The principal character would be modelled on Laurence Durrell’s Justine from his Alexandria Quartet. Faye would play this role. In my arrogance I thought I could create complex characters as well as a multi-level story line principally using photographs. If there had to be words I wanted very few.

The concept was to make a book that could be read and savoured for its complexity rather than the aesthetic of black and white images. One conundrum, whether or not I could make the images appear so natural it would seem the photographs were of real characters participating in real events, was the first of many problems I had to overcome. It needed to look real if the story was going to operate on more than one level. To fulfil this ambition I rely heavily on the notion of the photograph as a document with resonances of truth. The enduring myth of analogue photography, that it had to have been in order to be photographed, is integral to the plot. The photographs in this exhibit are of characters that play roles in the story. Some of the images were shot in 2003 and others within the last six weeks. They are the introduction to the book.

Portraits are usually character studies: the image should tell us something about the person we are looking at. But this is a work of fiction, so I am under no obligation to accurately render my impressions of these people as real people, though that doesn’t mean I haven’t done so. It would be remiss of me not to thank all who have so patiently and uncomplainingly given me their time and allowed me unfettered access to their personal space as I chased my obsession. So I will take this opportunity to say thanks very very much to all who those participated.

In the final analysis the success of this project will be in the editing decisions, one of which is evident here. All the images in this exhibit had to be medium format. I wanted them square and I wanted the people to be alone. This meant some very good images of other players, shot either as pairs or with 35mm, have been omitted. This project is far from over and I sometimes wonder if it ever will be, but the journey has been engaging and the generosity of people astounding. Its a rich part of my life and something I am very glad I began.

Graham Hains

DOING THE LYNDIE!

Who are these freaks?

Live at the Bassy Club last night, kids! Get a taste of THE hot new duo from Berlin with these crappy cellphone-videos!

Video 1 (4 min 22 s)

Video 2 (5 min 9s)

Graham will showcase his photos from the bookshop for two weeks. Come over for the opening on Sunday, 26th march, 2 p.m.

New Media Fiction brings together the pioneer short fiction podcasters. Experimenting from putting short-short fiction to novellas over their podcasts, these writers were the first to test the new medium for storytelling. podiobooks.com

Also: James P Kelly's "Burn" short sf novel podcast concludes More free sf-podcasts over here...

After a long break Sister Chain & Brother John are back on stage. This Monday The 13th of March at the Bassy for Lady Gaby's open to the public birthday party with other bands and events and djs and rats and stuff.

So join us and get your experimental metal kicks:

Bassy (is in Hackescher Markt - donnow exactly where but if we can find it so can you) monday 13th, 22:00, 4 euros only