[Obituary and Guestbook at the Hartford Courant.]
Jim Zwick, 51, an American Studies scholar whose specialties included Mark Twain, political history, and the educational usages of the internet died Thursday (January 24, 2008) at his home outside of Syracuse, New York. Zwick was the author of numerous noted books and articles on Twain, anti-imperialism and other topics. Major publications included the books Mark Twain's Weapons of Satire, Inuit Entertainers in the United States, and Confronting Imperialism: Essays on Mark Twain and the Anti-Imperialist League. He was a frequent contributor to a wide range of journals and anthologies. Zwick began creating websites in 1994. He created and ran the Mark Twain site at About.com, later consolidating his many writings into the widely cited Boondocksnet.com, which was included in the reading list of Mark Twain courses at universities worldwide. In 2000, he ran the author's posthumous online campaign for the Presidency, MSNB's top-ranked campaign website. With his unique perspective, he provided consultation and commentary for documentary films including Ken Burns' Mark Twain. Living in Hong Kong during the 1970's, his language skills allowed him to travel extensively in the Peoples' Republic of China in 1979, long before the current openness. He later traveled in the Philippines, and was long active with the Friends of the Filipino People. Zwick also served on the Executive Committee of the Mark Twain Circle. Zwick received his BA at Earlham College in 1981 and his MA in Comparative Politics and World History at Syracuse University where he continued to do post-graduate work and teach for some time. He attended Wethersfield High School and the Shanti School in Hartford. Zwick is survived by his father and step-mother Frank and Lynn Zwick of Myrtle Beach, SC, his sister Joan Zwick of Tolland, brothers David of Old Saybrook, Douglas of Los Angeles, and their families. He is predeceased by his mother Joan Jenkins Zwick, and sister, Susan Laurie Zwick. Memorial contributions may be made to Human Rights Watch, 350 5th Avenue, 34th Floor, New York, NY 10118 (www.hrw.org/donations).
Published in the Hartford Courant on 1/30/2008.
My friend Karen reminds me that I haven't updated my blog in almost a month. Well, I've been busy. I haven't even come up with my usual year-end lists (and this year, the music list is rather predictable). Stay tuned for those though; the post on my favorite movies is shaping up pretty nicely.
But since this is the first post of 2008, I thought I'd remind you readers of the inexorable passage of time: everything below is ten years old this year.
A list of some of the pop singles of 1998 tells me that very few of these have aged particularly well (not that they were ever very good in the first place):
- Shania Twain's "You're Still The One"
- LeAnn Rimes' "How Do I Live"
- Natalie Imbruglia's "Torn" (okay, I actually really like this song)
- Madonna's "Ray Of Light" (this one too, plus it has the second-greatest Madonna video ever, next only to "Lucky Star")
- Stardust's "Music Sounds Better With You"
- Marcy Playground's "Sex And Candy"
- Aerosmith's "I Don't Want To Miss A Thing"
- Alanis Morissette's "Thank U"
and of course, the theme song from the biggest movie of 1998, and possibly even the decade, Celine Dion's "My Heart Will Go On." The horror.
Meanwhile, some very good artists released some very middling albums: Whitechocolatespaceegg, Hello Nasty, Is This Desire?, Mutations, Angels With Dirty Faces. I bought them all that year and I don't think I've listened to them since then.
But for every single by Savage Garden, Matchbox 20, Third Eye Blind, Jennifer Paige, and Creed -- god, just typing these names makes my skin crawl -- there were at least a few bright spots: Lauryn Hill's debut album, Jay-Z's "Hard Knock Life", Black Star, Buena Vista Social Club, The Boy With the Arab Strap, New Radicals' "You Get What You Give", and Music Has The Right To Children.
But yeah, think about it: it's been ten years.