This week's links. Enjoy.
Hitchcock, the Counter-Caster
Intriguing piece about director Alfred Hitchcock's penchant for casting actors against type, such as a squeaky clean James Stewart as the hero with a decidedly dark side in the film Vertigo.
Reading Each Other
From The Browser: "What's the value of art, philosophy, music, literature? None will solve the world's problems. The best the humanities can do is to remind us that, as Auden put it, 'We must love one another or die', and then show us how to do it." An excellent argument for why culture is not a luxury but a necessity if we are to live in a civilized society.
Pantone Flesh Tones Photos
Fascinating project by artist Angelica Dass that pairs photos of people with their exact Pantone skin colour, extracted from a sample of 11x11 pixels of the subject’s face. Dass's final objective is to record and catalogue all possible human skin tones. Via Kottke.
10 Great Ads by Wes Anderson
Fun roundup of ten TV spots directed by Wes Anderson. And do go and see his new film Moonrise Kingdom if you haven't already done so — you'll love it.
450 Free Audio Books
Brilliant list of 450 literature, poetry and nonfiction audio books that can be downloaded for free. Perfect for summer road trips — or to change up the daily commute. Plus, the list includes classics that are great for kids, such as Jules Verne, Jack London, Aesop's Fables and others — which could be gold for long car rides to the cottage.
The 20 Most Beautiful Bookstores in the World
The photos of a few of these bookstores will make you swoon, I guarantee. Gorgeous. I've visited one of these places (Shakespeare & Co. in Paris) but needless to say would love to see them all. Via Andrew (thanks!)
Batman's Cape is a Bad Idea
Physicists at the University of Leicester have concluded that Batman's cape-gliding is definitely not a safe way to travel — and they've got the awesome calculations to prove it.
Grilled Zucchini and Summer Squash with Yogurt Cumin Sauce
This is a fantastic summery veggie recipe from Gourmande in the Kitchen that I will definitely be trying out soon. Lovely. Via Pinterest.
(photo by richard powers)