Friday Notes

You can follow the discussion of Ari Kelman's question –"who's the most important ... historical figure about whom most people know nothing?" – at The Edge of the American West, Unfogged, Crooked Timber, Early Modern Notes and Jottings from the Granite Studio. Intuition tells me that it would not be an American.

Peter Popham,"The Sistine Chapel was created 500 years ago by Michelangelo... or was it?" Independent, 24 January, features the controversy aroused by Frank Zöllner, Thomas Pöpper and Christof Thoenes, the German authors of Michelangelo: Complete Works. They dismiss most of the 800 sketches commonly attributed to Michelangelo as inauthentic.

On the musical legacies of Johannes Brahms and Arnold Schoenberg. Hat tip.

"Top 10 Drunk American Writers," Alternate Reel, 7 January. Commenters complain that my cousin, Hunter S. Thompson, isn't on the list. This would please our Aunt Ella, the head of Louisville's branch of the WCTU.
Update: David Noon points out that reader demand put cousin Hunter on the list in a tie for #2 with Ernest Hemingway. Aunt Ella would not be pleased.

Rachel Sklar,"Colbert's Civil Rights MLK Day Writers' Strike-Busting Writerless Show – In Song," Huffington Post, 23 January. Who knew that Andrew Young and Stephen Colbert's father, James, quietly settled the Charleston hospital workers' strike behind the scenes? Thanks to Jonathan Rees for the tip.

Scott Horton,"The Illustrated President," Harper's, 24 January, is not to be missed. But who's to say that"Methodist circuit rider" and"horse thief" are mutually exclusive terms? Thanks to Manan Ahmed for the tip.