28
MARCH2015
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HEMISPHERESMAGAZINE.COM
ILLUSTRATION©1969HILARYKNIGHT, AS TAKENFROMELOISEBYKAY THOMPSON. USEDBYPERMISSIONOF SIMON& SCHUSTER, INC. (ELOISE)
themonthahead
“Youwouldhavesearcheda long time for thesortofwinding laneor tranquil
meadowforwhichEngland laterbecamecelebrated.Therewere insteadmiles
ofdesolate, uncultivated land; hereand there rough-hewnpathsovercraggy
hills or bleakmoorland. Most of the roads left by the Romans would by then have
become brokenor overgrown, often fading intowilderness. Icy fogs hung over rivers
andmarshes, servingall toowell theogres thatwere then still native to this land.”
—FromKazuo Ishiguro’s
TheBuriedGiant
, a fable set inamedieval Englandfilledwithknights, dragons andogres that
promises tobequitedifferent fromhis previousbest-sellersThe Remains of theDayandNever LetMe Go.
(MARCH3)
QUICK
LIT
MUSIC
PetSounds
March seesnew releases
from threewildkingdom–
inspiredbands
NOELGALLAGHER’S
HIGHFLYINGBIRDS
CHASINGYESTERDAY
Sibling rivalsNoel andLiam
GallagherofOasisproved that birds
of a feather sometimes can’t playnice
together. In2009, Noel left behind the
family feudandassembledanew flock
with formermembersof theLemonTrees
and theZutons. Their sophomoreeffort’s
lead single, “In theHeat of theMoment,”
featuresanah-nah-nahhook that even
Liammight admit iskinda catchy.
(MARCH2)
MODESTMOUSE
STRANGERSTOOURSELVES
Afteryearsof indieobscurity,
theWashingtonState–based
rockershad their firsthit in2004with
“FloatOn.” Their2007 follow-upalbum
debutedatNo. 1, and they spent the
next eightyears restingon their laurels,
headlining festivalsand releasingB-sides
andmaking-ofdocs. On their sixth
album, expect IsaacBrock’s trade-
markhowlingvocals—whichareanything
butquiet asamouse.
(MARCH3)
LADYLAMBTHE
BEEKEEPER
AFTER
Youmightmistakenlyassume
Portland,Maine–basedguitarist
AlySpaltro is rathergentleand twee. After
all, fanswhopreorderedhernewalbum
receivedapom-pommedknit LLBKhat,
and shegother start in thebasement
of a local video store. But, trust us, her
surreal, oftengrotesque imagery ismore
DavidLynch (oneofher faves) thanWes
Anderson.
(MARCH3)
—NICHOLASDERENZO
Eloiseat60
Anewdocumentary
takes a look at the
enduringpower of
thePlaza’smost
famous resident
and the couple
who createdher
BOOKS
T
here’s anaggingquestionhangingover the storyofEloise, the little
girlwho livesatNewYork’sPlazaHotelwithhernanny,adoganda
turtle,who combsher hairwith a fork andwhose character is expressed
in acts ofwantonnaughtiness:Where theheck areher parents?
Insomesense,thisquestion isanswered in
It’sMe,Hilary:TheManWho
DrewEloise
,thenewHBOdocumentary(co-executive-producedbyEloise
fanaticLenaDunham),whichprovides a glimpse into theworld of the
illustratorHilaryKnight,fromwhosepentheprecocioussix-year-oldsprang.
Knight, 88, co-createdEloise in 1955 following a chance encounter
with the eccentric entertainer KayThompson, who was known for
spontaneouslybreaking into thevoiceof amischievous littlegirl.Knight
helpedThompsonbringher imaginarycharacter to life—essentially,he
says, theybecameEloise’s parents.
“We were like amarried couple,”Knight says from hisManhattan
home. “We traveled the worldwriting these books, lived in the same
hotels.”BothheandThompson,he says,developedanemotional attach-
ment toEloise,and to eachother.“Kaywas an extravagant,extroverted
person,and I am the exact opposite.We combined,and itworked.”
Knight doesn’t like to talk aboutwhatwentwrongbetweenhim and
Thompson,but after fiveyearsand fourbooks they splitup,entered into
abittercustodybattleoverEloiseandnever spokeagain.NootherEloise
books appeareduntil 2002, four years afterThompson’s death.
“Of course it botheredme,”Knight says, but he’d rather talk about
the book he’s working onnow,due to be published in time for Eloise’s
birthday inNovember,her60th.“It’s thebestwork I’vedone inmy life,”
he says.“Thatmakesmehappy.”
Knight sayshe is still verymuch in lovewithEloise,buthehas ahard
time fathomingwhy his feelings are shared by somany people. “It’s a
completemystery tome,”he says. “But whatever Kay and I created, it
hasaffectedpeople.Very fewpeoplecan say they’vedone something like
that.”
—CW
(MARCH23)
