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Bruce Springsteen's Western Stars, Harold Bloom, Islamic folios, new 'Monuments Men'

Bruce Springsteen's film of his latest album Western Stars; the late controversial figure Harold Bloom; cut-out Islamic folios; a new 'Monuments Men' initiative.

Bruce Springsteen is about to release a film of his latest album, Western Stars. In the hayloft of his 100-year-old barn in New Jersey, he performs the album alongside a full orchestra, featuring brass, banjo, accordion and steel guitar. Kate Mossman, features editor of The New Statesman, reviews the film which coincides with the singer's 70th birthday.

The death was announced last week of the American literary critic Harold Bloom. The author of more than 40 books, which reframed the work of the romantic poets and William Shakespeare, Bloom was a controversial figure, a defender of the idea of the 'Western Canon' and an avowed literary elitist. Literary critic and cultural historian Lara Feigel, and James Marriott, Assistant Literary Editor at The Times - and a Bloom fan from a young age - explore Harold Bloom鈥檚 complicated legacy.

Illuminated pages taken from a 15th century Islamic manuscript come up for sale at Christie's in London tomorrow. They come from a Persian manuscript The Paths of Paradise that depicts the Prophet鈥檚 ascent to heaven and are so rare it鈥檚 estimated they could sell for 拢1m each. Only one complete copy of the manuscript now exists and an American art historian has described the auction as 'immoral'. Professor Christiane Gruber from the University of Michigan explains why she is calling on the art world to boycott it.

Presenter John Wilson
Producer Jerome Weatherald

Available now

28 minutes

Bruce Springsteen

Bruce Springsteen

Bruce Springsteen's latest album and the film of the recording of it are both named . The album is released on 25 October 2019, and the documentary film聽is in UK cinemas from 28 October 2019, certificate PG.

Images: main image above: Bruce Springsteen on stage

Image credit: Kevin Mazur/Getty Imageas

Image to the left: 聽in聽Western Stars

Image credit: Warner Bros Pictures/Rob De Martin

Islamic folio sale

Islamic folio sale

Image:聽 A page from the 15th century Islamic manuscript 鈥淭he Paths of Paradise鈥 (Nahj al-Faradis): Two Hells Reserved for Misers and Flatterers, for sale at Christie鈥檚 London

Image credit: Courtesy Christie's

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  • Wed 23 Oct 2019 19:15

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