An impassioned, funny, probing, fiercely inconclusive, nearly-to-the-death debate about life and art—beers included.Caleb Powell always wanted to become an artist, but he overcommitted to life (he’s a stay-at-home dad to three young girls), whereas his former professor David Shields always wanted to become a human being, but he overcommitted to art (he has five books coming out in the next year and a half). Shields and Powell spend four days together at a cabin in the Cascade Mount...

How Great Books, Art, Language, and the Internet Unite Two People, Two Cultures, and All of UsWhen Pakistani artist and polio survivor Sana Nasim reaches out to Caleb Powell, blogger for the Karachi-based Express Tribune, an extraordinary and transformative friendship begins. She questions her will to live and wants to improve her English, he wants to create a work of art.In the tradition of Azar Nafisi's "Reading Lolita in Tehran", they read and discuss the opuses of Truma...

A debate, nearly to the death, about life and art, cocktails included. And a soon-to-be major motion picture from James Franco! Caleb Powell always wanted to become an artist, but he overcommitted to life (he' s a stay-at-home dad to three young girls), whereas his former professor David Shields always wanted to become a human being, but he has overcommitted to art. Shields and Powell spend four days together in a cabin in the Cascade Mountains, playing chess, shooting hoops, hiking to lak...