SPOILER SPOILER Dan Stevens Has Something to Say About ‘Downton Abbey’ By DAVE ITZKOFF (NEW YORK TIMES)

Dan Stevens as Matthew Crawley on “Downton Abbey.”

WITH Michelle Dockery

Be forewarned that this post deals with developments on “Downton Abbey” that British viewers are now aware of, but which have not yet occurred in the American broadcast of that series. In other words, major spoilers ahead.

Just when things were going swimmingly for Matthew Crawley at “Downton Abbey” — that aristocratic character, played by Dan Stevens, was enjoying his long-delayed wedding to Lady Mary (Michelle Dockery); his wife had given birth to their first child, a son; he was delighted by his fancy new motorcar — an automobile accident he sustained in the show’s Christmas special resulted in his demise, and ended Mr. Stevens’s tenure on the popular period drama.

Speaking with The Telegraph of London, Mr. Stevens said that his departure from “Downton Abbey” felt strange but inevitable, and that his decision to leave the series was made before he started filming its most recent season (which begins in the United States on Jan. 6).


READ MORE: http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/12/26/dan-stevens-has-something-to-say-about-downton-abbey/

Dan Stevens: My Week; Dan Stevens defends the Booker long list (TELEGRAPH)

Last Thursday the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation ran the story, "No Canadians on Man Booker longlist". Closer to home, the headlines deployed the term "snubbed", appearing to overlook how active and aggressive that verb is; as if we judges had spent seven months conspiring to edge out certain authors deliberately, as opposed to reading widely and rewarding excellence. It struck me in just how many ways our list could, and is, being interpreted: indeed, on closer examination of all the titles of the longlisted books, I notice that we "snubbed" the words "a" and "an", shoo-ins since 2007, and not since 2009 has the letter "J" been so unjustifiably jilted. And not a single apostrophe! What on earth's going on???

The enduring appeal of Bruce Wayne's Batman is not merely that of the superhero but the super-capitalist; the multibillionaire with so much capital that he turns his attention and wealth to the "superhuman", creating a suit and persona (with no actual superpowers) that will fight evil and save the world. A few seconds' walk up the Euston Road from a javelin train taking spectators to the current crucible of superhuman achievement in Stratford, the ever-brilliant Wellcome Collection continues its philosophical questioning of extreme ideas and innovation in the world of science, technology and medicine. Its current (free) exhibition, Superhuman, examines man's constant attempts to enhance his powers and the sometimes terrifying "add-ons" that we have developed throughout history to ameliorate our natural state, from Icarus to the implant. Metres away from an Olympic traffic lane it proves gold-standard pause for thought.


READ THE REST OF DAN'S WONDERFUL ARTICLE:http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/books/booker-prize/9446471/My-week-Dan-Stevens.html

Dan Stevens: 'I read 146 books for Man Booker Prize' (BBC)

Dan Stevens, who is on the judging panel for this year's Man Booker Prize, says he has had a "tricky" year.

The actor - who will make his Broadway debut later in the year and is starring in the third season of Downton Abbey - has had to make time to read 146 books.

He told BBC News that he never skim reads, but gives each book a "thorough reading".

See the Dan Stevens video here

Downton Abbey Star Dan Stevens Joins Booker Prize Judges: HUFFINGTON POST

First Posted: 13/12/11 07:08 GMT Updated: 13/12/11 07:24 GMT

 

Downton Abbey star Dan Stevens has joined the judges for next year's Man Booker Prize.

 

The actor, who plays Matthew Crawley in the ITV1 country house drama and studied English Literature at Cambridge University, will have to work his way through more than 100 novels as the judges whittle them down to around a dozen and then a shortlist of six.

Joining him on the judging panel are broadcaster and historian Amanda Foreman and academics Dinah Birch and Bharat Tandon.

The panel's chairman, Times Literary Supplement editor Sir Peter Stothard, said they would approach the job with "enthusiasm and expectation".

He said: "We have two of Britain's finest professional critics, with expertise in novels from the 18th to the 21st century, a distinguished actor who is also an accomplished literary critic and an historian who is one of the most successful biographers of our time. We are all looking forward to a feisty Man Booker year - with a background of Jane Austen, John Ruskin, Georgiana Duchess of Devonshire, the Times Literary Supplement and even a hint of the library at Downton Abbey."

The judges announced a longlist of 12 or 13 books in July, followed by a shortlist of six in September.

The winner is to be announced at London's Guildhall on October 16.

This year's £50,000 prize was won by Julian Barnes for his novel The Sense Of An Ending.

See a gallery of all of 2011's award-winning books.

FOLLOW HUFFPOST UK CULTURE

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2011/12/13/downton-abbey-dan-stevens-man-booker-prize_n_1145071.html

 

Dan Stevens: Downton star joins literary judges

 

(UKPA) – 1 hour ago

Downton Abbey star Dan Stevens has joined the judges for next year's Man Booker Prize.

The actor, who plays Matthew Crawley in the ITV1 country house drama and studied English Literature at Cambridge University, will have to work his way through more than 100 novels as the judges whittle them down to around a dozen and then a shortlist of six.

Joining him on the judging panel are broadcaster and historian Amanda Foreman and academics Dinah Birch and Bharat Tandon.

The panel's chairman, Times Literary Supplement editor Sir Peter Stothard, said they would approach the job with "enthusiasm and expectation".

He said: "We have two of Britain's finest professional critics, with expertise in novels from the 18th to the 21st century, a distinguished actor who is also an accomplished literary critic and an historian who is one of the most successful biographers of our time. We are all looking forward to a feisty Man Booker year - with a background of Jane Austen, John Ruskin, Georgiana Duchess of Devonshire, the Times Literary Supplement and even a hint of the library at Downton Abbey."

The judges announced a longlist of 12 or 13 books in July, followed by a shortlist of six in September.
The winner is to be announced at London's Guildhall on October 16.

This year's £50,000 prize was won by Julian Barnes for his novel The Sense Of An Ending.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ukpress/article/ALeqM5gGY6Y4rpPsO_XDbsXEwQ4v2gg7VA?docId=N0407961323695896008A