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The American Dirt author returns — and this time she won't be cancelled

The American Dirt author returns — and this time she won't be cancelled

Times21-05-2025

Even if you didn't read American Dirt, the sour whiff of controversy it provoked may have pricked your nostrils. After it initially received positive reviews, Jeanine Cummins's 2020 novel about a Mexican mother and son who illegally enter the US to escape a cartel was savaged by authors and critics as tasteless 'trauma porn' and an insult to Hispanic writers. This wasn't her story to tell, was the message.
Cummins, who is not Mexican, had committed the grievous sin of imagination. Her publisher apologised for the way the book was marketed; her book tour was cancelled. Looking back, some valid points were made (the book's barbed-wire cover design was unfortunate), but much of the criticism felt like spite from loud mediocrities who were jealous

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The best men's designer sunglasses to shop in 2025
The best men's designer sunglasses to shop in 2025

Times

time33 minutes ago

  • Times

The best men's designer sunglasses to shop in 2025

Summer is sunglasses time, of course. And while we are great fans of the classics — and who doesn't look good in a pair of Ray-Ban Wayfarers (as sported by Tom Cruise in Risky Business), American Optical Original Pilot aviators (as issued to the crew of Apollo 11 in their survival kits), Persol 714s (see Steve McQueen in The Thomas Crown Affair) or Vuarnet Legend 06s (thank you, 007, in No Time to Die) — there are new styles that are worth exploring. Some of the best models come care of collaborations, creating characterful mash-ups. The first that caught our eye, so to speak, is the Ray-Ban x Lenny Kravitz partnership, which has produced a 'reverse' version of the US brand's famous aviators. This style was designed in 1937 for American pilots and has become a classic. Last year Ray-Ban decided to play with it and introduced a concave lens in place of the usual convex one. Kravitz clearly enjoys the idea of reimagining the aviator: 'It's about breaking boundaries, embracing individuality and seeing the world from a new perspective through those innovative lenses.' The models come in black, chrome and a limited-edition gold version, and etched discreetly on the top of the left lens you'll see the musician's signature. • This article contains affiliate links that can earn us revenue But if lens bending strikes you as a little out there, why not try a pair of Sunspel x Cutler and Gross shades? A British maker of elegant luxury casualwear for men, Sunspel was founded in 1860 and to this day manufactures T-shirts in its factory in Long Eaton, Derbyshire. The brand is all about quality, simplicity and a certain type of no-nonsense Britishness. It has, for example, made a couple of collections with Paul Weller, which were a modern take on sporty mod knits. Sunspel x Cutler and Gross Dark Turtle sunglasses, £395, Enter the Sunspel x Cutler and Gross sunglasses collaboration, a marriage made in British minimalist design heaven. Cutler and Gross is about a century younger than Sunspel, founded in 1969 by Graham Cutler and Tony Gross, who met while studying to become opticians, and its sunglasses are now handmade in Italy. The brand has developed a model for Sunspel with an acetate frame in dark brown, black or pewter with matching tonal lenses, a tapered temple with diamond-shaped rivets and a heavy brow line that gives it an air of old-school cool. At the other end of the British sartorial spectrum sits Huntsman of Savile Row, established in 1849. A dive into this tailor's ledgers reveals a host of stylish customers: Clark Gable, Paul Newman, Lawrence Olivier, Gregory Peck and Dirk Bogarde — and more recently the film director Matthew Vaughn, the creator of the Kingsman franchise for which Huntsman served as inspiration and location. (Incidentally, Cutler and Gross has an eyewear collaboration with Kingsman too.) Huntsman x EB Meyrowitz Grosvenor sunglasses, £1,350, Now the Savile Row tailor comes together with EB Meyrowitz, an optician that was founded in 1875 and has its roots in making eyewear for early motorists, mountaineers and aviators. Today EB Meyrowitz is based in the Royal Arcade off Bond Street and handmakes its frames. For Huntsman it has imagined some archetypical designs in acetate: an aviator, a teardrop shape, a rectangular style and a round one. It's a good selection designed to suit different face shapes, and each model oozes quality (witness the three gold pins on the temples of the Savoy and Grosvenor models). The tinted Zeiss lenses protect against UV and there is added back-coating to counteract the sun reflecting from the reverse of the lens into the eye. By Rosie Davenport Inspired by the silhouette of the iconic cat eye sunglasses worn by Bob Dylan on tour throughout the mid-1960s, this sleek black frame from Jacques Marie Mage features polarised lenses. The Los Angeles-based brand is also behind a collection of quiet luxury shades worn by the character Kendall Roy in the TV show Succession, which are made in a limited series of about 50 per model and colour. £1,580, Jacques Marie Mage at Harrods With its leather bridge detailing and signature screws, Cartier's Santos de Cartier pilot sunglasses are a great twist on the classic aviator silhouette with touches of distinctive details taken from the brand's bestselling watch design. £1,035, Cartier at Harrods Made in Italy, Ferrari's aviator frames have an understated sporty aesthetic in homage to the brand's rich racing history and are crafted from lightweight acetate. £584, Ferrari at Harrods The peachy tinted lenses on these Brunello Cucinelli gives the pair a retro twist, as do the chunky frames and oversized silhouette. £605, Brunello Cucinelli at Mr Porter Mr Porter's collaboration with the British eyewear brand Cubitts includes this pair of everyday frames. The rounded shape, tortoiseshell and brown lenses makes them particularly perfect for the sunny summer months. £150, Mr Porter

Inside Cara Santana and Shannon Leto's glamorous Beverly Hills wedding with star-studded guest list
Inside Cara Santana and Shannon Leto's glamorous Beverly Hills wedding with star-studded guest list

Daily Mail​

time44 minutes ago

  • Daily Mail​

Inside Cara Santana and Shannon Leto's glamorous Beverly Hills wedding with star-studded guest list

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Brian Austin Green's fiancee reveals if they've met his ex Megan Fox's newborn baby
Brian Austin Green's fiancee reveals if they've met his ex Megan Fox's newborn baby

Daily Mail​

timean hour ago

  • Daily Mail​

Brian Austin Green's fiancee reveals if they've met his ex Megan Fox's newborn baby

While opening up about their blended family, Brian Austin Green's fiancee Sharna Burgess revealed that they've met his ex-wife Megan Fox 's newborn baby. Fox, 39, welcomed a daughter with ex-boyfriend Machine Gun Kelly, 35, in March of this year. The Transformers beauty also has three kids — Noah, 12, Bodhi, 11, and Journey, eight — with ex-husband Green, 51, who she split from in 2020 after 10 years of marriage. Sharna, 39 — who shares son Zane, three, with Brian — gushed to PEOPLE on Wednesday that Fox and MGK's baby girl is the 'absolute cutest thing.' She also revealed that Zane has 'fallen in love' with his three-month-old baby sister. 'Of course he's met her — that's his baby sister,' Burgess told People. 'They're deeply in love. She is the absolute cutest thing, and it's really beautiful.' 'We have such a big family,' Burgess continued. 'When I was a kid, and even when I was manifesting my life, I wanted a big family. 'And then I got to a point where I thought, 'Maybe I'll only get to have one baby because of age, ovaries, you know, all the things.' 'But somehow the universe still provided this unbelievably big family and tribe with amazing kids in it.' The former Dancing with the Stars pro gushed that her little one is growing up surrounded by love. 'He has such a big, beautiful tribe around him, and it's really cool,' the proud mom reflected. She added, 'We're all so very lucky. The kids are amazing and they've become built-in babysitters. The age gap actually works really well. We're thrilled.' Sharna also revealed that she and her husband-to-be are even considering expanding their brood with another child. 'We've talked about getting pregnant at some point next year,' she told the publication. 'I like the idea of an age gap of around four to five years between siblings, so hopefully we can make that happen.' Green previously had a vasectomy to relieve Burgess from the side effects of birth control. 'He was amazing,' she said. 'He knew that birth control made me feel crazy, so he said, "Let me handle it." He got a vasectomy, but we always knew we could do IVF or freeze sperm. 'It was never "no more babies." It was just about protecting my health. So yes, IVF is most likely the route we'll take.' Weeks ago Megan shared a video from Instagram fan account @ which showed her in a plaid mini skirt and cropped blue cardigan. The snippets were from her guest role in the Prime TV series Overcompensating. She spilled that she was pregnant in the scene, writing, '38 years old. six weeks pregnant (unplanned but a happy surprise).' 'Please stop listening to the patriarchy,' she urged her 21.5 million followers. 'Women are eternal light beings. We do not have an expiration date. Don't let them rob you of your power.' In addition to their newborn, MGK is also dad to 15-year-old daughter Casie. The birth of Megan and the rapper's daughter came months after the exes split for a final time. Their late 2024 breakup was reportedly due to Fox finding 'upsetting material' on the rock star's phone during a Colorado vacation.

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