Guernica features John Updike in a previously unpublished interview. He discusses his admiration of Nabokov, his writing and reading habits, and why he wrote a book from the point of view of a terrorist.

Wired featured a pair of breasts on the cover of its November issue to promote an article on tissue engineering.

In an open letter to the magazine, Cindy Royal argues that this cover, like many covers in Wired‘s past, is sexist.

As a single mother living in a majority-Republican town, Alana Noel Voth is determined to raise an open-minded son against all odds.

She talks to her son frankly about sex and sexuality, despite the sometimes overwhelming negativity she encounters from people with different value systems. Her relationship with her son and her commitment to upholding respect for others is more important to her than the local consensus. Alana Noel Voth writes about parenthood, honesty, and sexuality.

Jeanne Leiby, editor of The Southern Review, calls writers when she accepts their work for publication. Since rejection is a major aspect of her line of work, she considers acceptances a special occasion. By calling writers who have had their work accepted by the magazine, Leiby establishes relationships with her contributors. She is also able to celebrate their acceptance with them.

Not many editors call up their contributing writers. Would the literary world be better for it?

What happens to an author’s personal library after his death? A reader discovered the answer to this question when she found a used copy of Don DeLillo’s book White Noise in notable Manhattan independent bookstore, The Strand. Once owned by David Markson, this book was one of many of his books floating around the store. The reader’s discovery prompted a search by Markson fans to recollect his library.

But why? Many people contend that an author’s library reveals something about the owner. For instance, Melville read and reread Paradise Lost while writing Moby Dick – an influence that shows in his novel. And yet libraries rarely survive an author’s death intact.

The Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis theorizes that if a language has no word for a certain concept, then the speakers of that language cannot understand that concept. Though this has been disproved, it’s still pretty interesting. How do words shape our behavior given the inherent differences between different languages?

Rick Gekoswki, shortlisted for the PEN/Ackerley prize, discusses literary award ceremonies and being a good loser. Joining Julian Barnes and Colm Tóibín as would-be prizewinners, he illustrates the pain of losing in public–nervous chatter, camera closeups, post-ceremony personal judgments, and all.

Five neuroscientists from Washington University in St. Louis spent a week in late May rafting, camping, and hiking in a remote area of southern Europe.

Their goal was to understand how a nature retreat would change their behavior. How do people react when they can’t answer their cellphones, access their email, or use their computers? Has the way we think and behave changed as a result of technology? Click here and find out.

I’m a horrible gift-giver. I’m the person who gave you a gift certificate on your birthday, didn’t realize you’d expect a gift on our anniversary, and cooked “Christmas dinner” in lieu of a wrapped present. In short, you shouldn’t expect much from me.

When I do take the time and energy to purchase a thoughtful gift, it’s often a book. I have a few rules for gifting books. First, I never repeat books. I won’t give someone a book I’ve given someone else. Second, I never gift a book for no reason. Even if I can’t explain my reasoning to myself, the book has to feel right for this particular person in order for me to purchase it and hand it over. Third, I never explain my choice of book to the giftee. …more