August 2012

Over at The Daily Beast, Andrew Sullivan gave love to last week’s essay by Katherine Sharpe, “In Praise of Depression.” Thanks, Andrew, we love you back!

This Week in San Francisco! Monday 8/20: Lit Slam at Viracoccha, featuring Kundiman fellow and pillar of Bay Area spoken word, Jason Bayani. 8pm, $5 suggested donation. Tuesday 8/21: City Lights hosts a conversation with Four New Messages author Joshua…

Tony Scott, director of Top Gun and other blockbuster hits, died yesterday at 68 after jumping from a Los Angeles suspension bridge. Scott’s death is under investigation as a suicide.

Though August is the laxest month (even Congress goes on vacation!), The Rumpus continues to fill its weekends with top-notch essays. Here’s what went up over the last three days: Amy Butcher argues in favor of Eminem’s artistry, despite his…

This week in NYC: MONDAY 8/20: Words by the Water this week spotlights Akashic Books. Shira Nayman (A Mind of Winter), Elizabeth Nunez (Boundaries), and Kevin Holohan (The Brothers’ Lot) read. East River State Park, 7pm, free. TUESDAY 8/21: McSweeney’s…

Oh, hello, baby cage. Here come the colorfully camouflaged spineless robots. It is time to solve some caveman murders. Also I guess we’re counterfeiting honey these days. All that said, you still can’t parachute from the edge of space (yet).

Eventually, we will realize that Mom has been feeling unwell for a very long time.

Navigating the world of literary agents, at The Millions.  Some good stuff here, except that the longshot theory of “it’s all who you know” isn’t really true.  I got my first two literary agents before I knew freaking anyone, and…

Though ideally it’s always mutual, as in any romance, a friendship can suffer from an imbalance of commitment.