August 2012
-
First Read: Chabon’s ‘Telegraph Avenue’
NPR gives us an exclusive first read of Michael Chabon’s new novel Telegraph Avenue. Here’s the first paragraph: “Hello?” Gwen called, letting herself in the front door. A small black Buddha greeted her from a low table by the front…
-
China Miéville: the future of the novel
Last week, in the keynote speech at the 2012 Edinburgh World Writers’ Conference, China Miéville spoke about the novel’s many possible futures in cultural, political and digital terms – and concluded with a demand for state-supported salaries for writers: “So…
-
Dan Weiss’s Morning Coffee
Of course you would like to read Zizek’s thoughts on The Dark Knight Rises (via Saramago and the French Terror). It’s been a while since we’ve linked to anything World’s Fair related. Here are some Soviet-era board games. Here are…
-
The Rumpus Interview with Adam Ross
Adam Ross discusses his path to writing, his books and influences, and what life is like in Nashville.
-
What Did You Want To Accomplish When You Grew Up?
The Awl‘s “What Did You Want To Accomplish When You Grew Up?” series just posted its first article where they asked a large swath of writerly tech- and science-minded people, “When you were young, what did you want to invent,…
-
Thanks, Feministing!
Inspired by Roxane Gay’s essay “The Illusion of Safety/The Safety of Illusion,” the Feministing community discusses triggers and trigger warnings during their weekly weigh-in. We love you back!
-
Ward Off Your Enemies With Shakespearean Verve
Jazz musician Pete Levin has provided a quick and easy way to verbally shatter any foe with Ye Olde Official Shakespearean Insult Kit. Users are given four fields – an introductory phrase field and three adjective fields – with which…
-
NYR’S Apocalpyse Now
Malise Ruthven of the New York Review of Books blog ruminates on the history of apocalyptic rhetoric in literature, art, and politics from the Enlightenment to now. Ruthven focuses on the paradox of apocalyptic thinking where “prophets who predict the…
-
The Unified Field
The new Fleet Foxes backed arts and lit magazine, The Unified Field, launches on September 18th and proceeds go to 826 National. The new lit mag will come with an 10″ vinyl pressing of unreleased, raw tracks from the likes of…
-
The Slowest Reader
Sometimes, when I’m talking books, people will say, “You’re so well read.” I wish this were true.
-
Melville in Jerusalem
Herman Melville was not a happy camper after Moby Dick was panned by critics and failed to have any financial success (only 3100 copies were sold during his lifetime), but instead of pouting about it in America, he pouted about it in…
