April 2014
-
Like, Considering the Other Side
Critics might believe that “like” has infiltrated and degraded American English, but John McWhorter argues just the contrary. McWhorter claims that “like” is not a marker of the downfall of spoken language, but instead, a sign of its “growing sophistication.”…
-
Not All Online Journals Are Created Equal
Online journals have evolved into legitimate publications, and print journals are not necessarily better simply because they have physical form. But that doesn’t make all online journals equal. The Review Review details important criteria for writers trying to assess which digital…
-
The Heaven of Animals by David James Poissant
Kim Winternheimer reviews THE HEAVEN OF ANIMALS by David James Poissant today in The Rumpus Book Reviews.
-
What Would Lynne Tillman Do?
It is nearly impossible to live in New York City without feeling a flicker of Lynne Tillman’s exacting presence. Over at the New Yorker, the indomitable Colm Toibin writes about the (equally) indomitable Lynne Tillman in the introduction to What Would…
-
Dan Weiss’s Morning Coffee
I’m back and I come bearing baby octopuses (I promise never to leave you with no notice again). More Soviet space illustration! On a similar note: THE TRAIN OF TOMORROW! I guess everyone cares about thrones this week or something?…
-
The Rumpus Interview with Fred D’Aguiar
British-Guyanese poet, novelist, and playwright Fred D’Aguiar discusses the influence of Jonestown on his work, writing in the wake of the Virginia Tech massacre, and the need to pay attention when tragedy comes to your door.
-
In Depth on Peter Matthiessen
The novelist, CIA operative, and founder of the Paris Review died on Saturday. Two days before, the New York Times Magazine published an extensive look at Matthiessen’s life. His family descended from whalers, he spied on communists, and at one…
-
The Lovers, the Dreamers, and Generation X
The Muppets taught us to think for ourselves, innovate, follow our dreams and make the world a better place. Head over to Salon to learn how the Muppets helped shape a generation of artists and businesspeople, and taught 50 million…
-
Ted Wilson Reviews the World #228
AUDIO MAPS ★★★★★ (2 out of 5) Hello, and welcome to my week-by-week review of everything in the world. Today I am reviewing audio maps.
-
Envision a Library Full of Blood
From Portland, Oregon, Black Cake Records is compiling an audio archive of contemporary poets reading their work. As they put it, “We envision a library full of blood. We want the very best blood, & we want it everywhere.” Check…
-
Translators Lost in Translation
Once upon a time, folktales contained sex and violence. But as the stories were collected by cultural anthropologists, they were gradually stripped of this adult content in order to make them suitable for children. Moreover, these neutered children’s stories often…