An Agrarian Revolution In Detroit (And Oakland)
“Were I an aspiring farmer in search of fertile land to buy and plow, I would seriously consider moving to Detroit. There is open land, fertile soil, ample water, willing…
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Rumpus Articles
Genre Trap
Spanish author Javier Calvo’s novel critiques pop culture by embracing its stereotypes
“Lying has to be verbal. Do I believe that?”
“Ricky Jay is an actor, bibliophile, historian of magic, arguably the greatest living sleight-of-hand artist, and a master of the art of deception. He seemed to be the perfect person…
Random Media Notes
Rupert Murdoch has vowed to charge for all online content. Partial-birther Lou Dobbs brags about support from CNN. HuffPo blogger slams HuffPo for headline: “What were you thinking?” (via Mediabistro)…
The Cost of a Thing
A couple months ago, we wrote about Matthew Crawford’s book Shop Class as Soulcraft, and around the same time I read another interesting review of the book, by Caleb Crain.…
“Notes & Neurons: In Search of the Common Chorus”
Bobby McFerrin (yes, as in “Don’t Worry, Be Happy” Bobby McFerrin) demonstrates how the pentatonic scale is hard wired in all of us at the 2009 World Science Festival. (via…
Searching the Library of Babel
About six months ago, as I was nearing the end of Jorge Luis Borges’ Selected Non-Fictions, I came across the chapter titled “Prologues to The Library of Babel.” The chapter…
Diagnosing the Mad Cat Artist
This week the Rumpus will be in Yorkshire, England. Or at least the triumvirate will be. On exhibit there at the Chris Beetles gallery until September 13 will be the…
Morning Coffee
Is your time too valuable to spend doing errands and chores (obviously if you are reading this it is)? Might we suggest “instead men?” “How Is America Going to End?“…
Big Man Japan @ Just Press Play
“With Tokyo constantly under attack by giant monsters, of course you need giant ultra-heroes to defend its citizens; but when something that catastrophic had become the mundane for almost a…
The Man Who Invented Borges
Dzanc Books is one of my favorite recently-minted small publishers, and not just because their first two titles were by my brilliant friend Roy Kesey. Just check out their mission statement…
Vices vs. Olé
“I slam my fist on the table. ‘We need a book about the 7 Vices of Highly Creative People before the whole country ends up in a straitjacket!’ Bobby agrees…