Recent posts
Rumpus Articles
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Muse Me
“Whatever happened to the Muse? She was once the female figure–deity, Platonic ideal, mistress, lover, wife–whom poets and painters called upon for inspiration.” –Lee Siegel, Where Have All the Muses Gone?, from The Wall Street Journal Below is a shorthand…
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Morning Coffee
A touching memorial to a British TV artist. As it so happens, the reason we haven’t found any evidence of life may be our own dang fault. And as long as we’re linking to New Scientist: Pfizer is giving free…
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The beat goes on – Remembering Elvin Jones
Elvin Jones, one of the most influential jazz drummers, most known for his work with John Coltrane, died this week five years ago, on May 18th, 2004. Adam Mansbach, who is recently well known for his novel Angry White Black…
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In New Yorker Letter, Lee Gruenfeld Diagnoses Toback Fail in Tyson
In this week’s New Yorker, Lee Gruenfeld writes to the editor:
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A Distracted Defense
At the start of his New York Magazine article, “In Defense of Distraction,” about the pros and cons of overstimulation, Sam Anderson tells us to pause from updating our Facebook and Twitter profiles, refreshing our e-mails, checking text messages, peeking…
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BitchCraft: Undone
I am in love! Obviously, it’s lust really. Infatuation. Isn’t it always at this stage in the game? Love comes lately if the bastard ever shows at all – even on a promise. But never mind semantics now. I’m beyond…
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The Girlfriend Experience and Why We Are All in Grave Danger
Steven Soderbergh’s new movie combines porn’s storylessness with the brutality and bad improv of Reality tv, in an assault on complexity and honesty.
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Inglourious Basterds: Reactions from Cannes
Quentin Tarantino’s new film, the mysteriously misspelled Inglourious Basterds, premiered at the Cannes Film Festival last week to mixed reviews. According to Tarantino, the film is a comic revenge fantasy about “the power of cinema bringing down the Third Reich.”
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The Rumpus Interview With Karan Mahajan
Karan Mahajan discusses Family Planning, Indian literature, and the recent attacks in Mumbai.
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Old Man Bar—A Special Memorial Day Essay
I sat there with an 8 ounce beer glass in the semi-dark in a long room cluttered with those often set apart from the herd, either because of their alcoholism—which is a symptom (not a disease)—or their antagonisms, worn down…