New York Times Word Frequency Visualizations
A Flickr set with visualizations of word frequency. The word “crisis” has surpassed “hope” on only a handful of occasions — one of them is right now. Trends also show…
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Rumpus Articles
The Art of Lost Words
For the Art of Lost Words exhibit, artist Mark A. Webber chose the word “Dehisce: (biology) release of material by splitting open of an organ or tissue; the natural bursting…
A Man Named Pearl
I was pretty sure, based on the ridiculous soundtrack alone, that the story of topiary artist Pearl Fryar was a mockumentary. And a good one. Living in rural South Carolina,…
The Rumpus Interview with Catherine Brady
“I don’t think virtue has a downside. I think human nature does… There’s something heroic to me about people taking risks for the sake of this fragile and intangible thing.”
The Last Book I Loved: Atmospheric Disturbances
Galchen keeps us wound tight with anxiety, desperately waiting for some ray of hope for a man with a badly damaged mind and heart.
Poetic Lives Online: Links by Brian Spears
Interesting conversation going on about a piece in the latest Poetry. Start here at Samizdat, then find further discussion at A Compulsive Reader, Exoskeleton (multiple posts–click around), and back to…
“I am lonely. Truly, bone-chillingly, ceaselessly lonely.”
Dear Sugar, I am lonely. Truly, bone-chillingly, ceaselessly lonely. I just moved to a new city, and I’m worried no one would take time to identify the body if I…
The Last Book I Loved: The Centaur
I read The Centaur by John Updike out of funereal obligation, and had given up on it twice before, but this time put my misgivings to rest and plowed through…
Comic Book Legends Revealed
Think you know the origin of Superman? Think again. Comic Book Legends Revealed weaves the kinds of stories you didn’t know you cared about. CBLR is often for the hardcore…
No One Is Innocent
Yiyun Li’s arresting debut novel, The Vagrants, should be required reading for anyone interested in political fanaticism and state-sponsored tyranny.
FUNNY AMERICA: Bye American
Can we stop with the waving of the sharp instruments for a minute and speak rationally to this whole ugly recession mess we find ourselves currently mired in? C’mon. You…
Jesse Nathan: The Last Book I Loved
How the Soldier Repairs the Gramophone by Sasa Stanisic was the last book I love love loved. It’s explosive, a text that’s sinewy and daring. It tears open the marks…