John Updike
In literature there are many figures but few icons. John Updike published over 50 books which dug through the depths of suburban American lives, particularly our sex lives, once comparing…
Recent posts
Rumpus Articles
Nordic Craft Superlink
I was looking for flesh at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts last Thursday. But alas. The promo photos for “Irreverant: Contemporary Nordic Craft Art” feature Louise Nippierd‘s spectacular…
THE EYEBALL: Fake Out
Rumpus blogger Rick Moody posted a comment to my recent post about Lord of the Rings asking whether the special effects of that film still held up. I got to…
The Rumpus Interview With Tristan Taormino
Tristan Taormino is an example of multi-tasking at its finest. She’s the author of countless books, the editor of numerous anthologies including Best Lesbian Erotica series, a polyamory proponent with…
Mainstream K goes to Washington
For last week’s investigation, I decided to take part in the ultimate patriotic Mainstream activity–the Inauguration of President Barack Obama! If you’re rolling your eyes because you think this is…
Lost and Found
I first heard about Stoner back in grad school. I’d been on a Denis Johnson jag (weren’t we all?) and so naturally assumed the novel was a florid account of…
Last Week in the New Yorker: a Link List and Review
THE TALK OF THE TOWN TRANSITIONING by Hendrik Hertzberg You can always count on Hendrick Hertzberg to tell you what your new political stance is; more than that, he makes your…
Poetic Lives Online: Random Poetry Links by Brian Spears
Oh, the things I’ve learned since I started doing this little column, the arguments I’ve lurked through, the long-winded defenses of one’s aesthetic choices, et cetera, et cetera. And I’m…
Mixed Month for Roustabouts
A-18 is a new blog spotlighting stories from the back of the newspaper. The beginning of January brought harsh news for the unskilled oil rig workers known as roustabouts (not…
Beware of the Blog Superlink
Showcasing what you may or may not agree is the greatest video ever, Jersey City, New Jersey, radio station WFMU’s Beware of the Blog website has to be one of…
The Shorty Q&A With Mattilda Bernstein Sycamore
Matthew Bernstein Sycamore was one of the early organizers of Gay Shame which, among other things, takes a stance against marriage in all forms.