Posts by: Lisa Dusenbery
Ethos of the Era
The Atlantic ruminates on how Cheryl Strayed‘s espousal of “motherfuck-itude,” self-reliance, and radical empathy is especially relevant in our post-recession era. “Strayed’s path—hauling her needed possessions on her back down a free trail in Wild, or her gospel of ‘nobody is going to give you a thing’ in Tiny Beautiful Things—is one in which any […]
...moreI Don’t See You
“I Don’t See You,” Tim N. Taylor’s essay on the racism he witnessed while coming of age in Waterloo, Iowa, made The Top 5 Longreads of the Week. Thanks, Longreads!
...moreBecause He Makes The World Safer
Rumpus editor Stephen Elliott writes about why he’s voting for Obama for the 90 Days, 90 Reasons project. “Mitt Romney… goes on the attack before he knows all the facts. He wants to draw red lines (with regards to Iran’s nuclear plan) rather than leave his options open, and he’s more concerned with national pride […]
...moreWhen We Allow the Imagination to Roam Free
At The New Yorker, Saturday Rumpus editor Michelle Dean explores what Mitt Romney might learn from Wallace Stevens. “This embedded idea, that there was something liberating in the elimination of risk, led Stevens to write approvingly in that company journal of social insurance in Italy, Germany, and England. For Stevens, these policies embodied the ideal […]
...morePost-Publication Predicament
“Hi, God? I can’t think of anything more humiliating than getting sued for libel by someone no one’s ever heard of over a book no one actually bought, let alone read. Can You? Wait… don’t answer that.” At The Awl, Misha Angrist writes about the five stages of grief following the publication of one’s first […]
...moreThe Silent History
Today, Adam Levin (author of Rumpus Book Club hit selection The Instructions) talks with Kevin Moffett, a co-author of The Silent History, the recently released novel written as an app. Yesterday, The New York Times focused on the tech side of the book. Our interview focuses on the equally compelling story itself.
...morePANEL BUSTING: The Census
At Oxford American, Rumpus columnist Nick Rombes breaks into the official US census for 1860, chronicling his reaction to the text and the traces left behind by past readers. “Curled delicately, its oil having spread out in a bloom across the pages, the hair is part of a human body in a book about numbered […]
...more#NoHomophobes
“Homophobic language isn’t always meant to be hurtful, but how often do we use it without thinking? So asks NoHomophobes.com, a website “designed as a social mirror to show the prevalence of casual homophobia in our society.” The site tracks, in real-time, the Twitter usage of the terms “faggot,” “dyke,” “no homo,” and “so gay.” […]
...moreReservoir Sound Presents: ALEA IACTA EST
Released yesterday, ALEA IACTA EST, or “The Die Has Been Cast” is a new collection of music – envisioned as a “roadmap of styles” – from Reservoir Sound. You can stream and download the album here.
...moreAbout Cherry Interview
Last week, Rumpus editor Stephen Elliott spoke with Fox News about his debut film, About Cherry. If you missed it live, you can watch the segment to hear details on plot, filming in the Armory, casting, and more.
...moreMy Heart is an Idiot Book Trailer
Earlier this month, we spoke with Davy Rothbart about the his new collection, My Heart Is an Idiot, lauded in this week’s Rumpus review as “16 essays that read like early Jack Kerouac, if you substituted Charlie Parker for Dr. Dre.” Coincidentally, in the recently released book trailer, Rothbart’s father channels one of Dre’s protégés. Check […]
...morePussy Riot Jailhouse Interview
“We couldn’t even imagine that the authorities would be so dumb that they would actually legitimize our influence by arresting us. Sure, Tsentr E tried to intimidate us by tailing us constantly. But unlike Putin, we’re not chickenshit—so we didn’t stop performing.” GQ interviews two of the three members of Pussy Riot. Corresponding by way […]
...moreREADINGS at the Pop-Hop Shop
If you’re in Los Angeles, head over to the Pop-Hop Shop in Highland Park on Wednesday, September 26th for READINGS, hosted by Rumpus contributor Zoe Ruiz. The event will feature fellow Rumpus rockers Seth Fischer and Melissa Chadburn, along with Ben Loory (Stories For the Nighttime and Some for the Day), and Salvador Plascencia (The […]
...moreThe Rumpus Loves 826
826 Valencia’s upcoming quarterly anthology of excellent student writing will feature a foreword by our very own Isaac Fitzgerald, along with cover art and illustrations from artist and Rumpus contributor Wendy MacNaughton! This week is the perfect time to support 826 and The Rumpus in one fell swoop: We’re donating $2 to 826 National for every […]
...moreLearning to Truly Show Up
At the NYT Sunday Book Review, Cheryl Strayed reviews Andrew McCarthy’s new memoir, The Longest Way Home. “If I had to cut out the heart of this book, that’s where I’d put the knife, on that boy in the snow on that dark night long ago. It’s an intimate realization that glimmers with universality and sets […]
...moreOur “Literary-ish Party”
The Outlet has a nice write-up of our NYC event, complete with photographs and juicy details. “Whitehead’s reading culminated like a proper finale should, in phrases that dazzled and thundered out the truths of our shared New York lives. After, we stood up from our seats, and Stephen Elliott started the dance party once more.” […]
...moreThanks, The New Yorker
The New Yorker links to artist Jason Novak‘s illustrated explanation of the origins of letters in the alphabet. We love you back!
...more“The 13-Week Background Check”
At The Daily Beast, Andrew Sullivan links to last week’s essay by Patrick Walsh, “Guns and the American.” Thanks, Andrew, we love you back!
...moreThanks, The Millions
“As an NYC neophyte, it seemed to me that The Rumpus really does love New York. And from my vantage at the back of the crowd, enjoying some of my favorite authors (and decent drinks) while rubbing elbows with fellow members of the literati, it looked as though New York loved The Rumpus right back.” […]
...moreThe Week in Essays
We packed a lot of great stuff into this truncated week we just had. Here’s a recap: Lauren Fox takes on the triumvirate of love, friendship, and betrayal. Looking back at the 26 places she slept in the last year, Jami Attenberg reflects on life as a broke writer. Patrick Walsh, a former infantry officer in […]
...moreHow to Be Friends With Another Woman
“It’s okay if most of your friends are guys but if you champion this as a commentary on the nature of female friendships, well, soul search a little.” Rumpus essays editor Roxane Gay has created a helpful guide/manifesto on friendship between women. It’s chock-full of wisdom that touches on both the overarching and more specific […]
...moreChecking the Box
Rumpus Funny Women editor Elissa Bassist writes for NY Mag about her experience with sexual violence, and the difficulty of finding language — as an individual and as a culture — to conceive of and communicate sexual trauma both in the moment and after the fact.
...moreBooks Editor to Speak at OMCA!
Rumpus books editor Rebekah Otto will partake in Oakland Museum’s In-the-Mix series, speaking on the women’s movement and its relevance today. If you’re in the Bay Area, check out the conversation on Saturday, September 8th, 1-2pm at OMCA. Free with Museum admission.
...moreSusan Straight in San Francisco
Next week, Susan Straight’s latest novel, Between Heaven and Here, will be released by McSweeney’s. This week, you can catch the California native at the following two San Francisco events. The California Historical Society Presents: “Date Palms, Eucalyptus, and Orange Blossoms: Places, History and Story in California” an intimate conversation with author Susan Straight and […]
...moreThanks, MetaFilter
MetaFilter links to our Sunday essay by Martha Bayne, Knocked Over: On Biology, Magical Thinking and Choice. We love you back!
...moreSullivan on the Slowest Reader
Over at The Daily Beast, Andrew Sullivan gives love to Benjamin Percy’s essay on the merits of slow reading. Thanks, Andrew. We love you back!
...moreRoxane Gay Interview
“I’m a little tired of cynicism. It’s just so easy to be cynical—and there are plenty of reasons to be cynical, and I have my very cynical moments—but in terms of my writing and the stuff that I put out into the world, I just think, you know, let’s be honest. Let’s just be real. […]
...moreKnights of the BART Station
Over at the Bay Citizen, head Rumpus illustrator Jason Novak takes us to Oakland’s Rockridge BART station, where a group of local sword fighters — members of The Society for Creative Anachronism — meet to duel every Thursday. Check out Novak’s illustration here.
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