Essays
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“This Is Not About Quality Control”
The publishing industry is battling the Internet again. Or publishing stepped on the Internet’s foot and refuses to apologize. Or Maria Popova wanted to use more than three pictures in a post about My Ideal Bookshelf and Little, Brown said…
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“Boy, A History”
“In line in the cafeteria, at his favorite table in the library, on the last block before the block he lives on, the inside of Boy’s head is one blank notebook page after another.” At Guernica, Roxane Gay guest-edited Rumpus contributor Saeed…
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It Never Hurts To Take A Second Look
Over on The Millions, Thea Lim takes an analytical look at Junot Díaz and his book, This Is How You Lose Her, shedding some light on the reactions it has inspired, from the accolades and awards, to feminist criticism and the influence of race.…
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How We All Lose
Discussions about gender are often framed as either/or propositions. Men are from Mars and women are from Venus, or so we are told, as if this means we’re all so different it is nigh impossible to reach each other.
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Weekend Essay Roundup
The last of the presidential debates is on tonight. Before gearing yourself up for that, check out these two great essays we published over the weekend: “If we can’t see the reality we wish, we simply manufacture it. We supply…
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The Next Letter in the Mail: Roxane Gay
The next Letter In The Mail, going out this Friday, is from Rumpus essays editor Roxane Gay!
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The Whole World, Opened Up
I don’t really want to know what a man looks like when his face has been cannibalized. I don’t really want to know about this dog-breastfeeding woman. I don’t want to be in the position of being able to judge…
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Roxane Gay’s Reading Roundup, Fall 2012
Our essays editor surveys new novels and collections — coming-of-age tales, journeys, and love stories — and looks ahead to forthcoming works.
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A Matter of Dignity
Certain constituencies are always shoved aside, always told their issues will be addressed at some nebulous point in the future. During a lengthy debate, to see these issues merit neither discussion nor debate speaks to how little dignity is valued…
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My 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.”…
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The Politics of Entitlement
To be entitled means believing you have an inherent right to something. It is very easy to feel entitled, to feel like we deserve a certain quality of life or valuable opportunities. I don’t know that anyone is immune from…
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How 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…