Farzana Versey Remembers her Walkman
“I do not have an iPod. The Walkman is 30 now. I resisted it, as I have resisted several new innovations. I still have an old cassette player. I like…
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Everything that can’t be categorized but is still wonderful!
Evening Cocktail
Summer Thursdays are good for barbecues and movies. Take it from me. The New York Times on the recent upscaling of the humble hamburger. Plus recipes. Have some cheese with…
We Need Studs Terkel
At the bookstore I work at, we recently got in a HUGE shipment of remaindered books. Books by Michael Ondaatje, Virginia Woolf, Alain de Botton, all of them brand-new and…
William T. Vollmann Made Me A San Franciscan
One of the more anticipated summer novels of the season is also probably one of the longest, most disturbing and most intimidating: Imperial, William T. Vollman’s mammoth exploration of the…
Morning Coffee
Pictures of people looking at monuments. Eventually all of photography will just fold into itself. Using Google Earth and the country of Slovenia to create a satelite alphabet. (via Metafilter.)…
The Science of Happiness
From an interview in The Sun with psychologist Barbara Fredrickson: “[Some] researchers have found that the number of positive emotions a person feels predicts his or her satisfaction with life.…
Caleb Crain Elaborates
Surely you remember our note about Caleb Crain’s new book, The Wreck of the Henry Clay? (He noticed us!) If you don’t remember the story, then briefly: it’s a collection of…
Evening Cocktail
It’s been a hot day, so have a cold one. The nation’s first public library was founded on this day in 1731, when Benjamin Franklin and fifty associates pooled their…
Morning Coffee: Science Edition
Hey there July, how are you today? Steven Pinker picks his three favorite pieces of science writing for 3quarkdaily. (via Metafilter.) Bacteria as psychedelic art piece. Scientists have developed a…
Why Starting a Book is Hard
“As soon as we feel that the writing we are contemplating matters, our defensive system kicks in, and our fear that we can’t think well enough raises its ugly head.…
Evening Cocktail
Hope it was as beautiful today in your town as it was in mine. Had dinner yet? Dear Pork: I am in love with you. [I Made That!] An Infinite…