humor
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The Rumpus Interview with Christopher Moore
Christopher Moore discusses his latest book, Secondhand Souls, the permanence of place in San Francisco, Michael Bay’s take on marine biology, and why everyone from Shakespeare nerds to goth teens trusts him to deliver laughs.
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Strunk & White: The Grammar Police
It’s “whom,” motherfucker. William Strunk and E.B. White’s The Elements of Style is foundational reading for most aspiring writers. But you’ve never seen it like this. Go check out your new favorite unpublished screenplay, “Strunk & White: The Grammar Police.”
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The Rumpus Interview with Bradley Somer
Author Bradley Somer discusses his latest book, Fishbowl, troublesome words, his past in archeology and anthropology, and the importance of the present moment.
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The Old Sad Soak
The Old Soak is a hauntingly one-note character, and one wonders exactly what about his alcoholism made him such a bankable franchise. Imagine the pitch meetings that followed: “He’s a lush, see? He wants to booze it up, but he…
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The Rumpus Late Nite Poetry Show: Cate Marvin
In Episode 11 of The Rumpus Late Nite Poetry Show, Cate Marvin discusses her new collection, Oracle, marsupials, and why she’ll never write a prose poem.
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The Rumpus Interview with Jamie Kornegay
Novelist Jamie Kornegay talks about his debut, Soil, life in Mississippi, writing humor effectively, and the geography of isolation.
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Weekly Geekery
Shame. The Internet. Monica Lewinsky. You spend hours killing people, but you don’t feel guilty. So much data. So few uses. All your stories in one little app. Reimagining incarceration. Your annoying Facebook friends have something to tell you.
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Similes for Sale
You could spend hours being creative and find out that half of your ideas are on the Internet already. So why bother pursuing new ideas when I can sell you some that are “lightly used”? Should you ever feel uninspired…
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The Importance of Being Satire
There is, in fact, a widespread view that humor abandons its true purpose when it ceases to punch upward from below, when it ceases to play David to the great Goliath of state or society, and instead punches down, targeting…
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Interviewing Lady Writers: A Primer
If she is a writer of colour; ask how her race has impacted upon her writing. Try to make it both your first and last question, after the attractiveness and skin thing. If she is blonde; mention it. If she…
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The Rumpus Poetry Book Club Chat with Michael Bazzett
The Rumpus Poetry Book Club chats with Michael Bazzett about his new book, You Must Remember This, the malleability of memory, and humor in poetry.
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Seriously, Though
At Salon, Lydia Millet gets serious about sexism, climate change and extinction, and the literary establishment’s dismissal of funny books: “Important” serious books often seem to be picked based on the simplicity and safety of their content as a barometer…