Storm-Torn Relics
“That red convertible we were so proud of looks as though it is about to be struck by a meteor. And every moment — the prom, the dance recital, the…
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the new york times
95 posts
“I owed worse than money”
Chris Colin recounts the saga of an unpaid Craigslist I.O.U., which becomes an obsession that forces him to confront his own non-monetary debts. “I didn’t care about the money. I…
Writing Rules From Colson Whitehead
Want a free writing lesson? Colson Whitehead has some helpful tips over at The New York Times’ Sunday Book Review. If you missed it, be sure to read Nancy Smith’s Rumpus interview with…
García Márquez Has Dementia
The New York Times shares some sad news: Gabriel García Márquez has dementia, according to his brother Jaime. “He is no longer writing and is simply living this stage of…
The Endless Hustle
“Busyness serves as a kind of existential reassurance, a hedge against emptiness; obviously your life cannot possibly be silly or trivial or meaningless if you are so busy, completely booked,…
“There are two things you don’t throw out in France – bread and books”
The New York Times reported yesterday on the notable difference between independent bookstores in France, and their struggling American counterparts. The article describes the way in which government intervention and…
A Hologram For The King
At The New York Times, Michiko Kakutani reviews Dave Eggers’ A Hologram for the King, calling it a “comic but deeply affecting tale about one man’s travails that also provides…
Writing for the Ear
“Language can still be an adventure if we remember that words can make a kind of melody. In novels, news stories, memoirs and even to-the-point memos, music is as important…
“Liberals Are Ruining America. I Know Because I Am One.”
At The New York Times, Rumpus columnist Steve Almond argues that liberals are treating “for-profit propaganda as news” to the detriment of our political system. Almond makes a strong case…
“Mistakes Were Made”
At The New York Times, Constance Hale continues her writing lessons series with an exploration of the appropriate uses and pitfalls of the notorious passive voice. “…Some of the worst…
“The Never-to-Be Bride”
Rumpus Funny Women editor Elissa Bassist rocks the New York Times Modern Love column. “That online conversation was our last. Once he signed off, he was gone for good. At…
Make-or-Break
Constance Hale’s New York Times series of writing lessons continues with wisdom on verbs. “Verbs kick-start sentences: Without them, words would simply cluster together in suspended animation. We often call…