Franz Nicolay, whose “Complicated Gardening Techniques” is coming out on our very own Julius Singer Press, talks about why he left The Hold Steady. With Scarlett Johansson tackling one of his best plays, Wall Street Journal takes a look at “How Arthur Miller Found His View“. A brief history of J.D. Salinger reviews. Thomas Edison: iPad prophet? At The Faster Times, Michael Kimball Interviews Padgett Powell. According to this review, The Magnetic Fields FAIL. The Rumpus gives us Czechoslovakian book […]
Dear J.D. Salinger
I was thirteen when I first read The Catcher in the Rye, and I almost feel silly saying this, but it really did change my life. I will be forever grateful. Rest well. Read: J.D. Salinger is dead at 91
Bites: Toasting Away a Tradition, Emerson was a Nutcase, Dum Dum Girls, and More
CNN + Vice + Sub Pop? Free Williamsburg asks if “Wolf Blitzer is going to start wearing skinny jeans and doing blow with Terry Richardson at Market Hotel?” The Poe Toaster bailed? Ralph Waldo Emerson was a nutcase. Israel doesn’t want an American Jewish journalist hanging around How espresso is made by my favorite coffee shop/roasters, Intelligentsia Coffee Flavorpill reviews Patti Smith’s book, Just Kids. Pitchfork says Dum Dum Girls are “rising“ Heavy psych from France.
Literary Buzzword: Joshua Ferris
By Jason Diamond There’s no denying that Joshua Ferris has a pretty impressive resume: great reviews for his first book, Then We Came to the End, stories in some of the best literary publications, and a good amount of buzz for his second novel, Unnamed. But is the buzz helping or hurting? Ron Charles of The Washington Post calls the book, “a dreary, aimless novel“, and our pal Levi Asher at Lit. Kicks would rather watch Jersey Shore than check […]
WWJD for the People of Haiti? Solar Powered Bibles!
Not sure how much those puppies cost, but I’m sure you could trade one for medical supplies to help that kid that Anderson Cooper saved. The Faith Comes By Hearing organisation says its Bible, called the Proclaimer, delivers “digital quality” and is designed for “poor and illiterate people”. The Albuquerque-based organisation says it is responding to the Haitian crisis by “providing faith, hope and love through God’s word in audio”.
Bites: Jami Attenberg on Book Tours and Dudes, Another Winston Churchill, Talmud + Philip Roth, Lethem Talks to The Rumpus, and More
Jami Attenberg talks about her new book, dudes, and tours at Largehearted Boy. The other guy named Winston Churchill. Jacket Copy takes a look at literature from Haiti. Hanging out with the Rushdie of Italy. A blog about Talmud talks Philip Roth. The Rumpus interview with Jonathan Lethem. I reviewed the new album by Yellow Fever at Impose.
Weekend Bites: Nietzsche’s Dessert, Hitchens on Ballard, Brian Eno, Music From Haiti, and More
Nietzsche’s Angel Food Cake Zeek/The Forawrd continues their brilliant translation series with Israeli author Etgar Keret’s story, “Patrol”. Wait, so does this mean that there will be no more Book vs. Kindle videos??? Christopher Hitchens on J.G. Ballard. Brian Eno tells you basically everything you need to know. Music for Maniacs lists some great music from Haiti.