The influence of Gordon Lish’s workshops, Matthew Specktor and Geoff Dyer talk fiction, an excerpt from Shane Jones’s new novel, and more for your weekend reading.
Let’s talk for a second about myths and history. They can inspire all sorts of fiction — from the postmodern rearrangements to straightforward retellings to quietly influencing certain plotlines or passages. They’ve endured for a reason — and they’ll continue to inform fiction (and storytelling in general) until long after we’re gone.
A roundup of things consumed by our contributors.
Jen Vafidis If by anything, this week has been overwhelmed by the Slate Lexicon Valley podcast (Car Talk for word nerds!) and Julia Holter’s latest album, Ekstasis. I blame the weather in New York, which was way more conducive to headphones and walks than coffee and armchairs.
A weekly appreciation for the art of the review.
Geoff Dyer, The Milan Review, CoverSpy, Leigh Stein, and more feature in this afternoon roundup of literary links.
Kraftwerk will play a residency at MoMA in April. Gallerist has a slideshow of some classic photos of the German band. Tennessee Williams, Gore Vidal, Truman Capote, and other gay writers who changed America. Geoff Dyer talks to Guernica about his latest book, Zona. Lincoln Michel breaks down some Kafka. Chloe Caldwell remembers falling in love with New York at The Rumpus. Just so you know, Dave Mustaine didn’t formally endorse Rick Santorum. Follow Vol. 1 Brooklyn on Twitter, Facebook, Google + and our Tumblr.
Afternoon link roundup for February 10, 2012 — featuring appearances from Curtis Sittenfeld, Stephen Fry, Geoff Dyer, and more.