In our afternoon reading: chatting with Perfume Genius, new writing from Jaime Fountaine and Oliver Zarandi, and more.
Jason Molina Sings the Word “Endless”
The first thing you need to know is this: my sleep habits for most of the year 2000 were atrocious. There was a point where I thought four hours, or four and a half, could sustain me. And so I’d be up late, sitting online and messaging with friends into and past the small hours, hoping I wouldn’t see the first traces of dawn lighting up the sky before I fell into sleep, before my alarms rung me awake […]
Morning Bites: Highsmith’s “The Blunderer,” Fugazi Reissued, Claudia Rankine Interviewed, Songs:Ohia, and More
In our morning reading: news of a Patricia Highsmith novel being adapted for film, an interview with Claudia Rankine, reviews of reissued albums from Songs:Ohia and Fugazi, new fiction from Iceland, and more.
Morning Bites: Ex Hex’s Album, Gillian Flynn’s Influences, Chloe Caldwell Interviewed, Greil Marcus’s Latest, and More
Maura Johnston on Ex Hex, Stephin Merritt on two-letter words, an interview with Chloe Caldwell, Gillian Flynn on her influences, a look at Greil Marcus’s new book, and more.
#tobyreads: Reading Culture, Reading Politics
A couple of weeks ago, I was out with friends talking books. My friend Jeremy recommended that I check out Ben Davis’s 9.5 Theses on Art and Class; from his description, it sounded intriguing, and I ordered it that night via WORD. The title is pretty self-explanatory: you’re going to get a lot of musings on art as it relates to class here. Given that I’m fond of smart writing on both subjects–which can be found in abundance here–this is not […]
Morning Bites: Jonathan Lethem on Don Carpenter, Maggie Shipstead, Sofia Samatar Interviewed, A Songs:Ohia Collection, and More
Jonathan Lethem discusses the life and work of Don Carpenter, interviews with Sofia Samatar and Juliet Escoria, The Faint talk bookstores, thoughts on the new Songs:Ohia singles collection, and more.
Morning Bites: Remembering Jason Molina, An Elizabeth Gilbert Guide, Roxane Gay on Lists, Chris Gethard, and More
Rememberances of Jason Molina, Roxane Gay on a certain type of literary list, a guide to highlights from Elizabeth Gilbert’s work, Chris Gethard talks comedy albums, and more.
Afternoon Bites: Eleanor Catton Interviewed, Songs:Ohia, Meeting David Peace, Old-Fashioneds, and More
Talking with the author of The Luminaries, great cocktail debates, a report from this year’s Fest, the novels of David Peace, and more.