In our Tuesday morning reading: notes on Kathy Acker, Michelle Orange on Kim Gordon, an interview with Robert Christgau, a review of Paul Beatty’s latest, and more.
In our Thursday morning reading: thoughts on Kazuo Ishiguro’s new novel, interviews with Robert Christgau and Nelson George, Meredith Graves discusses her new label, imagining a world without grunge, and more.
February’s on us now, and the notable books due out this month are a wide-ranging group. There’s surreal fiction, including the first new collection from Kelly Link in several years; memoirs by two key figures in New York City’s music scene; astute takes on politics and literature from a writer who’s called cities on three continents home; and much more.
This afternoon: Jesse Ball makes a playlist, Robert Christgau discusses 2013 in music, catching up with Donald Antrim, and more.
Chris Abani talks art and politics, thoughts on MoMA’s latest expansion, the importance of novellas, an interview with Tavi Gevinson, what Robert Christgau’s been reading, and more.
Thoughts on Daniel Alarcón’s new novel; Warren Ellis on writing; soccer poetry from Colum McCann; the Arcade Fire’s latest album; and more.
My parents would argue that I always had this level of love for popular music, even as a toddler in the backseat of our car singing the Kate Bush part of “Don’t Give Up” with an incredible amount of emotion. (Pause for a second, and think of how it would be to hear your three-year-old belt out behind your neck: YOU WORRY TOO MUCH.) Maybe it’s true. As Marilynne Robinson says of hearing the psalms when she was a child, […]
Adam Thirlwell talked with The Story of My Purity author Fransesco Pacifico. “I wanted to put out chapbooks that are as beautiful as the ideas inside them.” Sarah McCarry talked about her Guillotine project with City Lights. Robert Christgau on Richard Hell’s music — and his memoir, I Dreamed I Was a Very Clean Tramp. Jay Walker’s library is stunning to behold. “The hippity-hop of Kelly’s piano, Mobley’s round, lush tone, and Blakey’s buoyant shuffle—if you want a glimpse into a happy soul, […]