In our afternoon reading: thoughts on Shirley Jackson and Wrigleyville, interviews with Kyle Minor and Tommy Pico, and more.
Morning Bites: Annie DeWitt Interviewed, Los Crudos, Shirley Jackson on Film, and More
In our morning reading: an interview with Annie DeWitt, a Shirley Jackson film adaptation, thoughts on the role of plot in literature, and more.
Vol.1 Brooklyn’s May 2015 Books Preview
The fact that this month’s list is larger than usual is but one indication that May looks to be an especially strong month for books. The works we’re most excited about span a variety of styles and genres, from essential writing about books and music to reissues of underrated works of fiction and nonfiction. Whether your tastes run towards the classical or the experimental, there’s a lot to enjoy; that the onset of spring means that you can do so […]
Morning Bites: New Kazuo Ishiguro, Shirley Jackson Stamps, Lindsay Hunter, Nick Thornburn on “Serial,” and More
A new novel is on the way from Kazuo Ishiguro, Luke B. Goebel interviewed Lindsay Hunter, notes on Curationism, Nick Thornburn talked about his work on Serial, and more.
Afternoon Bites: New Shirley Jackson Fiction, Stephen Malkmus Interviewed, Chicago Lit, Hugo Nominees, and More
A previously-unpublished Shirley Jackson story, an interview with Stephen Malkmus, thoughts on the new book from Alexai Galaviz-Budziszewski, and more in this afternoon’s reading.
#tobyreads: Prophets and Radicals, Uneasily Rendered
So I went to see Noah last weekend, and left with deeply mixed feelings. On the up side, some of the images and scenes in it are among the most jarring and searing in director Darren Aronofsky’s filmography. (Yes, this includes the demonic refrigerator in Requiem for a Dream.) More problematic was the gulf between the film’s aspirations towards psychological realism in the midst of an ages-old story that, in its broad outlines, isn’t intended as a vessel for nuanced character studies. And […]
Afternoon Bites: Shirley Jackson’s Final Novel, Tony Molina’s Pop Songs, Jen Doll, Grandmaster Flash, and More
This afternoon: a look back at Shirley Jackson’s final novel, Jen Doll revisits Father of the Bride, Tony Molina talks about his songwriting approach, and more.
#tobyreads: The Unreal is Here
Well, I tried. Given that the folks at Flavorwire are prompting the reading and re-reading of a number of Shirley Jackson novels, I figured I’d delve into a few myself, beginning with The Haunting of Hill House. Said novel fell into the category of books I’d been meaning to read for ages but hadn’t; after reading the first 50-odd pages of the used copy I’d bought earlier in the month, I could see why. Jackson’s command of mood and atmosphere was […]