Poetry in Motion: Hunter S. Thompson and Jessica Simpson Make Love at the Kentucky Derby

I will try to keep this from reading like one of those “Walking Talking Working Class” petri dish disasters penned by Peggy Noonan, David Brooks, or Maureen Dowd: three “social animals” who receive disdainful glances from their cleaning ladies, then deem that scorn a flesh-eating bacteria devouring the American Dream. But fair warning: I’m fighting the urge to tell you all about the Great American Dive Bar – a Bushwick basin called The Cobra Club – from which I watched […]

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Literary Trading Cards: Mailer, Royko, Parker and Hunter S. Share a Drink

We liked hearing Gay Talese talk about all the drinking and partying that used to go on at The New York Times, that this week’s literary trading card is dedicated to four of our favorite writers who probably spent as much time with their bartender as they did their editor. From left to right: Dorothy Parker, Mike Royko, Hunter S. Thompson, Norman Mailer. Want a copy? Buy it here. (All art by Margarita Korol)

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Morning Bites: Didion’s Collarbone, John Berryman Celebrated, the Demetri Martin Essay and More

Joan Didion broke her collarbone.  Even though she doesn’t read blogs, we’re pulling for her to get better soon, and we’re sure she will, because she’s Joan FUCKING Didion. Celebrating John Berryman in Minnesota.  We celebrated him a few years ago. Hunter S. Thompson gets the graphic novel biography. Demetri Martin gets quasi-existential The New Yorker. This is how you properly organize a bookcase. Follow us on Tumblr and Twitter.  Like us on Facebook.

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Weekend Bites: Less Than Zero Sequel has Less Than Awesome Cover, Tom Waits Does Shakespeare, Daniel Nester Giving Advice, and More

I agree with one HTMLGIANT commenter: the cover to the Less Than Zero sequel, Imperial Bedrooms, is horrible. Tom Waits to do Shakespeare. I’m just going to call it: the On the Road adaptation will suck. Getting around to reading everything Ralph Ellison is a task Troy Patterson at Slate is not up to. Daniel Nester gives tips for aspiring writers. Michael Schaub reviews Ten Walks/Two Talks by Jon Cotner and Andy Fitch at Bookslut. Check out our review of […]

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Weekend Bites: Ebert’s Book Picks, Ferris at a Bar, Taylor in The Times, Thompson Goes Nuts, Jung Rocks, and More

Robert Ebert suggests forgotten Chicago writer, Harry Stephen Keeler. Juliana Hatfield talks about Carl Jung. Chicago Sun Times on Third World Press In defense of Nora Ephron. Get sloshed with Joshua Ferris. Hunter S. Thompson kvetching like a madman. Justin Taylor’s Everything Here Is the Best Thing Ever is reviewed in the Times. Carrie Brownstein picks some breakup songs.

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