In our morning reading: fiction from Joy Williams, nonfiction from Judy Berman and Adam Sternbergh, and more.
Vol.1 Brooklyn’s July 2016 Book Preview
Our most anticipated reads for the month of July are a disparate bunch: there’s formally inventive fiction, in-depth explorations of beloved cultural phenomena, expansive looks at the evolution of a genre, and skewed looks at the past, present, and future. And there’s also a striking-looking graphic novel exploring the singular life of a cult musician. As the temperature gets higher and the range of outdoor activities grows, here are a number of reasons to carry a book with you as […]
Afternoon Bites: Ryan W. Bradley’s Library, Mallory Ortberg on Unread Books, Joy Williams on Lucia Berlin’s Fiction, and More
In our afternoon reading: scenes from Ryan W. Bradley’s library, Leslie Jamison and Charles D’Ambrosio in conversation, notes on Gun Outfit, and more.
Afternoon Bites: Ta-Nehisi Coates, Karolina Waclawiak Interviewed, Joy Williams, Talking César Aira, and More
In our afternoon reading: interviews with Ta-Nehisi Coates and Karolina Waclawiak, new poetry from Natalie Eilbert, and more.
The Year of Joy Williams
This week brings with it the news that Joy Williams will be getting the “New and Collected Stories” treatment, with The Visiting Privilege due out from Knopf in September. And given that Joy Williams writes some of the most memorably unclassifiable fiction out there (to say nothing of her equally searing nonfiction), it’s probably a good time to delve into her work if you’re unfamiliar.
#tobyreads: Myths Abound
I’ve been reading a lot of mythologically-oriented work lately. Sometimes that’s been explicit; at other times, it’s more implicit, found in a metaphor or a passing reference. A little while ago, I read Anders Nilsen’s graphic novel Rage of Poseidon, which brings together irreverent takes on Greek mythology, eventually blending them with irreverent takes on Christianity; for a piece that should show up elsewhere in a couple of weeks, I read Jo Walton’s The Just City, which blends Greek gods, Plato’s The Republic, […]
Afternoon Bites: Roxane Gay on “Fruitvale Station,” Wallace Shawn, Andy Kaufman, “Wicker Man” Revival, and More
Writing advice from Joy Williams, a look at the work of Andy Kaufman, the history of a vanished space at the Met, and more.
Indexing: Books with numbers, back to “Treasure Island!!!,” a Joy Williams quest, Nathan Englander, Norman Lock, Jacques-Yves Cousteau, and much more
A roundup of things consumed by our contributors. Jen Vafdis I read Joy Williams’ Honored Guest for the first of probably a few times this week. Some stories I loved unconditionally, others might reveal themselves to me later. You know how it is when one character jumps out at you in a story, and you immediately cast the role of that character in your mind? Perhaps other Joy Williams fans will agree, maybe not, but I think James Urbaniak (of […]