Morning Bites: Lethem’s Newest, LA Times Book Prizes, Blake’s Grave and More

Mr. California, Jonathan Lethem, gives us an excerpt from his upcoming book about the movie, They Live. Christopher Hitchens, Jonathan Franzen, and Patti Smith are among the finalists for the 2010 Los Angeles Times Book Prizes. Jami Attenberg talks to Wesley Stace. William Blake’s grave will be protected. James Franco’s banned Oscar song. Uzbekistan finally catches on to our Western devil music.

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Band Booking: Amy Klein of Titus Andronicus

We usually like to keep Band Booking to a few questions, but when Amy Klein submitted this essay about Patti Smith, there was really no way we were going to turn it down for a few reasons: 1.  Amy Klein rules. 2. We love Patti Smith. 3. Amy is in Titus Andronicus.  They’re maybe the best rock n’ roll band on the planet right now.  She also does a side project called Hilly Eye that we really like also. Patti […]

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Translating the National Book Award Nonfiction Finalists

Posted by Jason Diamond While everybody is up in arms about Franzen getting snubbed, I’m a bit more interested in the nonfiction selections for the National Book Awards: Barbara Demick, “Nothing to Envy: Ordinary Lives in North Korea” AKA Book about country we might go to war with. John W. Dower, “Cultures of War: Pearl Harbor, Hiroshima, 9-11, Iraq” AKA Book about countries we’ve gone to war with, or things that have cause war. Patti Smith, “Just Kids” AKA The […]

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