Three novels this week, each with thrills and surreal charges aplenty. One features psychic warfare that would make Hüsker Dü proud; another laces a contemporary thriller with hallucinations and meditations on the evolution of cities; and another blends history and metaphor into a surprisingly potent narrative.
Earlier this week, I finished reading Emily Raboteau’s terrific book Searching for Zion: The Quest for Home in the African Diaspora. The book follows trips made by Raboteau to Israel, Jamaica, Ethiopia, Ghana, and the American South; as the title suggests, her goal is to gain an understanding of the concept of Zion. Raboteau’s narrative includes meetings with different factions of Rastafarians, an examination of the organization of Rev. Creflo Dollar, and a visit to Ghana shortly after Barack Obama’s electoral […]
Happy birthday to Virginia Woolf, who was born on this day in 1882. Yesterday was Edith Wharton’s birthday. At The Paris Review, Jason Diamond writes “Edith Wharton by Design.” Joaquin Phoenix might get to meet Thomas Pynchon since he’s starring in Paul Thomas Anderson’s adaptation of Inherent Vice. When Martin Amis went to Nabokov’s house. Ian Svenonius talked with Brooklyn Based about Supernatural Strategies For Making a Rock ‘n’ Roll Group. Mr. Svenonius will be talking about the book live at WORD this […]
“Even though I had a very good education, which continues, I don’t feel it was, is, nearly enough. My blind spots glare at me daily.” Maggie Nelson talked to Full Stop. Filmmaker Allison Anders is blogging about Greta Garbo’s record collection. Tin House has just posted a 1987 interview with Joseph Brodsky. Four words: American Psycho: The Musical. “…if the government, or “the collective” in any form, is going to support art-makers and arts institutions, it seems a shame to do so […]
Encyclopedia of a Life in Russia by José Manuel Prieto; translated by Esther Allen 224 p.; Grove/Black Cat Perhaps the greatest divide between European and American literature lies in the weighty consciousness of history, or lack thereof. American literature, for numerous reasons that we can theorize about, largely lives outside of history and politics and rather dwells inside the individual, in the urgent now. European literature, in contradistinction, cannot outrun history or politics. Their authors feel the immense weight, […]
(as told to Nick Curley, via exclusive interview.) FRAMINGHAM, MA – Watching the ’98 Honda Accord I torched outside the Cask ‘N Flagon go up in flames, I couldn’t help but see Tom Brady’s impeccable cheekbones among the whispering embers. The final seconds of Sunday’s American Football Conference Championship felt like getting pelted by ice chunks during elementary school games of King of the Mountain all over again. It’s funny how sometimes, in sports, fire is like ice.
SXSW doesn’t think the Paul Schrader, Bret Easton Ellis, Lindsay Lohan, James Deen film, The Canyons, is good enough to play their festival. We’re shocked to hear the film has “an ugliness and deadness to it,” and that it is based off of “quality issues.” Coldfront responds to the Washington Post’s “attack on American poetry.” A “lost” Carl Sanburg poem has been found. Adrian Chen at Gawker wants George Saunders to “Write a Goddamn Novel Already.” Mad Men is coming back on April 7th! […]
Rachel Kushner on Clarice Lispector. Electric Literature‘s roundup of what numerous smart literary folks are anticipating in 2013 is doing a fine job of making our to-read lists increase. Jami Attenberg interviewed Rosie Schaap for The Rumpus. Edward Champion’s new broadcasting venture is Follow Your Ears; the first episode is up now. Bored to Death: the movie? We’re totally okay with that idea. The L Magazine has a look at last week’s Fireside Follies reading. Patrick Somerville will be adapting […]