In our weekend reading: an interview with Miles Klee and Mads Gobbo, the secrets of smoked fish, and more.
Recommended Books: August 2025
At the best of times, August is a weird month. (Ask our managing editor to tell you about his childhood experience of insomnia, which could also be described as an allergy to the month in question.) When looking at books due out this month, you’ll see an unexpected assemblage of titles: surreal fiction juxtaposed with incisive sociopolitical commentary; harrowing memoir abuting existential horror. Read on for ten books we’re looking forward to this month.
Morning Bites: Stephanie Wambugu’s Novel, Splatterpunk Awards, Sebastian Castillo’s Play, and More
In our morning reading: an excerpt from Stephanie Wambugu’s novel, fiction by Miles Klee and Mads Gobbo, and more.
Afternoon Bites: Lucy Sante’s Soundtrack, John Wyndham on TV, Miles Klee Nonfiction, and More
In our afternoon reading: soundtracking a Lucy Sante memoir, new writing by Miles Klee, and more.
Morning Bites: Gabriel Blackwell’s Playlist, Chris Jackson on Editors, Emma Straub’s Recommendations, Miles Klee Fiction, and More
In our morning reading: a playlist from Gabriel Blackwell, Chris Jackson on editing, and more.
Morning Bites: Celebrating Studs, Miles Klee Minis, Eggers Cover, and More
How Chicago celebrated Studs Terkel’s 100th birthday yesterday. The cover for Dave Eggers’ A Hologram for the King. Five miniatures from Miles Klee. Old issues of Life magazine show that things do go full circle. The father of go-go has passed. Follow Vol. 1 Brooklyn on Twitter, Facebook, Google + and our Tumblr.
A Darker, Less Comical Dystopia: A Conversation With Miles Klee
I know that I went into 2012 thinking that the year the Mayan calendar ran out was going to be a landmark year for dystopian novels. With that said, I think we should give Miles Klee’s Ivyland (OR Books) the award for “Best Book Where Everything Is Going/Has Gone To Total Shit,” and call it a day. Klee’s debut is a darkly comical (more dark, less comical) book that takes place in a New Jersey where humanity has decayed into nothing. This isn’t […]
Morning Bites: Lee “Scratch” Perry, Miles Klee Mix, Zimmerman And Zambreno, Lynch To Bolaño, And More
Today is Lee “Scratch” Perry’s birthday. Jacob Silverman reviewed Laszlo Krasznahorkai’s Satantango for The New York Times Book Review, and then provided a handy roundup of Krasznahorkai around the web. Edith Zimmerman talks to Kate Zambreno over at The Hairpin. Connecting a Blue Velvet frame to a Bolaño story. Ted Gioia’s “Year of Magical Reading” brings him to Like Water For Chocolate. Miles Klee give Electric Literature a mixtape. Here’s a Flickr page full of post-punk flyers. Arcade Fire hung around Austin after […]