Peter Hedges, author of the novel and screenplay for What’s Eating Gilbert Grape?, as well as Dan in Real Life, and Pieces of April, is set to adapt and direct his latest novel, The Heights. Set in Brooklyn Heights amid its wealthy, over-zealous, stay-at-home mommy set, the novel follows a happy, slightly down-at-the-heel couple as their marriage is tested by the arrival of another woman. (All of the wit of Tom Perrotta’s Little Children, but not quite so dark and cynical.)
Hedges’ The Heights
Felt Succeeds Where Words Fail
Spike Jonze and Olympia Le-Tan collaborate on a short, creepy, bookish sex romp, animated in felt and set in Shakespeare and Company. Via The Dish.
Katrina’s Anniversary
While East Coasters are still dealing with the wrath of Hurricane Irene, the anniversary of Hurricane Katrina passed yesterday. NPR has a timely interview with host Michel Martin, musician Irvin Mayfield and Keith Spera, author of Groove Interrupted: Loss, Renewal and the Music of New Orleans. Likewise, Rivka Galchen's 2009 Harper's essay "Disaster Aversion" bears re-reading.
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A Daisy Chain of Laffs
Turns out David Sedaris loves The Onion (but who doesn't, really?). Slate asked more than 30 writers including Junot Díaz, Elif Batuman, Paul Beatty, Miranda July, and Chris Kraus to recommend their favorite funny books. Might we recommend you pair this with our own Jacob Lambert's comedic interpretation of Cormac McCarthy?
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Moonlighting as Ian Fleming
It’s rare that you find someone as eclectic as William Boyd. Not only did the British writer's new play (based on two of Chekhov’s short stories) debut in London this week, his upcoming novel will star none other than James Bond. (If you're wondering, his friend Daniel Craig is not how he pictures the superspy.)
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Democracy Sausage
"[T]he term was first recorded in 2012, but its use increased significantly during the federal election this year, especially with the popularity of several websites set up to help voters find polling stations with sausage sizzles." Australia's word of the year is "democracy sausage," reports The Canberra Times. Other national choices, according to Mental Floss: postfaktisch, or "post-truth" in Germany, and the 52-letter-long Bundespraesidentenstichwahlwiederholungsverschiebung, or “postponement of the repeat runoff of the presidential election” in Austria.
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Boy Geniuses
A snarky take on Dave Eggers and Spike Jonze's Wild Things and a positively damning view of Wes Anderson's behavior during the filming of his forthcoming adaptation of Roald Dahl's The Fantastic Mr. Fox, all available at Gawker.
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New Directions Fall Releases
Eight Fall releases are highlighted by New Directions.