Sometime Millions writer Frank Kovarik plumbs the connections between George Saunders’ recent story in The New Yorker and David Foster Wallace’s suicide.
Saunders Meets DFW
Read Volt
The Barcelona Review has the text of the eponymous story from Alan Heathcock’s Volt for your reading pleasure. You might remember Heathcock’s work from last Decemeber, when Michael Schaub picked the “dark, beautiful short story collection” in his Year in Reading installment, and then gave it a glowing review for NPR.
Bulbous Salutation
Morrisey, Lauren Groff, and Erica Jong are among the finalists for the 2015 Bad Sex in Fiction award. The award is presented annually by the British magazine Literary Review in an attempt to “draw attention to poorly written, perfunctory or redundant passages of sexual description in modern fiction, and to discourage them.” Past winners include Norman Mailer and John Updike (the sole recipient of a prestigious lifetime achievement award).
The Story Behind the Photo
The Guardian has the interesting story behind the arresting photo of Prince Charles and Camilla being harassed by protesters that appeared on the front page of The New York Times and other newspapers around the world today. (via)
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Bob Dylan’s Paintings
Bob Dylan is in a little hot water amid allegations that his “original” paintings are actually rendered from other people’s photographs.
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Olga Tokarczuk on the Coherent Cosmos of Leonora Carrington
Olga Tokarczuk reflects on the "wild metaphysics" of Leonora Carrington’s 1974 surrealist novel, The Hearing Trumpet.
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Holy Verse
Recommended Reading: Robyn Creswell and Bernard Haykel on why jihadists write poetry.
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Yellow Is the New Black
Yellow book covers are on the rise as publishers push for bold designs that pop for online shoppers. Also check out this comparison of U.S. and U.K. book covers.