David Foster Wallace wrote the best bitter takedown (PDF) of the cruise ship industry ever, but he only had to endure a 7-night vacation. Imagine his horror, then, if he had been forced to spend significant time on The World, a $20,000+/month ship that continuously circumnavigates the world and has permanent passengers in its 165 private residences. For a more detailed glimpse at life on board the ship, check out Anthony Bourdain’s Gourmet piece on his 2003 visit.
“I’m The King of the World!”
Illustrated Whitman
Gavin Aung Than took Walt Whitman’s poem “When I heard the Learn’d Astronomer” and adapted it into illustrated comic book panels. This is the second time Than has illustrated the poet’s work.
The Beating of Rodney King, Take Two
Rodney King, possibly the nation's best-known victim of police brutality, will fight former Pennsylvania police officer Simon Aouad in a celebrity boxing match in Philadelphia on September 12. "I know some people will see the irony here," King said. I'm not sure irony's the word, but it's something alright.
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Tuesday New Release Day: Patchett, Stein, Brandon
The big literary new release this week is Ann Patchett's State of Wonder. Also recently out is Gertrude Stein's long-lost oddity for children, To Do: A Book of Alphabets and Birthdays. New in paperback is John Brandon's Citrus County.
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Burrito Lit: A Review
We know the internet's been full of buzz following the announcement of Chipotle's new burrito lit, but the Los Angeles Review of Books' "Review of Cups" by Maria Bustillos has us laughing. After all, there's nothing like a timely and slightly irreverent review to legitimize a new genre. And for more fun with reviews, be sure to check out The Millions' own "Worst Book Review Ever."
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A Weary, Frumpy Civil Servant
J.K. Rowling’s new play will not, as everyone had imagined, be a prequel to the Harry Potter series. Instead, it will be a sequel, with the main action taking place 19 years after Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows and focusing on Harry’s youngest son, Albus Severus. Here’s a self described “jaded, contrarian” take on Rowling and the series as a whole from The Millions.
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Fall 2009 Story Contest
Narrative Magazine announces its Fall 2009 Story Contest, open to fiction and non-fiction writers. Submission deadline November 30th.
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Great links. Still can’t believe Gourmet is gone.