“Mr. [Mark] O’Connell is an intelligent and very funny writer,” says Barton Swaim in The Wall Street Journal. “But Epic Fail will also prompt you to consider how shallow—and ugly—humans can be.” (Bonus: a reference to getting pitted, just so pitted.)
Epic Fail In the Wall Street Journal
“A perfect topography”
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When We Were Young
Over at the Catapult, Nicole Chung has launched a series on adoption, featuring essays by Megan Galbraith and James Han Mattson. You could also check out Matthew Salesses’s Millions essay on inciting incidents and new beginnings as an adoptee.
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Brand New Books in Your Ear
Hey book podcast lovers, Between the Covers has a new episode out featuring author Thalia Field on her fascinating-sounding novel Experimental Animals. For more literary listens, see our round-up of 10 more shows to check out.
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Me and Myself
What is the personal essay, and where could it go from here? In The Boston Review, Merve Emre traces two paths.
An Illusion To Think So
"We always try to create the worst opinion of everything there is in the United States, as a response to what they have always done with us. The only difference is that we do not write falsehoods about the United States. I told you that we emphasize the worst things, that we omit things that could be viewed as positive, but we do not invent any lies." This excerpted interview with Fidel Castro over at The Paris Review is enlightening for its candor and frankness.
The Lookielikey also rises
Our heartfelt congratulations to Greg Fawcett, winner of this year's Ernest Hemingway look-alike contest. He credits his success in the competition with "dedication, timing his haircuts carefully and paying attention to the length of his beard." Looking good Greg, and all you other Papas in Miami.
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The Moth Wins MacArthur Award
Among the institutions that have just won MacArthur Awards are The Moth, for promoting the art and craft of storytelling, and the Center for Investigative Reporting, for engaging the public and sparking policy change.