A Russian man was shot last week over an argument about 18th century German philosopher Immanuel Kant. Perhaps this means I need to update my article about the history of the Russian duel.
The Modern Bretteurs
Graffiti Lit
When street art and literature combine: on "The Moving, Playful Poetry of the World's Textual Graffiti Artists," from Slate.
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“Yeah, American, boom boom”
In a head-scratching piece of writing for the New Statesman, Dave Eggers (whose novel The Circle just cracked our Top Ten) reflects on a cross-country drive he took from Jeddah to Riyadh. The journey, and in particular a comment made by his chauffeur, caused Eggers to ponder the significance of his nationality, his ability to perceive danger, and the intentions of others. The short of it: Some people from other countries are nice. Who knew?
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Poetic Graphics
This week in book-related graphics: An image-heavy test that combines poetry with traffic signs from Ploughshares, and an infographic breaking down the most fearsome (and most useless) characters in The Iliad.
Auditing The Pale King
Two writers dive deep into David Foster Wallace's posthumous Pulitzer finalist novel, The Pale King. Seth Colter Walls takes a look at the tax classes the author took before he began writing, and Eliot Caroom checks the facts laid out in Wallace's portrayal of the IRS. (Related: the opening lines of The Pale King, and a previously unpublished scene as well.)
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1Q84 Coming Fall 2011
According to Millions reader James who emailed Random House, the publisher has plans to put Haruki Murakami's 1Q84 out in fall 2011. Millions contributor Ben has covered much of the news surrounding Murakami's mysterious new novel, which was recently published in Japan, including the recent revelation that there will be a third volume.
Tuesday New Release Day: Future, Foer, Food, Info, Boxing, Pym, Patterson, and More
My book, The Late American Novel: Writers on the Future of Books is out today (more on that here), and also out this week is Joshua Foer's (the latest of the Foer's to throw his hat in the authorial ring) Moonwalking with Einstein: The Art and Science of Remembering Everything, buzzed about food memoir Blood, Bones & Butter: The Inadvertent Education of a Reluctant Chef, a new look at the modern world's most ubiquitous commodity James Gleick's The Information: A History, a Theory, a Flood, Library of America boxing anthology At The Fights: American Writers on Boxing, Mat Johnson's Poe-inspired Pym, and Victoria Patterson's This Vacant Paradise. New in Paperback: Sam Lipsyte's The Ask and Chang-rae Lee's The Surrendered.
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New Stoppard on the Way
A new Tom Stoppard play entitled "The Hard Problem" will open next January at the UK’s Dorfman Theatre. The production will be Stoppard’s first new play since "Rock N’ Roll" in 2006.
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