“Reading fiction is one of my true loves, but essays help me to understand things about the world, the writer, and if they’re really great, myself.” Electric Literature‘s Jason Diamond argues 2014 was “The Year of the Essay,” and when we think over the collections published this year – The Empathy Exams, The Unspeakable and Loitering, among others – it’s hard to disagree.
The Year of the Essay
At Thep Moob Men’s Prison
Recommended Reading: an excerpt from Wells Tower’s short story, “The Dance Contest” which is fully available in the latest issue of McSweeney’s.
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More Elmore Leonard on the Way
Although we're still mourning the death of Elmore Leonard, we might have another book from him. His son, Peter Leonard, plans to finish his father's 46th novel, Blue Dreams. Expect more of Leonard's favorite federal marshal, Raylan Givens.
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Jill Abramson on Rejection and Resilience
Jill Abramson, fired last week from her post as New York Times executive editor, broke her silence today with her commencement address at Wake Forest. “I’m talking to anyone who has been dumped,” she said. “Not gotten the job you really wanted or received those horrible rejection letters from grad school. You know, the sting of losing, or not getting something you badly want. When that happens, show what you are made of.” Video here.
Remembering the Words
“But every time I sat down in my desk, my heart raced. I forgot the words, my sentences sounded wordy, unnecessary, ugly.” Our own Bruna Dantas Lobato writes about anxiety and writer’s block for Ploughshares. Pair with her Staff Pick for The Millions, Juan Goytisolo’s Count Julian.
Breakfast at History’s
The evolution of the celebrity profile should be divided into two eras, one pre- and the other post-T.C.: Truman Capote.
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Celebrating van Gogh
Celebrate van Gogh’s birthday (March 30, 1853) with this post from Brain Pickings on the artist’s meditations on the human pursuit of greatness.
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From the Archives
Recommended Listening: The Esquire podcast has a new episode featuring Jay McInerney on Raymond Carver’s “My Father’s Life,” which first appeared in the magazine in 1984.
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