From Slate comes an answer to the question: “Why did it take so long for The Great Gatsby to be recognized as a masterpiece?” Pair with our own Sonya Chung‘s review of the novel.
The Great Delay
What a Crack-Up
Did F. Scott Fitzgerald's "Crack-Up" essays -- in which the author began to chronicle his mental collapse -- usher in and anticipate the rise of autobiographical writing in America?
Powerhouse
Big news in the publishing world: Penguin and Random House have announced their decision to merge.
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Appearing Elsewhere
Bet you didn't know this Saturday was the 25th anniversary of the first "going postal" shootings in Oklahoma. I have a piece at The Morning News examining America's export of this peculiar brand of spree killings around the world, most recently to Oslo, Norway.
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What They Share
At The Rumpus, our own Nick Ripatrazone writes about his twin daughters, Amelia and Olivia, who taught him that, when it comes to twins, “there are two babies but three identities: one for each baby, and then the twin identity, an amorphous, shared mass of personality and action that makes Amelia fuss one night and Olivia the next.” The essay nicely complements Nick’s Millions piece on Andre Dubus.
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Crystal Methods
Curtis Sittenfeld did some interesting research for her latest novel, Sisterland. "I went to this New Age bookstore in a distant suburb of St. Louis. I basically went there and was like, 'I’m doing research,' and then I un-ironically bought some crystals," she told The Rumpus.
Recommended Single Sentence Animation
You may have heard us mention Electric Literature's Recommended Reading project recently. It's a great new venture in which short stories are selected by other prominent writers -- and it's recently surpassed its fundraising goal. Now, they've even combined the project with one of their most beloved classics: Single Sentence Animation. Check out this little ditty to accompany Ben Marcus's "Watching Mysteries With My Mother" and, of course, check out their Kickstarter page.