Colm Tóibín’s new book on Elizabeth Bishop is unusually hard to categorize. Part “primer,” part “personal reflection,” in Jonathan Farmer’s words, it moves back and forth between analysis and lyricism, alternating passages of beauty with nuts-and-bolts guides to Bishop’s poems. In Slate, Farmer tries to nail it down. You could also read our own Michael Bourne’s review of Tóibín’s The Master.
Jewel Boxes
Dabbling with Purpose
"That’s why I’m organizing this fundraiser for Planned Parenthood, because for me the right to say what happens to my body is the right to make art." Year-in-Reading alum Claire Vaye Watkins has launched "Dabbler's Ball," an art auction featuring work by some other boldtype names you might know (Ramona Ausubel, Lauren Groff, Tom McGuane, Emma Straub). Bidding runs until September 5th and 100% of the proceeds will go toward the venerable PP. See also: our reviews of Vaye Watkins's novel Gold Fame Citrus and Battleborn, her first story collection.
LA Times Lays Off Reviewers
The Los Angeles Times book review laid off its entire staff of freelance book reviewers.
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Books Have Ruined Our Lives, Now We Want to Ruin Yours
Our intrepid AWP #LitBeat correspondent attended an offsite event called "Books Have Ruined Our Lives, Now We Want to Ruin Yours"
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Fug Life
For those who like their celebrity fashion with a voluptuous lashing of satire, this Fug's for you. Check out the maybe-not-so-pretty fashion blog Go Fug Yourself's Grammy Awards coverage--or lack of coverage, as was (quelle suprise!) the case with Britney Spears.
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Tuesday New Release Day: Buckley; May; Vallgren; Miller
Out this week: The Relic Master by Christopher Buckley; Paradise City by Elizabeth May; The Merman by Carl-Johan Vallgren; and The Penguin Collected Plays of Arthur Miller. For more on these and other new titles, check out our Great Second-Half 2015 Book Preview.
“Something like this has never been created before”
Steve Lee, the product lead heading Google’s Project Glass digital eyewear, explains the development process and his vision for the future. Suffice it to say that it’s a brave new world out there.
Space Oddity
How does copyright work in space? Everyone's favorite Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield learned the hard way.
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