Villanelle Bot, a Twitter bot that composes poems in villanelle form, is publishing the automated poetry on their blog. The bot uses Twitter posts from random people, then stitches together all lines that end in certain words to form a full poem. You could also check out our piece on the best of literary Twitter.
Poetry Machine
Best Illustrated Children’s Books
Look, we know it's nice to read highbrow literary fiction all the time, but sometimes you need a break. Luckily, here is a helpful list of the best illustrated children's books of 2016 from the folks over at The New York Times.
Artistic Dachshunds
On the NY Daily News' Page Views blog, Alexander Nazaryan writes about the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show's most neglected -- yet also most literary -- member breed: the dachshund. "No dog," Nazaryan writes, "has been more widely loved by writers and artists than the dachshund." Comedian Streeter Seidell agrees that the dachshund was slighted, and calls for a "fan favorite" award next year.
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Caw, Says the Crow
Max Porter’s Grief Is the Thing with Feathers is “the book of the moment,” according to the staff of Houston-based Brazos Bookstore. For other recommended reading, don’t miss our Great Second-Half Book Preview.
Only a Gentile
Jeffrey Goldberg interviews Quentin Tarantino in The Atlantic and writes about why Inglorious Basterds is a very un-Jewish treatment of rage toward Nazis.
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Night Shade Books Gets Shady
A publishing flap in three parts, with colons. 1: Publisher's Weekly details unsettling allegations about Night Shade Books -- an unwillingness to answer calls from writers or their agents, stolen digital rights, and missing royalty statements. 2: Night Shade issues an apology. 3: A wronged writer responds.
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East of Here
Recommended Reading: This interview with the director of the National Steinbeck Center.