“As you can see here, it’s all about desire and longing.” Yes it is, Ragnar, yes it is. Icelandic performance artist Ragnar Kjartansson is fascinated by what he calls “the oppressiveness of western culture claustrophobia.” His newest work, Bonjour, has shifted focus to poke fun at the ways in which the rest of the world elevates French sensibilities.
Dabbling in Cliché
Sonya’s Favorite Novel of the Millenium (So Far)
At The Second Pass, check out my review of Everyman's Rules for Scientific Living, an unsung gem of a novel by Australian writer Carrie Tiffany.
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The Boundaries of Literature
“The label ‘Immigrant Fiction’ derives from the same problematic Pantheon in which ‘Women’s Literature,’ ‘Black Literature,’ and more, exist. Unlike the genre of, say, science fiction, which describes the content and style of the writing, categories like ‘immigrant’ or ‘Black’ fiction seem to be concerned more with the author’s identity and/or perceived audience.” On literary categories and immigrant fiction, over at Guernica.
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The Case of the Selfless Detective
In one among several lost Nancy Drew books, the girl detective asks herself "why she feels compelled to spend all her time and energy solving other people’s problems.”
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Borges’s Best-Of
Jorge Louis Borges’s suggestions for the thirty-three books to begin his famed Library of Babel includes works by Oscar Wilde, Franz Kafka, and even Borges himself–and, maddeningly, no women. Nothing against Borges, but you may want to spend some time with our own slightly more diverse Year in Reading series for a bit more variety.
Mantel Takes the Costa
Hilary Mantel added a Costa Book Award to her evermore decorated mantle following a unanimous vote in favor of her latest historical novel, Bring Up the Bodies.
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