Jane Austen is probably mad at us. Amy Watkin tells us why at McSweeney’s.
Jane Austen’s Wrath
Summer Reads; Southern Reads
For me, the call of Southern literature comes strongest in the dog days of summer, when the days are long and when the sun is burning. This year, it seems that the literary community has taken note: five representatives from the region’s “great independent bookstores” have gotten together to recommend the Southern books they’re craziest about this year.
Didion: Cool and Manly?
The Atlantic reviews the first full-length biography of Joan Didion, The Last Love Song by Tracy Daugherty, to be released August 25th. The biography “looks at the author’s legacy of cool.” Related: Franklin Strong’s essay on “The Manliness of Joan Didion” in The Millions.
Fifty Shades of Regret
"Shouldn't we all feel a little embarrassed about the fuss we made over 50 Shades of Grey?" Jessa Crispin writes for the Los Angeles Review of Books about E.L. James' trilogy and some of the longer responses, including Hard-Core Romance, which we briefly covered a few months ago.
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Finding God by the Creek
“The striking thing about her search for God is that she sometimes finds him. Pilgrim at Tinker Creek’s second chapter, after a kind of introduction, is titled 'Seeing.' There are two kinds, she explains. The common variety is active, where you strain, against the running babble of internal monologue, to pay attention to what’s actually in front of you. But, she tells us, ‘there is another kind of seeing that involves a letting go.’ You do not seek, you wait. It isn’t prayer; it is grace. The visions come to you, and they come from out of the blue.” On Annie Dillard’s turn to silence.
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A few links before heading out of town for the weekend
JT Leroy, who has been revealed as a made-up persona created to sell books, is still being "spotted" in LA and maintaining a blog. Pinky has the details.In his Friday Column, Scott writes about literary fiction that is "much discussed" but doesn't sell many copies.Author (and blogger) Jenny Davidson has a new book coming out.And from the wonders of the world file: Something has caused the lake that sits atop Vanuatu's Aoba volcano to turn from blue to red. Scientists are perplexed.
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The Room Moves Without Moving
The music video for “Sweater” by Belgian indie outfit Willow relies on an impressive balance of timing, treadmill coordination, projection, and camera-work. A lot of ground is covered in a single room. It’s positively crazy. You might even say it’s virtual insanity. (Sorry I’m not sorry.)