Recommended Reading: A brief history of book illustration and books as objects, over at Literary Hub.
Image of the Text
The Literary Rumor Mill
From Flavorwire, a look at fascinating literary rumors, from Mark Twain‘s premature death to Stephen King‘s supposed blindness.
Metaphor and Memory, Fame and Folly
“’This splendid lady sandbagged me,’ Bloom said in a recent phone conversation, with the lofty, ungrudging admiration of an old general recalling an opposite number’s surprise attack at some long-ago battle. Flummoxed, he asked if they had not made an agreement. Ozick, Bloom recollects, said, ‘When you are dealing with the devil, you must be prepared to do anything!'” This New York Times Magazine profile of Cynthia Ozick makes it clear that, at 88, she shows no signs of slowing down.
Jewcy Nicole Krauss
Online magazine Jewcy has relaunched, showcasing pieces on a wide variety of topics, including this recent interview with Nicole Krauss covering her new novel Great House.
The New New Inquiry
The New Inquiry‘s updated site launched over the weekend, and it’s currently undergoing a live beta test. They’ve also just unveiled a bumper crop of new bloggers. One of the site’s interesting features is that all of its content is available for sharing and remixing under a creative commons license.
The Beat Drops And Rises Again
Scott Plagenhoef tracks electronica’s Phoenix-like trajectory from its overhyped beginning in the 90’s through its contemporary influence on folks like Skrillex.
Would a softer sort of blackmail be called graymail?
Over at Melville House, editor Ellie Robbins has discovered an App that might help you finish your novel: it involves your Facebook friends, one compromising picture, and some, um, lighthearted blackmail.