“The physical purpose of reproduction is, obviously, the continuation and renewal of genetic continuity, human survival. Its psychological purpose seems to me to be a particularly poignant kind of mutual learning and, matters being equal, ineffable comfort.” What is the relationship between being an artist and being a parent? Maria Popova at Brain Pickings takes a look at sculptor Anne Truitt’s collected journals, Daybook, to try and suss out an answer.
The Artist’s Guide to Parenting
In the Future, We Are All Authors
Seed forecasts an age of universal authorship (though its definitions of “consumer” and “creator” beg for reconsideration). (via)
Lit Mag Unlocked
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Ten Bloodiest Bedtime Stories
For those of you who ask, like Jacob Lambert, whether picture books are leading our children astray, the Independent posts ten of the bloodiest bedtime stories.
Tweeting with Jennifer Egan
Jennifer Egan has a new story, “Black Box,” which is being published in ten installments over the New Yorker Fiction Twitter feed. Beginning last night at 8pm EST, and the story continues tonight at the same time.
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Brave New Serial
Margaret Atwood’s got a new book called Positron out, and she’s going digital: the novel is being published serially via Byliner.
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Literary Maps of Another Kind
In anticipation of Adam Sternbergh’s novel, Shovel Ready, Chris Bilton and Sarah Liss collaborated on “the ultimate N.Y.C. dystopia map,” which serves as an amalgamation of “some of the darkest visions of the city.” Meanwhile, Jacob Silverman points us to a map of St. Petersburg, Russia, “made out of lines from Russian literature.” (Bonus: Sternbergh discusses his novel with the Los Angeles Times.)
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