“REPORTER: You’ve reportedly conveyed to Judge Garland that if he comes knocking on your office door he’ll be wasting his time. But would you deign to meet with him somewhere off the grounds of the U.S. Capitol? Say, at a Starbucks? BARTLEBY: I would prefer not to.” This Bartleby, the Senator: A Story of Merrick Garland (not to be confused with the Bartleby, the Scrivener).
I’d Prefer Not To
The Gang
It’s hard to get a better glimpse of the postwar white male American writer than the essays of William Styron. In My Generation, a new book of collected nonfiction, Styron writes about a raft of his contemporaries, including but not limited to Philip Roth, James Baldwin and Truman Capote. In the NYT, Charles Johnson reviews the collection. You could also read Alexander Nazaryan on a book by Styron’s daughter.
The Women Warriors
"As I read her words, I experienced a feeling previously unknown to me: recognition. I had always turned to books for pleasure, as portals to other places. Reading The Woman Warrior, for the first time I saw myself on every page and in every word." For Catapult, Alexis Cheung writes about representation, being an Asian-American writer, and reading and interviewing Maxine Hong Kingston. From our archives: Kingston's work was featured in Alexander Chee's 2015 Year in Reading.
Bookish Man Bat Signal
Bookish men of New York. Are you listening? Good. On February 13th, Housing Works is hosting a “Literary Speed Dating” event... except they currently have a slight problem. There are literally too many women signed up for the event. If this isn’t enticing enough for you to buy a ticket immediately, perhaps a $4 discount will be. Simply enter the event code “TOLSTOY” when you buy online – or visit this link directly. Now, hurry. Think of which book you’ll bring with you. You know, the one you’re “just kinda, like, reading for fun at the moment.”
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Cover Story
If you’re a bookseller, you know that terrible book covers are a part of your everyday life. Which is why, when the folks at McNally Jackson saw the cover of Evan S. Connell's Mrs. Bridge, they conspired and took a stand.
It’s not such a Mad Mad world afterall.
Sure, the various TV recaps, screencaps, and Paris Review fan fiction will be a help, but let's be honest, how long will those last? You could get through all of it today, in a binge. What you need, my friend, is a good book to sate that Mad Men craving you'll be having now that it's off the air again. Well, here's a list of 10 great ones. That should do it. Oh, yes.
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A primer on the vast, ever-expanding universe of smut
If 50 Shades of Grey is not quite up your alley but you're looking to read more shameless smut, then you're in luck. New York magazine has compiled a field guide for the trepidatious romance reader. And there are infographics!
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