Some of the best reads this season are being produced by electronic writers — techies devoted to the life of literature off the printed page. Their experimental fiction and poetry is colorful, cacophonous, animated and interactive — and often mediated by a host of different technologies. The term “electronic literature” usually refers to writing that is “digital-born” — created in a digital environment, and often intended to be read or viewed on a computer. Other than that, there are no rules, and very few… Read More
Exclusive Q&A: Amitav Ghosh Learns to Sail
It comes as no great surprise to us that Amitav Ghosh thoroughly enjoys his job. His latest book, Sea of Poppies, is a maritime adventure, and pure fun. Ghosh winds wonderfully detailed history lessons into his plots, and often they prove to be his best stories of all. Sea of Poppies is the first installment in a trilogy, but Ghosh shows no signs of getting bored anytime soon. He spoke with us about Russian literature, learning to sail, Melville, and the daily grind of writing… Read More
Watch Before Reading: Art-House Book Trailers
Usually just one to three minutes long, the best book trailers swiftly inform potential readers of what to expect. But unlike most movie previews, these trailers are often interpretive, rather than plot-focused; they spring from the imagination of their creators, as well as from the books they represent. Search YouTube and you’ll find thousands of examples. … Read More
Exclusive: Wells Tower — Ravaged, Burned, and Ready for More
Seven years into his involvement with short fiction, Wells Tower has finally released a book of collected stories. The young author is a regular in The Atlantic, and has had work in the Paris Review, The Believer, and McSweeney’s. The new collection’s title, Everything Ravaged, Everything Burned, hints at the inevitable tragedies within, but not so much at Tower’s stealthy observation and wit; in his inimitable vernacular, the writer addresses the ties that bind and the conversation between man and nature. Sabrina Jaszi at our sister publication Boldtype got his take on the debut.
Why Notorious’s Hip-Hop Nostalgia Could Equal Box Office Gold
Standard restroom conversations snippets after biopics include “it wasn’t like that” and “tell me something I don’t know.” Notorious (which opens this Friday), the new film recounting the life and death of rapper Chris Wallace aka Biggie Smalls, strikes a balance between these two complaints while remaining lively and fair. Free of speculation about the mystery of the rapper’s death, and the inner realms of his psyche, Notorious is a love letter to hip hop’s good old days, and seeks to explain why they got so bad. … Read More
Bedside Biographer with Sarah Shun-lien Bynum
Friedrich Nietzsche once wrote that “Sleeping is no mean art: for its sake one must stay awake all day.” It’s been a narrative-packed few years for Sarah Shun-lien Bynum with the publication of 2004′s National Book Award finalist Madeleine is Sleeping and this year’s critically acclaimed Ms. Hempel Chronicles. Between writing observant tales of childhood and observing her own child, she doesn’t have much time for shut-eye, but Flavorwire got this exclusive look what’s floating around in the author’s head, right before it hits the pillow.
After the jump, she gives us an itemized tour of her bedside table, including her current reads. … Read More
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