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Chuck Palahniuk

Books

12 Things We Learned From Chuck Palahniuk’s AMA

By Emily Temple on

As you may have heard, Chuck Palahniuk has some forthcoming novels lined up, and to ramp up anticipation for these (as well as appease his hordes of fans) he hosted an AMA (Ask Me Anything) over at Reddit last night. We waded through the cheeky banter, multiple counts of Internet failure, and sometimes sexually aggressive commenters to bring you the most interesting tidbits we gleaned from the session. Check them out after the jump. … Read More

Books

10 of the Most Divisive Authors in Recent History

By Emily Temple on

Recently, we stumbled upon an article over at Open Letters Monthly that asked, “Is Cormac McCarthy a Terrible Writer?” The author, Rohan Maitzen, discusses McCarthy’s particular prose style in The Road, which has been celebrated by some and roundly reviled by others. We’ve always been interested in the idea that many of the greatest writers also seem to have the most detractors, so to explore further, we’ve rounded up a few of the most divisive authors in recent… Read More

Design

Comparing Book Covers with the Posters of Their Film Adaptations

By Emily Temple on

Earlier this week, we spotted the first poster for the upcoming (and much anticipated, at least by us) film adaptation of David Mitchell’s stupendous novel Cloud Atlas, and it seemed very familiar — sort of like a combination of the book’s US and UK covers, all glossed over in sepia. Curious, we spent a little time comparing other book covers with the posters of their film adaptations to see which movies maintained the mood of the book’s original cover, which twisted it around completely, and which became more iconic than the original covers. Click through to read through our findings, and let us know if you have any insights of your own on this topic in the comments. … Read More

Books

10 New Must-Reads for October

By Emily Temple on

As we ease our way into the scariest month of the year, it’s time again for us to present our list of the most exciting books due to grace our shelves in the weeks to come. This month, take your pick from October’s virtual smorgasbord of books, and whether your pleasures lie in zombies, genetic anomalies, poetry, God, hell, love triangles or some combination of the above, you’ll find something to like here. Or maybe several somethings — after all, the weather’s getting chilly, and nothing compliments a cup of tea better than a great book. Click through to see our preview of the best bets for great reading this month, and let us know which books you can’t wait to read in the comments. … Read More

Pop Culture

Pop Culture's Most Fascinating "Weak Female Characters"

By Judy Berman on

Everyone loves “strong female characters.” From Jane Eyre to Veronica Mars, they’re so urgently desired and highly praised that they’ve practically become a brand: tough, intelligent women who can probably both beat you in a physical fight and outsmart you in a battle of wits. What’s not to like? But in an essay for last weekend’s New York Times magazine, Carina Chocano says she’s had enough of them. In fact, she argues, these “tough, cold, terse, taciturn” ladies have become so pervasive that we’re now suffering from a dearth of weak female characters — complex, well-written women who happen to also be meek, feminine, neurotic, or otherwise imperfect. Although we’re big fans of strong female characters, we have to admit that some of the most fascinating women in literature, film, and TV would never fit that description. Ten of our favorites are after the jump. … Read More

Books

10 Novels About Lost Wealth and the Great Recession

By Kathleen Massara on

In a recent Daily Beast/Newsweek poll, 44 percent of respondents reported that their personal economic situation currently makes them upset, while close to a third said it makes them downright angry. It’s been about 2 and a half years since the Great Recession began, and there’s a slew of books you can count on to make your situation seem a little bit better if you’re one of the 9.1 percent of Americans who are still unemployed or if you’re a working stiff who can’t seem to get a break. So enjoy this list, dear readers, because a good novel about the economic slowdown can take the pressure off of another grinding week at the office or on the job hunt. … Read More

Books

Literary Classics Redesigned as Vintage Polish Editions

By Emily Temple on

Do you ever think about what your favorite novel would look like if it was published in another country, or even another time? Amazing art blog 50 Watts recently held a contest in which it asked its readers to design the Polish editions of their favorite books, whether contemporary or vintage. Since 50 Watts is chock full of Polish eye candy to begin with, we were confident from the jump that their design-minded denizens would come up with some wonderful stuff. And come up they did! Click through to see the recently announced winners and some of our other favorites from the contest, or get ready to overdose on more imagined book covers over at the site. … Read More

Books

A Chronological Look at Playboy’s Most Scandalous Fiction

By Chelsea Bauch on

Playboy playmates generally fit a consistent set of criteria, but the men’s magazine is far more varied when it comes to its featured fiction. With an excerpt of Lydia Davis’ buzzed new translation of Madame Bovary (out this week) advertised on the September issue’s cover as a sample of “the most scandalous novel of all time,” we decided to take a look back at some of Playboy’s most attention-grabbing literary selections. … Read More

Books

A List of Summer Reading Lists

By Paul Hiebert on

With summer comes sunshine, idle afternoons, and book lists meant to fill up sunny, idle afternoons with reading. We decided to make a one-stop location — a list of lists, if you will— to help navigate your page-turning adventures this season. Expect a radiant dose of business, politics, education, and pure pleasure to accompany your beach blanket and sunscreen. Leave a comment with a link — or just a few suggestions — if you’ve a summer reading list you’d like to share. … Read More

Books

Too Cool for Sex: The New York Times Castrates Hipster Male Authors

By Emily Temple on

Katie Roiphe’s recent essay in the New York Times entitled “The Naked and the Conflicted” calls out contemporary authors for being prude snugglers and praises mid-century males for being pervy sex-fiends. The article, complete with handy graphs, decries the current generation of literary greats as too obsessed with irony and ambivalence to let their characters (or themselves, she hints somewhat heavily) enjoy sex or their own virility. Citing David Foster Wallace, Jonathan Ames, Jonathan Franzen and Michael Chabon, among others, she… Read More