Among his many talents, Daniel Handler is the master of painting the precocious youth in moments of existential peril — his alter ego is Lemony Snicket, after all, though we admit we like his lusciously written books for adults even better. In Handler’s newest novel Why We Broke Up, illustrated by the great Maira Kalman, teenagers Min and Ed have, well, just broken up. And now, “arty” girl Min is writing her basketball-playing ex a novel-length letter as to just exactly why, following the trail of their failed relationship’s trinkets and detritus — sugar bowls, ticket stubs — until she reaches the bitter end. The tale is as simple as it gets, but expertly rendered and, as far as we’re concerned completely true to the teenage experience.
We’ve all been through it, whether we’d like to admit it or not, so to ease the pain, we’ve asked Handler (who in addition to being a successful novelist just happens to be the sometime accordionist for the Magnetic Fields — who would have ever broken up with him?) to put together the ultimate playlist to help you get through any breakup, whether you’re sixteen or sixty. Click through to listen to Handler’s picks and let us know which tracks you count on to heal your own broken hearts in the comments. Read More »
If you’ve ever wondered what your favorite literary characters might be listening to while they save the world/contemplate existence/get into trouble, or hallucinated a soundtrack to go along with your favorite novels, well, us too. But wonder no more! Here, we sneak a look at the hypothetical iPods of some of literature’s most interesting characters. What would be on the personal playlists of Holden Caulfield or Elizabeth Bennett, Huck Finn or Harry Potter, Tintin or Humbert Humbert? Something revealing, we bet. Or at least something danceable. Read on for a cozy reading soundtrack, character study, or yet another way to emulate your favorite literary hero. This week: The Secret History‘s straight-man narrator, Richard Papen.
If you’ve ever wondered what your favorite literary characters might be listening to while they save the world/contemplate existence/get into trouble, or hallucinated a soundtrack to go along with your favorite novels, well, us too. But wonder no more! Here, we sneak a look at the hypothetical iPods of some of literature’s most interesting characters. What would be on the personal playlists of Holden Caulfield or Elizabeth Bennett, Huck Finn or Harry Potter, Tintin or Humbert Humbert? Something revealing, we bet. Or at least something danceable. Read on for a cozy reading soundtrack, character study, or yet another way to emulate your favorite literary hero. This week: the example of all mothers’ say sos, Little Red Riding Hood.
If you’ve ever wondered what your favorite literary characters might be listening to while they save the world/contemplate existence/get into trouble, or hallucinated a soundtrack to go along with your favorite novels, well, us too. But wonder no more! Here, we sneak a look at the hypothetical iPods of some of literature’s most interesting characters. What would be on the personal playlists of Holden Caulfield or Elizabeth Bennett, Huck Finn or Harry Potter, Tintin or Humbert Humbert? Something revealing, we bet. Or at least something danceable. Read on for a cozy reading soundtrack, character study, or yet another way to emulate your favorite literary hero. This week: Tintin, boy reporter for Le Petit Vingtième.
Though they only last a few minutes, music videos can be cinematic works of art. This week’s best clips are mini masterpieces of perspective, both mentally, and in terms of cinematography. Using some fancy film work, The New Pornographers give us a new outlook on the mundane, North Highlands get fit while getting up close and personal, and Bomba Estereo use the lens to let us peek inside an intimate vacation. On the more conceptual side, Broken Bells ask what happens when a vacation actually costs an arm and a leg, and Stars bend time and space as the past is literally projected across their bodies. After the jump, watch our picks for the best music videos of the week and let us know if they’ve helped you gain some new perspective.
This, the 20th(!) mixtape in the Flavorpill series, is an homage to bands nicely pulling off the art of the Revival. Embrace the familiarity, and right click + Save As the 10 tracks after the jump — or cut a corner and download the mix in its entirety. And as always, let us know what you think.
This charity project revives a timeless childhood pursuit, guided by artists including MGMT, Stars, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, and Iron & Wine.
The Indie Rock Coloring Book is an offering from the Yellow Bird Project, a Canadian nonprofit that sells musician-designed t-shirts, with proceeds going to the artists’ favorite charities. The book features work by illustrator Andy J. Miller, inspired by bands supporting the project. It even includes other activity-book staples, such as a maze and connect-the-dots. Read More »
