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Books

Required Reading List: Jay Gatsby

By Emily Temple on

With Baz Luhrmann’s splashy adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s Great American Novel contender hitting theaters Friday, Flavorwire is devoting this week to all things Great Gatsby. Click here to follow our coverage.

“I cannot remember the books I’ve read any more than the meals I have eaten,” Ralph Waldo Emerson famously quipped, “even so, they have made me.” In this bi-weekly series, Flavorwire plays professor to some of our favorite pop culture characters, assigning reading lists tailored to their temperaments or — in some cases — designed to make them into slightly better people. After all, even fictional characters can have their lives changed by books. Or so we imagine. This week, we recommend a reading list for the man of the moment, one Jay Gatsby. … Read More

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Books

Did Tom Wolfe Write the Year’s Worst Sex Scene?

By Judy Berman on

It’s that time of year again! Yes, Thanksgiving — but more importantly, time for the Literary Review’s annual Bad Sex in Literature Award. The magazine has released its 2012 shortlist, and the most famous name is none other than one Tom Wolfe, who’s been writing cringe-worthy sex scenes for decades now. Literary Review has, of course, nominated Wolfe for his new novel Back to Blood and, in the course of tweeting some choice excerpts from this year’s cohort, reminded us of this humiliating passage: “Now his big generative jockey was inside her pelvic saddle, riding, riding, riding, and she was eagerly swallowing it…” You can find the full shortlist below, and mark your calendar for December 4th, when we’ll learn who wrote the #1 worst sex scene of 2012 — you know, aside from E.L. James, because 50 Shades of Grey still doesn’t count as literature. … Read More

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Books

10 of Literature’s Greatest Comeback Books

By Emily Temple on

Though Tom Wolfe’s last novel, 2004′s I Am Charlotte Simmons, fell flat for many readers and reviewers — Michiko Kakutani called it “disappointingly empty” — some critics are heralding his new effort, Back to Blood, which hit bookstores this week, as his comeback book. Only time will tell, of course, but the idea got us thinking about a few other important books that have pulled some of our favorite authors back from the brink of oblivion (or worse, bad reviews). After the jump, read about the many ways authors have dusted off and recharged their careers with a well-placed tome, and as always, add any we’ve missed in the comments. … Read More

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Books

Awesome Photos of Writers Hanging Out Together

By Emily Temple on

There’s something strangely inspiring about photographs of visionaries in the same room — we don’t know quite what it is, but the idea of (what we imagine to be) a profound meeting of minds captured on film always manages to get us excited. To that end, we put together a collection of some very excellent photographs of awesome musicians hanging out together a couple of months ago, but it’s not just musical types who like to gather in inspiring combinations. Writers, it seems, also enjoy each other’s company (whatever they might say to the contrary). Click through to see our photo roundup of writers hanging out with other writers, with a hat tip to the wonderful Tumblr Awesome People Hanging Out Together for inspiration and a few of the shots. … Read More

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Books

10 New Must-Reads for October

By Emily Temple on

As we’ve already pointed out, fall is always a big season for books, and this particular fall is just about as big as they get. As the weather starts to get chilly in earnest, warm up with short stories, nonfiction, and novels from shining new literary stars, established literary giants, and everything in between. In fact, we’re so excited about the pickings this month that we could almost double our regular list — we won’t, but keep an eye out for the honorable mentions at the end. Click through to read over the brand spanking new books we’re most excited about this month, and let us know which one you’re eyeing to go with that mug of tea in the comments. … Read More

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Pop Culture

Men in Black (and White): Artists Who Made Monochromatic Dressing Their Calling Card

By Emily Temple on

Today would have been legendary musician Johnny Cash’s 80th birthday, and to celebrate, we’re paying tribute to one of our favorite Cash incarnations — the Man in Black. In the early ’70s, at a time when most country singers were dolled up in sequins and cowboy boots, Cash chose a somber, all-black ensemble, a symbol of respect for the suffering of others. The color also cemented his reputation as an enduring fashion icon — the US Navy’s all-black winter uniforms are still called “Johnny Cashes” — and inspired one of his most famous albums. Inspired, we decided to take a look at other artists who followed in Cash’s footsteps (or predated him) in wearing one color, whether as a form of protest, artistic statement, or just habit. Click through to see our list of artists of all stripes (musicians, comedians, writers, oh my) who made wearing either all black or all white their trademark, and let us know if we’ve missed your favorite monochromatic fashionista in the comments. … Read More

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Books

Our Picks from ‘TIME’ Magazine’s Top 100 Nonfiction Books

By Kathleen Massara on

TIME recently chose their favorite nonfiction books in English from the magazine’s inception in 1923 to today, and we decided to cull 10 from their list to present to you, dear readers. These are the books that have stayed in the public mind for years, which is increasingly difficult to do today, as we measure the popularity of a book now in months, if not days. In June, we featured 10 picks from the Guardian‘s Top 100 list of nonfiction titles, but these were culled from throughout history, making it tough to choose between, say, Herodotus and Hannah Arendt. With this 88-year span, however, the choices were somewhat easier. As always, let us know what you think of the books in the comments section below. … Read More

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Books

Great Parties in Literature We Wish We Could Have Attended

By Judy Berman on

After our recent roundup of 25 great parties on film, it occurred to us that movies aren’t the only medium to have depicted fantastic fêtes. So, to help you gear up for a celebratory July 4th weekend, we reached out to Flavorpill staff and readers alike to get their nominations for liteature’s best bash. With their help, we’ve come up with a list of ten great gatherings we would love to have attended. Keep the party going by adding your favorites in the comments. … Read More

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Books

10 Notorious Literary Spats

By Kathleen Massara on

Patrick Kingsley recently wrote in The Guardian about “poisonous literary feuds” and the peacemakers who could broker a truce. We ran a post on the subject last year, but thought we would do an international list of troublemakers this time around. We’d also like to honor the man who racked up the most hours feuding with his literary colleagues: Norman Mailer. Writers today generally aren’t as venomous toward each other (although maybe Colson Whitehead would disagree after his salivary encounter with Richard Ford). We have to agree with Mailer’s proclamation on The Dick Cavett Show: “I’m going to be the champ until one of you knocks me off.” … Read More

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Books

Required Reading: The Best Books for a Hangover

By Kathleen Massara on

A few years ago, Inigo Thomas wrote in Slate: “If remorse is one part of the hangover, so is resolve — the refusal to give into the worst of it.” Shake off the excesses of St. Patrick’s Day by reading some selections from our list of hangover-themed books. From cookbooks to calamitous fiction, there’s an assortment of titles for the morning after a long night out. We’ve even arranged them in categories for your viewing pleasure. … Read More

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