These days, I’ve been feeling a little bit like a Scrooge. It’s not that I’m not stoked for Christmas, but December really got away from me, personally. I haven’t seen nearly enough holiday movies. Garlands were not strung. Supermarket eggnog Read more >
As the omicron variant rages through my body this week, I’m enjoying taking my mind of my concerns by solving crossword puzzles. As it turns out, that’s a timeless (or rather, somewhat time-sensitive but historically precedented) pursuit: crossword puzzles became Read more >
As you probably know, today is the shortest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere. It’s a good day for spellcasting, naps, and reading—especially short books that you can knock out in an evening (or even before the sun Read more >
Eve Babitz, known for her joyful, sharp, confessional portrayals of Los Angeles and her personal adventures there, died last Friday of complications of Huntington’s disease at U.C.L.A. Medical Center in Los Angeles. She was 78. Dwight Garner for The New Read more >
The Northman, directed by Robert Eggers and co-written with Icelandic literary hero Sjón, is the story of a 10th-century Viking (played by a shredded Alexander Skarsgård) dispossessed at a young age of his rightful place on the throne, who spends Read more >
The winners of the 2021 Hugo Awards—one of science fiction and fantasy’s most prestigious awards, decided by the popular vote of WorldCon members—were presented on Saturday night at the 79th WorldCon in Washington, DC. Notably, this is the first year Read more >
DCist reports that workers at DC’s indie bookstore Politics and Prose have decided to unionize, joining a growing list of bookstores (and other workplaces) that have unionized this year. If they do unionize, they’ll become the only bookstore in DC Read more >
MFA vs. Anything After a long, long, long illness, the MFA vs. Anything Discourse died in its home on Twitter, surrounded by loved ones who attempted intermittently to revive it for several months. MFA vs. Anything is survived by MFAs, NYC, Read more >
Last Saturday was a good day for New York City. It was a little rainy and overcast—the perfect day to browse the shelves of a bookstore. It was the day Yu and Me Books opened on 44 Mulberry Street, at Read more >
Amanda Gorman’s had a big year: starting in January with her wave-making performance at the presidential inauguration, she’s performed at the Super Bowl, been named the face of Estee Lauder and graced the covers of TIME and Vogue, courted controversy Read more >
Here’s an uplifting update on one of our biggest literary stories of the year: a collection of rare manuscripts has been saved from disappearing from view by the public, libraries, museums and organizations banding together—and, of course, the richest man Read more >
Today, the influential sci-fi writer Philip K. Dick was born in Chicago. His family later moved to the Bay Area where Dick matriculated at the same high school as Ursula Le Guin. He attended the University of California, Berkeley for Read more >
Yesterday, Barack Obama—former president and current book-recommending powerhouse—dropped his annual year-end list of favorite books, including some he recommended earlier this year and some new titles. Very useful if, like many other Americans, if you’re searching for a last-minute holiday gift—or Read more >
Widely influential feminist thinker and writer bell hooks, given name Gloria Jean Watkins, died today at her home in Berea, Kentucky surrounded by family and friends. She was 69. “The family is honored that Gloria received numerous awards, honors, and Read more >
We are in that sweet spot of December in which you’re (hopefully) full of the holiday spirit but without the stress of having to spend every waking moment with your family. It’s the perfect few weeks in which to indulge Read more >
If you sift through any writing on documentary poetics, you will absolutely find a mention (or more) of Muriel Rukeyser and her work in The Book of the Dead. Rukeyser wrote the book in response to the 1931 Hawk Nest Read more >
Because nothing is sacred in this dying world and on Beyoncé’s internet, the brilliant (?) minds behind such iconic shows as the OG Gossip Girl (the only one I acknowledge because sorry, the HBO Max reboot/retool/continuation isn’t living up to Read more >
Today in small acts of decency: an Ohio library revealed that they recently received a letter of confession “from a former Middlefield resident” who’d apparently been living with the weight of past teenage book thefts on their conscience, having walked Read more >
Last month, the U.S. Department of Justice filed a civil lawsuit to block Penguin Random House’s acquisition of Simon & Schuster, claiming the proposed merger would “likely result in substantial harm to authors of anticipated top-selling books and ultimately, consumers.” Read more >
Look, we know we said we were out of the Cuomo book news game, but here, at last, we have the perfect capper to the long, slow death rattle of Cuomosexuality: New York’s Joint Commission on Public Ethics has ordered Read more >
