TODAY: In 2006, the great Octavia E. Butler dies.
- Why John Gimlette did the not very sensible thing and became a travel writer. | Literary Hub
- There really is “seriously funny” German literature: a preview of the Festival Neue Literatur plus six newly translated stories from contemporary German-language writers. | Literary Hub
- On A Phone Call From Paul: Paul Holdengraber calls Clive James to discuss life, death, and bookshelves. | Literary Hub
- The nominees for the L.A. Times Book Prizes were announced; Juan Felipe Herrera and James Patterson will be honored at the ceremony. | L.A. Times
- “I don’t think Hillary has horns though she does have a vagina and wouldn’t you want it sitting on the chair in the Oval Office (not to get all weird) because things will never be the same.” Eileen Myles on Hillary Clinton. | BuzzFeed Books
- Merge scenes, murder characters, quit writing altogether: Tony Tulathimutte offers advice on lowering word count. | Catapult
- “Large swathes of the English language are almost as lifeless as a ‘dead language,’” and other fun facts via the updated OED. | Full Stop
- Aside from being full of death, dictionaries are also sexist. | The New Yorker
- One intrepid reviewer will resist biased publishing practices in the same way she discouraged Crossfit-related text messages: through silence. | The Awl
- Combating a systematic effort of erasure: Speaking with Chinese publishers following the “involuntary removal” of five booksellers from Hong Kong. | NPR
- One of the Brooklyn Jonathans (Lethem) on the art of arranging short stories. | Signature Reads
Also on Literary Hub: On aging and gratitude: Joyce Maynard finds power in truth · Interview with a librarian: Katie Dunnebeck might actually be a superhero · 30 books in 30 days: Katherine A. Powers on Charlotte Gordon’s Romantic Outlaws · A new poem by Charif Shanahan · “Traveler Home”: From Jonathan Lethem’s Lucky Alan, now out in paperback
