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Mad Dash Around the Internets

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The Rumpus talks to Peter Hughes of The Mountain Goats. They also have a review of Wormwood, Nevada, a new novel by David Oppegaard.

Christopher Hitchens on Stieg Larssen.

Guerrilla cyclists paint illegal bike lanes back into an Orthodox Jewish neighborhood where the woman-hating morality squad got special permission from the city to have their bike lanes removed because they didn’t want inappropriately dressed women (read- in shorts, maybe *gasp* tee shirts) riding freely through their streets. What part of Jerusalam is this happening in? Try Williamsburg, Brooklyn, motherfuckers.

And, since I’m annoyed with the far-asshat Right flank of “my” people, why don’t we all kick a little sand in their eye by learning about the Shi’a legend/prophecy/doctrine(?) of The Hidden Imam.

Kimberly King Parsons on some developing competition for Amazon. Also at Faster Times: Jay Diamond reviews a graphic biography of Trotsky, Michael Kimball talks to Dylan Landis.

What else? Dennis C. has new male escorts up. I think my favorite is “BlondRobin,” or else the one tangled up in blue light. Anyone else? Favorites? Here’s another one to end on. Happy Tuesday!

All he wants for Christmas is for that cigarette to be stubbed out in the middle of his star tattoo.

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December 15th, 2009 / 12:51 pm

Adam Robinson

The December Collagist

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The new issue of The Collagist is out. Here’s what I think about that: This is a must read online journal. Every issue so far has struck me with how completely realized it is, how each piece — especially the stories and non-fiction — is smooth and well-thunk, creating a total, culturally relevant package. I mean, seriously, like, this journal is quickly surpassing big lit joints on the order of The Paris Review and becoming something that it seems all intelligent people (and not just writers) ought to care about. Also, it strikes me that The Collagist is calmly answering the question about how an online magazine ought to differ from a print publication. While much of the work there is, y’know, just a story that could easily appear on the page, they also feature a video book review by Anna Clark. Now the video even has some chintzy music to start the thing, and then incorporates images of the author and contextual pics interspersed with the reviewer talking about and reading from the book in question. Pretty cool. I like that they don’t rely on comments or links to make it hypertextual.

For a way into this month, check out Jennifer Howard’s three pieces. And if you haven’t yet, pull your laptop into your bed tonight and read Matthew Derby’s wowzer, “Full Metal Jhacket” from October. It’s such a fun story.

Kudos and thanks to Matt Bell and Dzanc Books for creating such a smart venue for writers to aspire to, and for bringing such an authentic and well-conceived journal to the online scene. I honestly feel better about the world knowing it’s out there. It joins Robot Melon as my favorite source of lit in the electronic sphere.

Uncategorized / 22 Comments
December 15th, 2009 / 12:12 pm

Alexis Orgera

One man’s trash…

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Maybe this dude is old news, but I just found out about NYC Garbage by Justin Gignac via a newish blog called polis I’ve been reading. Here’s what the polis folks say about themselves:

polis is a collaborative blog on urbanism with a global focus. It is a space for our regular contributors and readers to share ideas and information about anything and everything urban from multiple lenses.

But back to the garbage: from the outset I wanted to hate the guy who figured out how to market crushed cans and mangled plastic spoons from the streets of NYC. But I don’t know. The collecting part, more than the academic arguments about the irony of preserving and profiting from the very stuff that’s creating environmental havoc, etc., is what I can’t shake. Here’s maybe why:

“He showed me these things called Wookies”

“and now this headache is getting stronger.”

David Lynch explains why he turned down George Lucas’s offer to direct Return of the Jedi.

Film / 47 Comments
December 14th, 2009 / 11:31 pm

Ken Baumann—

A story about people willing to be blown up to sell a book.

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Blake Butler—

Please welcome three new Giants to the fold: Brian Foley (who made his guest-posted debut below, and more forthcoming); Alexis Orgera (author of Illuminatrix and all around rad woman); and Nathaniel Otting (proprietor of Schoen Books, publisher, translator, and much more). We’re thinking they’re going to help us squawk more about poetics, translation, language, and a whole lot of else.

Blake Butler—

Derek White is selling some amazing rubbings/collages he made while in Rome, herein administered among ruminations on the city and Thomas Pynchon’s V..

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Roxane Gay

This is Why Black People Always Seem Angry

Once again demonstrating a baffling deafness for tone and a pathetic grip on reality, Publisher’s Weekly offers this as the current issue’s cover:

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I don’t even know where to begin in deconstructing this bizarre image. The black woman as the exotic, wild creature with crazy hair is not, perhaps, the wisest choice of images. Why not just have Venus Hottentot bare breasted and holding a book parading around the cover? Also, can we talk about the fact that black people haven’t had afros that required picking for roughly 20 years, save for a few people who like a little throwback and even then, they aren’t walking around with a head full of picks? The saddest detail of all may well be the black power fist at the end of each pick (see: Black Panthers, 1960s, things we have let go). What does this image have to do with writing? What is the message PW is trying to convey? This image is offensive and weird and creepy and that the people involved in the editorial process didn’t stop to ask themselves how this image might be perceived is kind of funny and very sad.

25 Important Books of Poetry of the 00s, by Brian Foley

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[In continuing from my Important Books of the 00s list, which mostly intentionally swerved poetry in manner of context, the excellent and esteemable Brian Foley of Brave Men Press, Sir!, and many other objects has kindly and genuinely sent over his list of poetry-only 00s, which I am extremely stoked about. Enjoy! — BB]

At the beginning of this decade, I would not have thought I would have anything to say about poetry by its end. I was a bloated necktie who combed his hair. I was lonely. I had no dog to feed. Now there are too many dogs begging at my door, too much loneliness.

There is no universal to this list. The reality is mine, it is biographical. But I am happy to share it. I appreciate the opportunity to make this list, if for nothing else but to ruminate over what I have ruminated over. It was fun. If this list seems a little tipped toward the end of the decade, its because that’s when I began, what I consider, “reading seriously.” Though its arguable that its also when something had been passed between hands in the night and poetry once more became very interesting.