Random
Even During MEAN WEEK, There Are Still Some Things I Don’t Hate; Here are Three (And a Bonus)
Rachel Sherman – I mentioned last week how bummed I was to miss the launch party for Living Room, Rachel’s new novel. She’s reading tomorrow at the KGB Bar here in NYC, and I’m really hoping to make it there.
The Rumpus Interview with Lydia Millet.
The Interrogative Mood: A Novel? by Padgett Powell – In a month that has been more or less one long relentless shitstorm, punctuated by occasional binge drinking, I had no time to read anything that wasn’t assigned–either to me or by me. But I damn well made time for this, my old teacher’s first new book since Mrs. Hollingsworth’s Men (2000). Every time I opened the book it was Christmas afresh. Honest to goodness pleasurable reading. If anything kept me from putting my own head through a wall this October, it was probably this book. But don’t take my word for it. Ask the NYT.
****SPECIAL MUSICAL NON-HATEFUL BONUS*******
Magnolia Electric Co. Daytrotter Session – Another sweet find directed my way by the increasingly essential Alec Niedenthal. Seriously, what did I do before I knew this kid? Because Jason Molina is awesome, and because he seems to believe that the base unit of musical thought is “album,” his band’s theoretically EP-length session is a whopping six songs (the average is 4) and clocks in at just over 22 minutes. It includes new versions of two tracks off Josephine, a new version of “The Dark Don’t Hide It,” which is an all-time Molina great, a couple unreleased songs, and a cover of Warren Zevon’s “Lawyers, Guns and Money.”
Tags: Alec Niedenthal, Interrogative Mood, Padgett Powell, Rachel Sherman
Here’s the little blurby goodreads review thing I wrote yesterday morning about “The Interogative Mood,” which I read because my friend Josh gushed about it over beers hours after writing that NYT review linked above: “They say good writing asks more questions than it answers. This only asks questions, leaving readers to only connect (and laugh a lot). Sometimes it sounds like self-interrogation, other times like direct address to the reader, other times like a high-brow Seinfeld routine (“Did you ever notice . . .?”), other times like a really long questionnaire for a comphrehensive online profile re: everything you know and remember and never knew and forgot. The ideal stocking stuffer for the good-natured lit snob in your life. Definitely worth the sticker price.”
Here’s the little blurby goodreads review thing I wrote yesterday morning about “The Interogative Mood,” which I read because my friend Josh gushed about it over beers hours after writing that NYT review linked above: “They say good writing asks more questions than it answers. This only asks questions, leaving readers to only connect (and laugh a lot). Sometimes it sounds like self-interrogation, other times like direct address to the reader, other times like a high-brow Seinfeld routine (“Did you ever notice . . .?”), other times like a really long questionnaire for a comphrehensive online profile re: everything you know and remember and never knew and forgot. The ideal stocking stuffer for the good-natured lit snob in your life. Definitely worth the sticker price.”
with you on the powell — read it yesterday and it was one of the best afternoons i had all year.
with you on the powell — read it yesterday and it was one of the best afternoons i had all year.
yes, what did anyone do before they knew me?
i think i will buy this powell book even though i’ve never heard of the guy. i’ve always wanted to experience christmas.
yes, what did anyone do before they knew me?
i think i will buy this powell book even though i’ve never heard of the guy. i’ve always wanted to experience christmas.
Must read that book. Send your copy over pronto.
Must read that book. Send your copy over pronto.