Author News
Tao Lin’s ‘Shoplifting From American Apparel’
Really excited about this one, releasing September 15th from Melville House.
Set mostly in Manhattan—although also featuring Atlantic City, Brooklyn, GMail Chat, and Gainsville, Florida—this autobiographical novella, spanning two years in the life of a young writer with a cultish following, has been described by the author as “A shoplifting book about vague relationships,” “2 parts shoplifting arrest, 5 parts vague relationship issues,” and “An ultimately life-affirming book about how the unidirectional nature of time renders everything beautiful and sad.”
From VIP rooms in “hip” New York City clubs to central booking in Chinatown, from New York University’s Bobst Library to a bus in someone’s backyard in a college-town in Florida, from Bret Easton Ellis to Lorrie Moore, and from Moby to Ghost Mice, it explores class, culture, and the arts in all their American forms through the funny, journalistic, and existentially-minded narrative of someone trying to both “not be a bad person” and “find some kind of happiness or something,” while he is driven by his failures and successes at managing his art, morals, finances, relationships, loneliness, confusion, boredom, future, and depression.
More info here. Preorder here.
Tags: shoplifting from american apparel, Tao Lin
Got my copy in the mail today. Excited to talk about it with Ryan on the site soon.
The twenty pages I have read are really funny.
Got my copy in the mail today. Excited to talk about it with Ryan on the site soon.
The twenty pages I have read are really funny.
got my copy today as well. excited.
got my copy today as well. excited.
saw a review in publishers weekly a week or so ago
saw a review in publishers weekly a week or so ago
reading it. thought things like ‘this is really bad’ but in a funny way. feel like i have really been liking it and feel sort of impressed, maybe.
reading it. thought things like ‘this is really bad’ but in a funny way. feel like i have really been liking it and feel sort of impressed, maybe.
probably going to pick it up at melville house soon
probably going to pick it up at melville house soon
Finished this at the bar in the Quizno’s at the Denver airport after eating a Honey Bourbon Chicken sandwich. Then I gave it to a 10 year old and told him to “be strong.”
Finished this at the bar in the Quizno’s at the Denver airport after eating a Honey Bourbon Chicken sandwich. Then I gave it to a 10 year old and told him to “be strong.”
Ben, I hope you don’t return to Colorado or I will have you prosecuted for child abuse.
Ben, I hope you don’t return to Colorado or I will have you prosecuted for child abuse.
THE U.S. FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS NOT THE SOURCE OF MIND CONTROL.
Who knew?
THE U.S. FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS NOT THE SOURCE OF MIND CONTROL.
Who knew?
Colin almost sounded as though he was was critiquing the book in Lin’s voice. kinda. Someone should do an entire review like this…
not me though.
Colin almost sounded as though he was was critiquing the book in Lin’s voice. kinda. Someone should do an entire review like this…
not me though.
TOO MANY QUALIFIERS PRESENT IN STATEMENT
ZIP’S ANALYSIS: NOTHING OF VALUE WAS EXPRESSED
TOO MANY QUALIFIERS PRESENT IN STATEMENT
ZIP’S ANALYSIS: NOTHING OF VALUE WAS EXPRESSED
i think this ‘could be’ good, maybe. not ‘sure.’
i think this ‘could be’ good, maybe. not ‘sure.’
i am ‘reading’ this ‘book’ now
i feel ‘neutral’ toward it or something
i am ‘reading’ this ‘book’ now
i feel ‘neutral’ toward it or something
i read this at the beginning of august. it seemed different than tao’s past fiction. it felt more like a very long blog entry or something. i liked it. it is very funny when he reads it aloud.
i read this at the beginning of august. it seemed different than tao’s past fiction. it felt more like a very long blog entry or something. i liked it. it is very funny when he reads it aloud.
how does qualifying my statement make it have no value?
feel like my comment is accurate
how does qualifying my statement make it have no value?
feel like my comment is accurate
no that’s how that guy writes too, he’s just not as on-the-radar as other copyists
no that’s how that guy writes too, he’s just not as on-the-radar as other copyists
“feel LIKE I have really been liking it and feel SORT OF impressed, MAYBE”
YOU LEAVE OPEN THE POSSIBILITY YOUR IMPRESSION IS ONLY A DREAM BECAUSE YOU ARE AFRAID OF EXPRESSING YOUR REAL OPINION.
NOTHING IS SAID THAT CAN’T BE IMMEDIATELY REVOKED.
ONE DOESN’T GET THE SENSE OF ANYTHING, EXCEPT THE ABSTRACT AND VAGUE.
ESSENTIALLY, UNLESS WHAT YOU SAID WAS A JOKE, YOU ARE ZZZPINELESS.
“feel LIKE I have really been liking it and feel SORT OF impressed, MAYBE”
YOU LEAVE OPEN THE POSSIBILITY YOUR IMPRESSION IS ONLY A DREAM BECAUSE YOU ARE AFRAID OF EXPRESSING YOUR REAL OPINION.
NOTHING IS SAID THAT CAN’T BE IMMEDIATELY REVOKED.
ONE DOESN’T GET THE SENSE OF ANYTHING, EXCEPT THE ABSTRACT AND VAGUE.
ESSENTIALLY, UNLESS WHAT YOU SAID WAS A JOKE, YOU ARE ZZZPINELESS.
it’s not a joke. i don’t know why my ‘real opinion’ can’t be less than absolute. i think if you read my comment you get exactly the sense of my reaction to the book so far. the idea that all opinions must come in the form of overstated absolutes seems bad to me. i don’t think i’m being spineless, just honest.
it’s not a joke. i don’t know why my ‘real opinion’ can’t be less than absolute. i think if you read my comment you get exactly the sense of my reaction to the book so far. the idea that all opinions must come in the form of overstated absolutes seems bad to me. i don’t think i’m being spineless, just honest.
Sometimes my boner pushes my pants
(poem one – diagnosis)
There’s heat death in my hearth.
Or a dearth of heat in my heart.
Either way, I still believe it’s possible
to love my children ironically.
Sometimes my boner pushes my pants
(poem one – diagnosis)
There’s heat death in my hearth.
Or a dearth of heat in my heart.
Either way, I still believe it’s possible
to love my children ironically.
WELL TELL ME ABOUT THE BOOK AT LEAST
WELL TELL ME ABOUT THE BOOK AT LEAST
there is some information about the book in blake’s post. it is also available to order here. there is a part in the beginning where the character and a girl watch freegans standing on trash bags. later the character and the girl email each other. it is sort of sad. it is literally just ‘sort of’ sad.
there is some information about the book in blake’s post. it is also available to order here. there is a part in the beginning where the character and a girl watch freegans standing on trash bags. later the character and the girl email each other. it is sort of sad. it is literally just ‘sort of’ sad.
huh.
seems passively hostile.
regardless of anyone’s feelings towards colin’s writing and use of qualifiers and putting words in quotes, i feel like someone should point out how awesome bearcreekfeed is, and how much shittier things would be without safe toilet syndrome and east central indiana, which is really great. and also jac jemc’s story. i liked it. and i thought boring meadows was good too.
i’m not using quotes.
i genuinely mean that this seems passively hostile
and while i agree completely with blake about not liking everything, because let’s face it, whatever, we all of us got feelings.
and really, you’re going to ironically use irony? is that your counter to this habit of using quotes to distance yourselves emotionally? that’s how you’re going to take a stand for sincerity?
i know it sounds like i’m being a fuck but i’m not. there is no inflection on the internet. i’m just curious about all this backlash. and yes, i realize that a difference of opinion is important, but this seems more like i don’t know. i can’t think of a good enough way to say it. maybe i’ll get back to everyone on this.
huh.
seems passively hostile.
regardless of anyone’s feelings towards colin’s writing and use of qualifiers and putting words in quotes, i feel like someone should point out how awesome bearcreekfeed is, and how much shittier things would be without safe toilet syndrome and east central indiana, which is really great. and also jac jemc’s story. i liked it. and i thought boring meadows was good too.
i’m not using quotes.
i genuinely mean that this seems passively hostile
and while i agree completely with blake about not liking everything, because let’s face it, whatever, we all of us got feelings.
and really, you’re going to ironically use irony? is that your counter to this habit of using quotes to distance yourselves emotionally? that’s how you’re going to take a stand for sincerity?
i know it sounds like i’m being a fuck but i’m not. there is no inflection on the internet. i’m just curious about all this backlash. and yes, i realize that a difference of opinion is important, but this seems more like i don’t know. i can’t think of a good enough way to say it. maybe i’ll get back to everyone on this.
you people take yourselves variously seriously
you people take yourselves variously seriously
i whole-heartedly concretely non-abstractly non-vaguely object to what this comment says
i whole-heartedly concretely non-abstractly non-vaguely object to what this comment says
colin is easily the most wrong choice, in, maybe, the whole world, that anyone could make when choosing a person to criticize
in my opinion
also, in regards to not liking something or everything in art, i think absence of positive comment is enough. we are all sensitive valuable people with moms who, at one point or another, whether overtly stated or not, believed in us.
colin is easily the most wrong choice, in, maybe, the whole world, that anyone could make when choosing a person to criticize
in my opinion
also, in regards to not liking something or everything in art, i think absence of positive comment is enough. we are all sensitive valuable people with moms who, at one point or another, whether overtly stated or not, believed in us.
It seems like this is more about marketing and publicity than anything else. The relentless selling of product – we’re just going to be deluged with more on this website, as we were with the Muumuu House books – is wearisome. There are already t-shirts and other ancillary products associated with this book and the author. It feels like a rollout of a marketing campaign for a summer blockbuster movie with a high audience of kids. “Shoplifting” happy meals at vegan restaurants, complete with free action figures (or in this case, inaction figures) are next.
It seems like this is more about marketing and publicity than anything else. The relentless selling of product – we’re just going to be deluged with more on this website, as we were with the Muumuu House books – is wearisome. There are already t-shirts and other ancillary products associated with this book and the author. It feels like a rollout of a marketing campaign for a summer blockbuster movie with a high audience of kids. “Shoplifting” happy meals at vegan restaurants, complete with free action figures (or in this case, inaction figures) are next.
variously is probably a good way to put it.
variously is probably a good way to put it.
good god
good god
ZIP RECOMMENDS PUTTING THE BLINDERS ON.
“YEAH! PUT THOSE BLINDERS ON,” SAYS ZIP. “PRETEND THE WORLD ENJOYS YOU, EVEN IF THE ONLY COMMENTS YOU GET ARE FROM YOUR MOM.”
“YEAH! PUT THOSE BLINDERS ON!”
ZIP RECOMMENDS PUTTING THE BLINDERS ON.
“YEAH! PUT THOSE BLINDERS ON,” SAYS ZIP. “PRETEND THE WORLD ENJOYS YOU, EVEN IF THE ONLY COMMENTS YOU GET ARE FROM YOUR MOM.”
“YEAH! PUT THOSE BLINDERS ON!”
“HEY, DOES EVERYONE HAVE THEIR BLINDERS ON?”
“ZIP I CAN’T HEAR YOU”
“EVERYONE GOT THEIR BLINDERS?”
“ZIP I’M OVER HERE MAN YOU HAVE TO LOOK RIGHT AT ME FOR THIS TO WORK”
“TODAY IS GOING TO BE A FABULOUS DAY!!!!!!”
“HEY, DOES EVERYONE HAVE THEIR BLINDERS ON?”
“ZIP I CAN’T HEAR YOU”
“EVERYONE GOT THEIR BLINDERS?”
“ZIP I’M OVER HERE MAN YOU HAVE TO LOOK RIGHT AT ME FOR THIS TO WORK”
“TODAY IS GOING TO BE A FABULOUS DAY!!!!!!”
hey just for fun, who has read the new ‘about htmlgiant’ page? all the contributors are human beings. where is the representation for all of the other visible matter in the universe? not to mention dark matter which none of us can see but somehow know is there…..
hey just for fun, who has read the new ‘about htmlgiant’ page? all the contributors are human beings. where is the representation for all of the other visible matter in the universe? not to mention dark matter which none of us can see but somehow know is there…..
it is. the weather’s pretty nice. the sun is out. there’s a breeze. i’m not sweating. i had some bacon this morning. today seems like a pretty good day. i don’t know that i’d say fabulous, but it so far things are pretty good. how about you champ?
it is. the weather’s pretty nice. the sun is out. there’s a breeze. i’m not sweating. i had some bacon this morning. today seems like a pretty good day. i don’t know that i’d say fabulous, but it so far things are pretty good. how about you champ?
i only check it to see if a featured writer has left/been given the boot since there is not notification.
just checked it a few days ago and yep pr was gone.
i only check it to see if a featured writer has left/been given the boot since there is not notification.
just checked it a few days ago and yep pr was gone.
pr is gone?! Shit.
pr is gone?! Shit.
I FEEL FANTASTIC
TODAY WAS SO NICE
ZAPPING PHOTONS IS PLEASANT IN THIS WEATHER
I FEEL FANTASTIC
TODAY WAS SO NICE
ZAPPING PHOTONS IS PLEASANT IN THIS WEATHER
:(
:(
isn’t it? i had an awesome day.
isn’t it? i had an awesome day.
matthew i’m going to disagree. i think there’s nothing at all helpful about if you don’t have something nice to say don’t say anything at all. but i personally feel it should be if you don’t have something constructive to say then, yknow, i don’t know. get fucked.
which not to say i’m being constructive with this.
whatever.
matthew i’m going to disagree. i think there’s nothing at all helpful about if you don’t have something nice to say don’t say anything at all. but i personally feel it should be if you don’t have something constructive to say then, yknow, i don’t know. get fucked.
which not to say i’m being constructive with this.
whatever.
When you encounter genius, it is sometimes baffling and perplexing, but it’s almost always fun. Tao Lin is very fun, and is very much a genius. He’s absolutely one of my favorite living poets, and while I haven’t read any of his prose yet, I’m sure it’s just as good. How could it not be?
When you encounter genius, it is sometimes baffling and perplexing, but it’s almost always fun. Tao Lin is very fun, and is very much a genius. He’s absolutely one of my favorite living poets, and while I haven’t read any of his prose yet, I’m sure it’s just as good. How could it not be?
pr gone? that leaves….. 2 women who don’t post often and a lot of rich white guys who do. (jk lol rofl omg)
pr gone? that leaves….. 2 women who don’t post often and a lot of rich white guys who do. (jk lol rofl omg)
This new product will sell a lot of units!
This new product will sell a lot of units!
[absence of response]
[absence of response]
what happened to pr? I dig pr
what happened to pr? I dig pr
hahah
hahah
tao is probably the funnest living genius i know.
rock on tao, i’ll buy every fucking book you ever write.
tao is probably the funnest living genius i know.
rock on tao, i’ll buy every fucking book you ever write.
I predict every one of Tao Lin’s books will sell more then the previous one’s.
Because housing prices have gone up alot lately and just will keep going up.
Obviously.
I predict every one of Tao Lin’s books will sell more then the previous one’s.
Because housing prices have gone up alot lately and just will keep going up.
Obviously.
The author will no doubt labor mightily to ensure the book’s financial success. Where money is concerned, Tao Lin’s conscience is liable to fits of obstinate silence. I believe this is a family trait.
The author will no doubt labor mightily to ensure the book’s financial success. Where money is concerned, Tao Lin’s conscience is liable to fits of obstinate silence. I believe this is a family trait.
bringing in la familia is a low-blow.
i liked the book. i identified with many parts of it.
i read it quickly. i enjoyed it.
i was a person who entered with a beer, i think.
i think i was the one who called tao “the shit” at that reading.
i also hadn;t slept for the entire weekend. i was also hanging out with my ex who showed up to the fest with bruise marks from her being choke-fucked by her current boyfried of the time. i was also high on dope most of that weekend.
i think the book would be better if tao didn’t hold back.
i’d tell people to buy it if they asked me.
i like the new zachary bush book a lot.
bringing in la familia is a low-blow.
i liked the book. i identified with many parts of it.
i read it quickly. i enjoyed it.
i was a person who entered with a beer, i think.
i think i was the one who called tao “the shit” at that reading.
i also hadn;t slept for the entire weekend. i was also hanging out with my ex who showed up to the fest with bruise marks from her being choke-fucked by her current boyfried of the time. i was also high on dope most of that weekend.
i think the book would be better if tao didn’t hold back.
i’d tell people to buy it if they asked me.
i like the new zachary bush book a lot.