Roundup
Weekend Reading and Such
PressBooks, a new way to make an ePub and print-ready PDF of a manuscript, is open to the public. I haven’t used the service yet but it seems interesting, particular when so many small presses are trying to find affordable, uncomplicated ways to create e-books.
At The Millions, Edan Lepucki explains her reasons for not self-publishing. Both the essay and the comments are interesting.
In cool news, Ben Tanzer’s You Can Make Him Like You is the December selection for The Cult, Chuck Palahniuk’s book club. You can buy the book here.
This may be the best corporate apology ever.
I really enjoyed this interview with Dagoberto Gilb on the Zyzzyva blog (via Chris Arnold).
John Branch’s three-part series on the life and death of hockey player Derek Boogard is some of the finest long form journalism I’ve read in a while. Boogard’s story is at once infuriating, intriguing, and ultimately, heartbreaking. I learned that there are “enforcers” in hockey which makes the sport seem infinitely more menacing.
On the Paris Review blog, Avi Steinberg writes about the art of air travel crises.
A leaked memo from Hachette explains why publishers are still relevant.
<3 Ben Tanzer!
Strong. Thanks for the reads.
I thought the Boogard piece was phenomenal. I’m a big hockey fan, from Minnesota, and cheered him on in many of those fights…Can’t feel worse about it, and I will never again stand for a hockey fight. Really sad.
IN HOCKEY THERE ARE ENFORCERS AND IN CANADA THERE ARE HOCKEY ENFORCERS EVERYWHERE AND SMALL MEN CALLING FOR MORE ENFORCERS AND LARGE MEN PRETENDING TO BE ENFORCERS AND YOU CAN’T ZZZZIPPP ANYWHERE WITHOUT A HOCKEY ENFORCER TAPPING YOU ON THE SHOULDER AND WAVING HIS OR HER GLOVES IN YOUR FACE IN THE GROCERY STORE EVEN THERE IS PUNCHING AND WAVING AND ON THE RADIO WHEN THE GOAL IS SCORED THE ENTIRE COUNTRY COLLAPSES INTO ORGASM
If you haven’t read Dago Gilb, I strongly recommend “The Last Known Residence of Mickey Acuna.”
HTMLgiant readers would dig that book. All his stuff is good, but. . .
Love it. You’re the best, ZZZZZIPPP.
What is it with the Branch dudes bringing the heat in journalism this season? Taylor Branch’s takedown of the NCAA followed by John Branch’s epic series on the perils of the NHL. What’s everyone’s destination for long-form these days? I feel like the only consistent source I know of is the VQR.
I enjoyed coming across your answers to the updated questionnaire on Full Stop. Your articulation can be very tonic.
re the Hachette memo explaining why publishers are still relevant, this is much like how retail addressed bricks vs. clicks distribution issues in the mid 90s, all these value added things we have always done we are still doing, but outside of funding/advances (they are not really venture capitalists) writers can either do all these things on their own or with an online house that has a much lighter management weight and footprint, trad publishers can best ensure their survival by focusing on expanding/creating new pools of readers
The responses to the Hachette memo were pretty much what you would expect. Here’s the brief – big PUB has its’ issues, self-PUB has its’ issues. bitch bitch bitch bitch bitch.
People must bitch all they want about great writers being overlooked, but there is nothing new there. Catcher in the Rye was turned down by Harcourt so fuck your ignorant ass. You can choke a herd of elephants on the list of writers Robert Giroux discovered. If a shitty writer wants to self-publish – golf clap. If a talented writer wants to publish with the BIG 6 – golf clap. They both got crabs from the same girl at the 19th Hole.
Thanks!
I love Byliner for long form.
I think long-form is dead as disco. Damn, I miss it. The Nyorker has become a clown’s ass.
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Thanks for the PressBooks nod … !