Blog

A kind of organized synesthesia?

“The critical consensus on Geoff Dyer’s books — unconventional, diverse — largely ignores their underlying conviction: a belief in the unity of the arts.”

Read more




The education of Lynn Barber

Lynn Barber’s An Education, which inspired the film of the same name, appears in the States this week and is an utter delight so far. Barber famously withdrew last fall from a literary festival whose organizers objected to her author photo. “If a pic of me smoking is such a threat to the good burghers of Richmond,” she said, “imagine . . .

Read more



Small publishers’ wish list

Seven small publishers discuss books they wish they’d published in 2009. Warning: last sentence may make you want to start a press. (Thanks, RB.)

Read more



250 years of Candide

In honor of Voltaire’s immortal satire, the NYPL website presents a handsome Candide at 250 exhibition.

Read more



Newsletter Signup

For regular updates, subscribe to my free newsletter.

Newsletter

You might want to subscribe to my free Substack newsletter, Ancestor Trouble, if the name makes intuitive sense to you.