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Spark bio(s)

Muriel Spark finally gets an entry in the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. In anticipation of Stannard’s bio, I’m reading all of her books, in order.

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Early Frederick Barthelme

The latest in Fictionaut’s Line Breaks series is Frederick Barthelme’s first published short story, “Shopgirls.” See also my review of Waveland.

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Suggested writers’ agenda for January

I’ve been thinking about Saul Bellow’s notion that “art has something to do with the achievement of stillness in the midst of chaos.” Coincidentally, Colson Whitehead has declared this ShThFuUpAnWoOnYrNo (Shut the fuck up and work on your novel) Month. And why not? It’s winter, you’re going to be miserable anyway. What better things do you have going on? I’m . . .

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