For his new book, The Great Derangment: A Terrifying True Story of War, Politics, and Religion at the Twilight of the American Empire, Matt Taibbi went to a 3-day charismatic Christian retreat in Texas and wound up vomiting demons. (Ah, memories.) In places there’s a patronizing edge to the excerpted account that renders it a little less effective journalistically than . . .
David Mamet kept reading from his play-in-verse for the full hour, as audience members “deep in their rows, center stage,” walked out.
Gov. Patterson signs legislation to protect NY writers against 1st Amendment infringement by foreign libel judgments. (Via.)
Revelations about Mailer’s penchant for role-playing and his yearning to know Rod Stewart’s sexual habits have Gawkerites bracing for the inevitable movie.
Terry Teachout, whose introduction to Elaine Dundy’s marvelous The Dud Avocado ran here last year, writes that the author has died.