James Hynes — whom Chris Lehmann has called “a pioneer of genre-bending fiction” — is one of a handful of novelists whose books Max and I enjoy equally. He’s also an unselfish man. When we were in Austin earlier this year, Hynes not only met us for dinner but offered to drive our rental-carless asses home from the restaurant. Recently . . .
In this satirical 1991 video, the great James Wolcott battles multiple personalities induced by Norman Mailer’s Harlot’s Ghost — until he heals himself by comforting the hurt little boy inside him. At the end of every road is another road, and at the end of that road is a place where it’s sunny and quiet, a place where we men . . .
The Smart Set is a weekly feature, compiled by Lauren Cerand, that usually appears Mondays at 12:30pm and highlights the best of the week to come. Special favor is given to New York’s independent booksellers and venues, and low-cost and free events. Please send details to lauren [at] maudnewton.com by the Thursday prior to publication, with the date in the . . .
To lose Tillie Olsen and Grace Paley in one year is a bad year, says Amy Bloom.
Turkey promises to revisit the law that criminalized Shafak’s and Pamuk’s “insults to Turkishness.” (But see.)