Literature

[317 opinions•19 issues ]

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Books, Bribes and a Bar

by Carol Hoenig on 6/20/2008 9:31:51 AM

For years now, bookstores have had the accompanying café where people could sit and peruse the stack of magazines and books they’d pulled from the shelves while sipping on lattés and then leaving the stack abandoned and coffee-stained, not to mention unsold. It seems that the bookstores have been no... Continue »

Cracking Open a Good...Kindle?

by Carol Hoenig on 6/2/2008 9:15:36 AM

Another year over for BookExpo, this time having been held in Los Angeles, there was much buzz about the death of books, or the death of books as we know them today. Amazon’s Jeff Bezo was touting his much-discussed electronic device, the Kindle. I’ve yet to hold one of these gizmos, but I have a fe... Continue »

Borders, Books and the Dinosaur

by Carol Hoenig on 3/21/2008 8:44:08 AM

Back in 1994, I took a part time job as a bookseller in my local Borders Books. I had little idea at that time I’d climb up the ranks, but several years later I was working for the company at a national level. What was rare was that my position was based out of Ann Arbor, Michigan where the corporat... Continue »

"The Garb of Piety, Cruelty and Oppression"

by Carol Hoenig on 3/5/2008 9:40:26 AM

A couple of weeks ago, NPR was playing the audio of Barack Obama’s The Audacity of Hope.  Since I was in my car running errands, I only heard snippets of it, but what I did hear was impressive; both in Obama’s reading, as well in the writing.  The more I see this hopeful candidate, the more I believ... Continue »

McCain Repudiates an Endorsement

by Carol Hoenig on 3/3/2008 9:25:33 AM

Initially, Senator John McCain said he was “pleased to have the endorsement of Pastor John Hagee.” I wonder, though, if McCain really knew just what this intolerant, judgmental, irrational being stands for. Well, if he didn’t, he now does and he has to do some backpedaling.  "Yesterday, Pastor John ... Continue »

Public Figures

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New Animal Collective - "Brother Sport"

by Stereogum on 11/20/2008 10:16:30 AM

When we gave you a live-in-France video clip of "Brother Sport" back in April we called the song "full-on springtime tropicalia," though it'd been recorded in October. The fact of the matter: The Merriweather Post Pavilion closer's full-on early winter tropicalia, too. (We know the title's a Baltimo... Continue »

The 'Gum Drop LXIV: Hear New Mark Kozelek, Win A Hello Kitty Guitar

by Stereogum on 11/20/2008 10:16:30 AM

Mark Kozelek's removed both his Sun Kil Moon and his earlier Red House Painters moniker for The Finally LP, a collection of ten covers including Low's "Lazy," Stephen Sondhiem's "Send In The Clowns," Will Oldham's "New Partner," and this week's 'Gum Drop, Hüsker Dü's "Celebrated Summer." Many of th... Continue »

Paul Simon Stops By The Colbert Report

by Stereogum on 11/20/2008 10:16:30 AM

Mr. Simon continued being awesome with a stop over at Stephen Colbert's place last night. Paul was on hand to promote his new book Lyrics 1964-2008, a title which Colbert deemed utterly unpoetic (his suggestion: Word Salad Jazzmatron). Simon's stay spanned two segments. The first had Stephen ask Sim... Continue »

The fairness doctrine, paranoia, and right-wing self-pity

by Steve Benen on 11/20/2008 10:04:50 AM

THE FAIRNESS DOCTRINE, PARANOIA, AND RIGHT-WING SELF-PITY.... I've been fascinated of late with the far-right hysteria about the reemergence of the "fairness doctrine," because conservative activists are gearing up for a knock-down brawl against an enemy that doesn't exist. Everyone... Continue »

Blake Schwarzenbach Has A New Band

by Stereogum on 11/20/2008 8:03:15 AM

It's called the Thorns Of Life. They're referencing Shelley. And it's not just Blake: The ex-Jawbreaker/Jets To Brazil frontman has come out of retirement (though I'm guessing he's still teaching classes at CUNY) and is joined by Aaron Cometbus (!) on drums and Daniela Sea from The L Word on bass. I... Continue »