Weekend Links (pre-Tree of Life edition)
I am going to see The Tree of Life very, very soon and it will change me forever. Here are the last things the old me read and enjoyed.
Ring Them Bells: Bob Dylan Turned 70 Yesterday
I read a bunch of articles about Bob Dylan so you don’t have to (unless you want to!)
Gary Shteyngart Stars in Super Sad True Trailer Story 2: Rise of the Machines
Yesterday, the trailer for the paperback edition of Super Sad True Love Story premiered on NY Mag’s Vulture blog. James Franco isn’t in this one (sorry, ladies), but Paul Giamatti (fellas!) is! It is really funny!
Thursdays, they are the worst. But here are some links to put a little bit of Friday in your Thursday. It’s raining Thursdays! Party in the U.S.Thursday!
On Mark McGurl’s Strange, Belated Response to Elif Bautman’s “Get a Real Degree”
Batuman’s article is worthy of serious discussion; this isn’t it. Rather, McGurl has wasted an essay trying to out-snark Batuman — and I think it’s safe to say that she’s a better and far more entertaining crank than anyone.
In which Stephen Spielberg likes CGI and I admit to never having read Tintin.
Happy 60th Birthday, Jonathan Richman!
Jonathan Richman, one of my favorite singer-songwriters/humans in the world, turns 60 years old today. Happy Birthday, Jonathan! Say hi to Tommy for me! I hope you dance like this today:
Red Lemonade is not just a press; it’s also an online community. All of its books are published online, as well as in print, so users can comment, annotate, and insert marginalia on the texts.
“I’m still interested in good writers, but I’m not going to find them on the internet.”
“While in the tomb Jesus descended into Hell to later return to earth. For me, that was a big realization. Christ descended into Hell and then came back for the rock to be rolled away. I find this story to work as a perfect metaphor for how people overcome tragedy. The loneliness of carrying the cross, the forsaken feeling of being crucified, the time spent in the dark tomb, the descent into Hell, and then the fact that we have to face the sunlight, and get to go live so more.”