Questions for Plum Sykes

Your new novel, “Bergdorf Blondes,” have created some disgraceful and unintentionally hilarious Q&A sessions which demonstrate that you are a Tina Brown in the making….

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AudBlog #16 -- Memorial Day Weekend

AudBlog #16 — Memorial Day Weekend

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“Dagger of the Mind” — Allegory for 2004 America

[For the purposes of this experiment, replace DR. ADAMS with THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION, KIRK with VOTER IN AMERICAN HEARTLAND, HELEN with AMERICAN INTEGRITY, and "Enterprise"...

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And the Worst Thing is That He Can't Stop Talking About the Fuckin' Beatles

And the Worst Thing is That He Can’t Stop Talking About the Fuckin’ Beatles

There’s a guy from Liverpool in our apartment at the moment whom we haven’t seen in six years. (Yeah, we’re just as mystified as you…

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An Open Note to Maud Newton

An Open Note to Maud Newton

In response to this: Avoid the hoopla and the hate and be you. It’s almost Memorial Day Weekend and people all over the nation are…

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The Short Answer:  Consumption is Still Conspicuous

The Short Answer: Consumption is Still Conspicuous

George Bleecher re-examines Thorstein Veblen’s The Theory of the Leisure Class, and looks at the similarities between the Gilded Age and today.

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Cold Mountain, Cold Fish?

Cold Mountain, Cold Fish?

Charles Frazier is to be honored by his hometown. North Carolina residents plan to burn dollar bills to celebrate Frazier’s $8 million advance.

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Just Imagine How Much Trouble It Is To Buy A Pack of Trojans

Just Imagine How Much Trouble It Is To Buy A Pack of Trojans

Singapore is lifting its chewing gum ban, but not without a few stipulations: (a) only 19 medicinal brands will be allowed, (b) anyone dealing black…

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It Ain't Just Birnbaum, Sarvas and Newton Out There

It Ain’t Just Birnbaum, Sarvas and Newton Out There

Trashotron has an audio interview with Tom Perrotta. I plan to listen to it later, but my hope is that they clarified the goldfish controversy….

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The Real Question: Which One of the Two is Goofier?

The Real Question: Which One of the Two is Goofier?

In one of the most inspired and frabjous convergences of online talent, Yankee Pot Roast talks with Robert Birnbaum.

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The Literary Hipster's Handbook -- 2004 Q2 Edition

The Literary Hipster’s Handbook — 2004 Q2 Edition

“con-fuse”: When an author uses his reputation to offer an overlong and unedited book, thus conning his audience into buying or reading it, and eventually…

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Kamala Markandaya Dead

Kamala Markandaya Dead

Outlook India takes a look at Kamala Markandaya, who passed away a week and a half ago. Markandaya was a pioneering Indian author writing in…

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There Are Better Ways to Relieve Depression Than a Disappearing Act -- Hassling Scientologists is a Start

There Are Better Ways to Relieve Depression Than a Disappearing Act — Hassling Scientologists is a Start

The Last Samurai (which has nothing to do with Tom Cruise) author Helen DeWitt has pulled a Spalding Gray. She disappeared shorty after emailing a…

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Separated at Birth?

LEFT: Lynndie England RIGHT: Fairuza Balk in American History X

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Super Blog Me

Super Blog Me

Apparently Super Size Me director Morgan Spurlock has a blog.

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And There's A Touch of Eggers In There Too

And There’s A Touch of Eggers In There Too

My man Rake reports that “Philosophy and the Mirror of Nature,” a story from David Foster Wallace’s Oblivion is up. The big surprises? No footnotes…

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Hans, Boobie, I'm Your White Knight

Hans, Boobie, I’m Your White Knight

Denmark is gearing up for the bicentenary of Hans Christian Andersen. Two exhibitions are underway. One will wander through Europe, Asia and North America. The…

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Don't Forget Edible Underwear

Don’t Forget Edible Underwear

Brendan Gullifer offers some literary pitch ideas: “When you’re a struggling artist, like me, the F-word always grabs attention. Writing a novel has used up…

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What's Worse Than Cowboy Bluster?  A Completely Ignored Genocide in Africa

What’s Worse Than Cowboy Bluster? A Completely Ignored Genocide in Africa

Reuters: “The United Nations has estimated that one million people have been displaced by fighting in Darfur and calls it the largest humanitarian emergency worldwide….

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John Kerry, Can You Hear Me?

John Kerry, Can You Hear Me?

There’s a moment in Superman II where E.G. Marshall, playing the President of the United States, appears on television, announcing to the nation that he…

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Information or Parody?

Information or Parody?

The London Times business section examines, of all things, the economics of writing with crime writer Julian Rathbone.

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The Power of Denial

The Power of Denial

The Guardian: “[Brigadier General Mark Kimmitt] insisted there were ‘no decorations, no musical instruments found, no large quantities of food or leftover servings one would…

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The Dangers of Opening Twix

Until now, only ten important people were aware of their existence. The Tupperware people knew of similar creatures for sealed pies and pastries, but they…

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Jump Around

Jump Around

We have no time these days, but our colleagues do. Maud interviews Jonathan Ames, Lizzie takes on Alice Randall, and you can find Sarah in…

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Diana Abu-Jaber

Diana Abu-Jaber

The Chronicle talks with Diana Abu-Jaber about Arab-American identity. She notes that since there are so few literary depictions of Arab life in America that…

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It Could Be Worse: She Could Be Turning Out Endless Books On Top Ramen

It Could Be Worse: She Could Be Turning Out Endless Books On Top Ramen

The Sacramento Bee gets into the auctorial interview game and talks with Jane Smiley about how selling the film rights to A Thousand Acres has…

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Send the Moneymen In for the Commencement Speeches, Not the Novelists

Send the Moneymen In for the Commencement Speeches, Not the Novelists

Novelist E.L. Doctorow was booed at Columbia University while delivering a commencement speech attacking Bush. Financier George Soros offered a similar anti-Bush speech at Hofstra,…

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Brown Trains Treasury Secretary John Snow to Talk to Hand Rather Than Bite Hand That Feeds Him

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Reluctant to Kate Lee:  We Sleep Four Hours a Night

Reluctant to Kate Lee: We Sleep Four Hours a Night

The New Yorker: “After directing the driver to East Seventy-second Street, she said she wanted to make it clear that, while she loves her bloggers,…

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Virulent Developments

Virulent Developments

Graham has a spiffy new layout, with a decided Kottke influence. But thanks to the colors, his integration of remaindered link content is something a…

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