Friday’s Links

Posted by Guest Writer in WBN News & Events      2 comments

Dec
17

How about an end-of-the-year links dump? I’ve already dumped twice today. What’s once more?

— David Sedaris puts out a tip jar at readings, barfing the opinion that “It’s funny to give money to someone who doesn’t need it.” Regular people giving their money to the wealthy. Yup, that is a real knee-slapper.

Thank goodness it’s such an uncommon practice in this nation. (Where’s that new sarcasm punctuation when I need it?)

— How about some good old fashioned human hypocrisy? A Scandinavian writer tells a reporter that she loses sleep over the amount of money she’s lost to the piracy of her books. “I can not stand the thought of someone stealing something,” Anne B. Ragde says.

Then, when asked about pirated handbags, Ragde says “Yes, I do buy them.”

Oops.

Then her son chimes in, adding that 1,800 songs on her iPod are illegal downloads.

Double oops.

Ragde later claimed that her comments were taken out of context.

The context: An interview about piracy

Her comments: Regarding piracy

I can understand the confusion.

During the damage-control phase, Ragde said that the iPod is stashed away in her “cottage” (a vacation home no doubt purchased in part with the money she saved by not paying for music), and that once she gets there for Christmas she’ll delete all 1,800 songs.

Folks, those songs are going nowhere.

In this video (warning: creature eating creature), the alligator is Anne B. Ragde, and the electric eel is hypocrisy.

Eat up, Anne.

(All links via our compatriots at Chamber Four)

— The Morning News has announced their longlist for the 2011 Tournament of Books. (For those unfamiliar with the ToB, it’s a March Madness-style bracketed tournament of the top books of the year. A judge chooses between two books, the winner advances. Here’s a bit of a primer.) We’re pleased to see WBN friends Heidi Durrow and Amelia Gray on the list.

Of the five or so titles here that I’ve read, I only see one of them making the shortlist: Nicole Krauss’s Great House. Incredible book, but hide your belts and shoelaces.

And there is one book that doesn’t belong. You’ll find out why in about six months.

(Ooh, cliffhanger)

— Sam Anderson’s contribution to The Millions’ “A Year in Reading” includes photos of his own genitalia marginalia. My favorite is the note in David Shield’s Reality Hunger (February): “I’m going to punch this book in the face if it makes this point again.” I think a lot of people want to punch that book in the face. And only if Mr. Shields himself isn’t within swinging distance.

Bonus link: Our former classmate and friend Laura van den Berg’s contribution.

— This past Sunday a column appeared stating that new Red Sox signee Carl Crawford is a book collector and plans to open an antiquarian bookstore upon moving to Boston. The news swept the Twittersphere. A few days later, the writer admitted that his piece was intended as satire. And then Crawford, from his verified Twitter account, tweeted “Yes for those asking, I am going to open a bookstore. Details to come.” What the hell is happening?

— This polarizing piece about genre fiction has created a buzz among the literati. I haven’t read it, so I’m not yet vibrating. But it’s on my list. (Whatever good that ever does me)

— Ron Charles, the Totally Hip Book Reviewer, tells us about his favorites from 2010. After that, watch the holiday gift episode. How many times do I have to say it? Ron Charles is my favorite human being.

— Here are some cartoons depicting writers at work. My favorite is the Dickinson. What’s yours? (Hey, hey, don’t everybody answer at once.)

— This jagoff has problems with Kurt Vonnegut’s selection by the Library of America. His arguments are fairly level-headed, but should we really call the LoA’s decision “unpardonable”? Let’s all relax a little bit.

— Chamber Four’s latest “This Month in Magazines” is particularly enticing.

— WBN visited UT’s Harry Ransom Center over the weekend and caught a peek of their Gutenberg Bible. Speechless. Just go see it for yourself.

— Please please please take note: To look over a book/document closely is to “pore over,” not “pour over.”

— So you want to write a novel? Watch this video first.

— WBN ToW: Austin writer/poet/artist Austin Kleon, whose Newspaper Blackout was the sixth bestselling poetry release of 2010. Follow his Tumblr page for more blackout poetry.

(As always, send nominations for WBN ToW to david@writebynight.net)

— Shameless Plug of the Week: My profile of The Rumpus creator/editor Stephen Elliott runs at Publishing Perspectives. For those who don’t already, I highly recommend taking a daily look at The Rumpus.

That’s it, I guess. For more nonsense, follow us on Facebook and Twitter. The next two Fridays are holidays, so I can’t promise another 2010 Friday’s Links post. Maybe a Thursday post or two, although I’d feel all out of sorts.