The Audacious Round Up
For the Week of October 25th
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Why Design Matters by Debbie Millman is available for pre-order. Yes, this link will be available in this newsletter until it goes on sale on on 2/22/22, four months after its original publishing date (damn supply chain).
On November 2, Debbie and I will be in conversation at the University of Albany.
The next Audacious Book Club selection is Sometimes I Trip on How Happy We Could Be by Nichole Perkins. We will have our conversation with Nichole on November 23rd at 8 pm EST/5 pm PST. Register now for that conversation.
Tressie, Debbie Millman and I are hosting a writing workshop retreat in July 2022. You can also register for this if you want to spend a weekend with us.
Roxane Gay Books is closed to unagented submissions until 6/15/2022. I’ve found, I think, my first few books!
Did an event at 92Y with Debbie Millman, Chanel Miller and Saeed Jones. You can order a viewing of the event online!
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A billionaire decided to dabble in architecture, donated a massive amount of money to UCSC, and the only catch is that they have to build the dorm for which the money was donated, to his exact specifications. What are those specifications, you ask? Well, the building basically has no windows, and only two exists. And it’s supposed to house 4,500 students. What could go wrong?
Emma Straub wrote a novel during the pandemic!
Aimee Nezhukumatathil has written a lovely meditation on walking on trails in Mississippi.
What’s going on with the amorphous blobs on book covers?
You know all those techno-thrillers where there’s an evil billionaire who wants his technology platform to control the entire world? Facebook is trying to become that but in real life. The parent company is now named Meta. Then there’s this awkward video where Zuckerberg is trying to approximate human behavior. It’s really awkward. It’s so curious. He has all that money and he can’t find a barber or a clothing store or a personality or vocal inflection. Money is wasted on the wealthy.
Republicans have made up the stupidest code phrase ever to curse the president. I mean, just grow a pair and say it.
There is some nonsense happening in Texas involving investigating awesome books and jesus christ. These people.
If you have a few million dollars, you can buy Beyoncé’s house in New Orleans!
Some legacy magazines have become zombie publications.
How are you feeling about painted wood? I don’t have a strong opinion on it, myself.
Another review of Claire Vaye Watkins’s latest novel.
Jay Kaspian Kang writes about all that is wrong with assigning book reviews only based on identity.
A genius writes about the possibilities of a socialist mayor in Buffalo.
An interview with Tracee Ellis Ross.
Brian Cox has opinions!
This…. well, I guess Jada is an over-sharer. And that’s fine!
A great Dear Fuck Up.
A look into wealth, control, and manipulation in relationships.
The reach of a public domain photo of a public figure.
More on the tragic accident on the set of Rust.
The “justice system” at work.
Dune is getting a sequel. Hopefully it has a budget for lighting.
Toni Ann Johnson has won the Flannery O’Connor prize for short fiction for her amazing collection Light Skin Gone to Waste. It will be out in 2022.
Princess Mako of Japan has married a commoner.
Anyway. Racial disparities in education. Racism is just… everywhere, doing the most in everything.
Hiker gets lost and rescue is delayed because he (or she) doesn’t answer their phone because it was an unknown number. Heh.
Parul Sehgal examines what, if any, influence Amazon is having on the contemporary novel.
Interesting story about a black literary magazine.
More billionaire bullshit in (pre)space.
The legacy of Odetta Holmes.
Jane Hu reviews Afterparties by Anthony Veasna So. It’s the December selection for the Audacious Book Club. And Elisa Gabbert discusses Louise Glück’s latest and, really, the whole of her body of work.
A review of the movie Passing.
On writing fat characters.
One way disinformation found its way into a community.
Liberty University tried to force young women who were raped to stay silent. Seems like exactly what you would expect them to do.
Bob Mehr @BobMehr
Looks like someone's Aaron Neville Halloween costume is coming together nicely. https://t.co/w21bdaEs1I
How do I register for the Sometimes I Trip book club? There's usually a handy link in the newsletter and the Literati site doesn't recognize my password for Audacious Book Club...
I believe the college in question regarding your commentary “ billionaire decided to dabble in architecture, donated a massive amount of money to UCSC, and the only catch is that they have to build the dorm for which the money was donated, to his exact specifications,” is UCSB in Santa Barbara. Unless, of course, he is working his way up the California coast.