The Audacious Round Up
For the week of December 6th and 13th
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).
The January selection for The Audacious Book Club is Noor by Nnedi Okorafor. We will be in conversation with Nnedi on January 25th 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. We hope to see you there! It will be fun and more.
Roxane Gay Books is closed to unagented submissions until 6/15/2022. I’ve found, I think, my first few books!
In the Emerging Writer Series, an essay from Felicia Chang about love and cooking and family. Aubrey Hirsch shares a comic about the real labor of holiday magic. And Amarie Cemone Gipson is in conversation with curator and gallerist Ebony L. Haynes.
If you like what you read here, please consider subscribing. It allows me to support the Emerging Writer Series and the lovely editors who help me with this newsletter. And, given that Christmas is right around the corner, a subscription to The Audacity would make a lovely gift.
In Chile, Gabriel Boric has won the presidential election. He is a leftist who beat a far right candidate on a truly progressive platform. And he’s 35. With tattoos. When I was in Chile recently, I learned a lot about their political climate. It will be interesting to see what happens.
Joe Manchin, who was never, ever going to sign on to Build Back Better, has finally admitted it. Politics is filthy business.
RIP Kangol Kid.
New airports dropping in 2022.
Truckers are protesting the unjust, bizarre 110-year prison sentence for a truck driver whose brakes failed, resulting in the deaths of four people.
Jami Attenberg and Bernadine Evaristo, in conversation. They both have wonderful new books on the horizon.
Dodai Stewart on the year in limbo. And man, it looks like we’re facing more limbo with the variants.
After decades, Claudette Colvin has her arrest record expunged. She was arrested because she wouldn’t give up her seat to a white woman on a bus.
When a writer responds to a review.
As you would expect, an abortion clinic in Oklahoma is dealing with an influx of Texas women in need of abortion services.
In a rather inexplicable move, the owners of Politics and Prose are resistant to their employees’ newly formed union.
And just like that, another man disappoints. Two (or three or four) women have come forward accusing Chris Noth of sexual assault.
Perfect movie is perfect.
A Harvard job offer for a job that didn’t exist.
The hysteria over retail theft is not grounded in any kind of reality.
Remember The Villages in Florida? Three residents cast more than one vote in the 2020 election. Of course they did.
The longlists for the 2021 Pen America awards have been announced.
More on the machinations of the people who controlled Britney Spears for too long.
There are no words to adequately express my grief over the passing of bell hooks. I will write about it, elsewhere, but for now, I can only say, this loss is incalculable and she is gone too soon. Far too soon. Her conversation with Lil Kim was one for the ages.
Towering cultural critic Greg Tate also died. And so did Vicente Fernández. May they all rest in power.
Ai-Jen Poo explains, eloquently, why we must do better in supporting the care economy.
The planet keeps telling us to get our shit together.
Tory Lanez is about as terrible as you would expect as more details about his shooting Meg Theeeee Stallion come out.
Zola is leading the Independent Spirit nominations.
We have such a terrible relationship to work in this country. Factory workers were told to basically work through a tornado. How does this happen? Truly… HOW?
The Black Forager.
RIP Anne Rice who wrote one hell of a gothic tale. I enjoyed the early Lestat novels.
This story about Kanye West’s publicist pressuring a Georgia election official is… just wild.
Tax free clergy homes are… a problem.
A beautiful essay from Michael R. Jackson on becoming a playwright.
An epic restaurant review. So many great lines.
Sigh. Jussie Smollett was found guilty. I will never understand what he was doing with this whatever it is.
I wanted to love And Just Like That but I am struggling to enjoy a show set in an impossible universe—one where Samantha would not IMMEDIATELY drop everything and run to Carrie’s side.
All about Erewhon, this weird grocery chain in L.A. where every time I drive by there is a long line like it’s a nightclub. But with gross smoothies.
A cover story on Olivia Wilde.
Is the secret to a good marriage living apart? I mean, no, but these people think it is!
Meanwhile, being single is pretty damn expensive.
Jeremy Strong, profiled in The New Yorker.
Andrea Long Chu writes about Emily Ratajkowski’s new memoir, My Body.
On the pernicious nature of debt. Speaking of, debt collectors can now reach out to you on social media, etc. Which is evil. Let us be clear on that.
Another school shooting and this time, the parents are, rightly, being held responsible.
Mark Hoppus on cancer, recovery, and living in the public eye. Among other things.
The Torrance PD is… bad.
I’ve always suspected I would hate going to a remote place to write. Blair Braverman confirms this for me.
Some strange goings on with a French soccer team.
Colton Haynes writes about what Hollywood does to gay men.
A big social media following does not necessarily translate into book sales.
More women are paying alimony and they aren’t thrilled about it.
Susan Orlean, house flipper, but fancy.
Do distraction-free devices work?
Tamazing obituary ever.
Sistah Scifi is an afrofuturism bookstore that has Noor in stock https://sistahscifi.com/products/preorder-noor-hardcover can't wait for this discussion!
Noor looks like an interesting book for January! Will the full list of books for 2022 be shared?