The Audacious Roundup
For the week of July 6th
AUDACIOUS BOOKCLUB HAPPENINGS
Our July bookclub selection is Pool House by Mary H.K. Choi. We will be in conversation with Mary on July 30th at 8 pm EST/5 pm PST. Registration is open.
For newcomers, there is a bookclub FAQ if you have questions about how it all works. And this is what we will be reading for the rest of the year. We’re partnering with the lovely people at Allstora for the Audacious Book Club. Now, you can sign up to have the monthly selections delivered to your doorstep each month! Otherwise, I’ve put together an Audacious Book Club storefront if you want to buy current or forthcoming book club titles.
THE NEWSLETTER WEEK IN REVIEW
PERSONAL & PROFESSIONAL NEWS
I was interviewed by Ty Cole for So.Gay.
Book and project links: Books I’ve Written, RGB Imprint Titles, Rebind: The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton; The Forgotten Occupation.
READING MATERIAL
On July 4th, Nolan Xavier Wells went missing after he allegedly stayed behind on an undeveloped barrier island, without his shirt, phone, or car keys. His body was found two days later. The group of friends who left him behind, all white, and all behaving quite strangely for a group of young men who just lost a friend that was “like a brother.” Each new detail of this case is sadder and more infuriating than the last. He was 18, a football player, a beloved son and friend and so much more. He should be alive. An investigation continues at the family has retained Ben Crump to try and get justice and/or answers for their son’s death.
The president is the ultimate jinx. If he endorses or supports you in any way, RUN! He keeps tacking up ugly gold nonsense all over the White House. Then he wanted to fly around in his new bribe plane that, contrary to his lies, isn’t ready for prime time and he had to get on the real Air Force One and he’s mad about it. In his ongoing mission to absolutely destroy the White House, he is building a granite helipad on the White House lawn. This is all very Pacific Heights. IYKYK!
Maine “wunderkind” Graham Platner, with the Nazi tattoo on his chest, aw shucks, has now been accused of rape. Turns out, he wasn’t properly vetted, and his entire candidacy is a reminder of how the Democrats consistently prioritize the fantasy of a good ole boy white guy with liberal politics, while overlooking other viable candidates who don’t have Nazi tattoos or do crimes. Anyway, his campaign has finally finished imploding and he went out like an asshole.
Mitch McConnell is “missing” and “hospitalized” but no one has seen him or spoken to him in weeks. Republicans are randomly saying they spoke with him on the phone for 20 minutes. He’s dead, right? Very very dead. Very Weekend at Bernie’s but GOP-style.
Mexico is going to pursue legal action against the U.S. after ICE agents killed a man in Houston.
The state of Florida loves killing people.
Former politician Andrew Gillum has been arrested for drug possession, again. Such a sad story.
New nightmare fodder: a guy was partially sucked out an airplane window and then his wife had to hold onto his legs to keep him from joining the ether.
Along those lines, a high rise in midtown NYC is threatening to collapse. Seems bad.
Prince Harry took his wife and kids to visit his raggedy ass family. He also lost his case against the Daily Mail about invading his privacy.
A romance scammer has been extradited to the U.S.
Palestinians are building a digital archive to preserve their culture and place in the world.
Mexico’s World Cup run thrilled a small town in Oregon (and many other places).
It has been five years since Anthony Broadwater was exonerated for a crime he didn’t commit (accused by a famous writer). How did things go so wrong? Pro Publica looks for answers.
As they should, a family is pulling their endowed scholarship from UNCW because of changes in state policies about who can receive certain scholarships. They want the scholarships to go to Black students.
On Tom Colicchio and the closing of his restaurant Craft.
A profile of Tom Carvel. As an aside, Air Mail’s ad situation is really just so garish and it renders the site unusable. A profile of Hunter Biden.
RIP Bonnie Tyler, whose song, “Total Eclipse of the Heart,” I sing anytime someone talks about an eclipse. I had no idea she was Welsh! RIP George E. Johnson.
There’s some new magician drama a-brewing.
A landlord got mad at a tenant for having… too many books? Landlords! Never beating the allegations.
This was an interesting but rather sad story of an heiress’s last days.
The Netflix iteration of Little House on the Prairie is out now.
Pour one out for The Burrito King in L.A. An elegy for New York’s Greek diners. And an appreciation (of sorts) for a popular Los Feliz restaurant.
Here are some books by women of color to look forward to in the fall.
Madonna has a new album out and she’s getting back to her dance roots.
The 2026 Emmy nominations are out. Snubs! Surprises! Oh my!
Some details on Hana S. Sharif’s departure from Arena Stage in D.C. Hmm.
I’m obsessed with Andrés Cantor, who does the GOOOOOOOOOOOLLLLLLLL sportcasting for football. Amazing. Also, the USMNT got dogwalked by Belgium. It was just not a good game for the US at all.
A senator from Paraguay was super racist toward Mbappé, and he had words for her. Also, his team beat hers.
Costco is selling Tim Tams, this Australian cookie my wife loves. I am mostly mentioning this for her but maybe you love these cookies too.
Cookbook author and chef Klancy Miller is raising money for the photography for her next project.
THE RUMPUS WEEK IN REVIEW
Essays:
A Potion for Sadness by Megan Stielstra
Her Bitterness: A Woman’s Choice by Xinyi Song
Comics:
Sleepovers by Kate Isenberg
Fiction:
Nicholas in Reverse by Matthew Wollin
Helen by Pamela Bennett
Poetry:
Low Tide, County Line by Gloria Ogo
senescence by Shira Dentz
Three Poems by Hanif Abdurraquib
Interviews:
A Conversation with Minna Salami by Leslie-Ann Murray
A Conversation with Reyna Grande by Janet Rodriguez
A Conversation with Hasan Dudar by Reena Shah
Culture:
What is Freedom: Sarah Schulman by Sarah Schulman
What is Freedom: Maria Popova by Maria Popova
What is Freedom: Shirley Manson by Shirley Manson
What is Freedom: Shepard Fairey by Shepard Fairey
What is Freedom: Gloria Steinem by Gloria Steinem