AUDACIOUS BOOKCLUB HAPPENINGS
Our July selection is Cuckoo by Gretchen Felker-Martin. We will be in conversation with Gretchen on July 30th and registration is open.
THE NEWSLETTER WEEK IN REVIEW
PERSONAL PROFESSIONAL NEWS
We’re having a writing contest. Only paid subscribers can enter and win! Prizes include $2,500, publication in the newsletter, and a mentoring session! Entries are accepted until midnight tonight.
August 24-25, I will be in Sydney, Australia, speaking at the Festival of Dangerous Ideas. I’ll also be at the Wheeler Center in Melbourne on August 27th!
My essay series, Roxane Gay Presents, with Everand has launched. First up: Julia Turshen with Built For This: The Quiet Strength of Powerlifting and in this video, you will learn about the queer powerlifting club she started. The second essay in this series is: You Are a Teen Mom: Instructions by Randa Jarrar. You can learn more about Randa in this video. The third essay in this series is My Year of Psychedelics: Lessons on Better Living by Gabrielle Bellot. The fourth essay in this series is Good Girls: Notes on Dog Rescue by Elaine Castillo. You can learn more about Elaine in this video. The final essay, by me, is called Stand Your Ground, and it will be out soon!
Megan Pillow and I wrote a book called Do the Work, out now.
The National Book Foundation is hosting a summer reading adventure! You can join in the fun! I for sure will be visiting a local bookstore and swapping a book with a friend. Right now, I’m reading an incredible debut novel, The Original Daughter, by Jemimah Wei. It comes out in 2025 but you should put it on your To Read lists now! I cannot put this damn book down and the protagonist is infuriating in the best way. What are you reading?
Some writers, myself included, rated the 10 best books of the past 24 years. What’s funny is the writers who named their own books. I would PAY A LOT OF MONEY for that kind of confidence. Anyway the previous link is the individual ballots and here is the best 100 books ranked.
Michelle Dean on Alice Munro and the recent revelations from her daughter Andrea Skinner.
Bureaucratic, tax-related BS in Chicago that was, ultimately, “an error.”
In Vogue, Sha’Carri Richardson, one of the fastest women in the world.
An interview with Kimberlé Crenshaw who is so brilliant and also very nice. I’ve run into her at the airport a couple times and we had nice times.
Deesha Philyaw and Kiese Laymon have a new podcast! I am even on one of the episodes but that is not why I am sharing this.
A profile of the Texas lawyer who is hellbent on stopping unlawful evictions in Dallas.
What it’s like to be on the professional tennis circuit when you’re not a top-ranked player.
Biden said he’s staying in the race. He has said this many, many times. He believes he is the only person in this country of more than 300 million, who can lead it. Donors are trying to force Biden out. Clooney wrote an op-ed encouraging Biden to step down which…. what? We shall see come November. Mealy-mouthed Democrats are cowardly and anonymously saying Biden doesn’t have a path to victory. It’s so self-serving. Stacey Abrams offered a vigorous defense of Biden’s candidacy. Also, it’s important to be clear-eyed about the current state of political affairs but these incessant, histrionic statements that the election, which is happening on November 5th which is not today or yesterday or tomorrow, is a done deal for Trump. It isn’t and it is bizarre to see so many people capitulating. Are things grim? YES! Is the election already over? Absolutely not.
Speaking of, a gunman tried to assassinate Trump. He missed. The gunman is dead and so is a bystander. He was a registered Republican, 20 years old and, of course, he used an AR-15. If only there was something we could do about that gun that is used in the majority of mass shootings. There were many security failures. Melania’s response was about as bizarre as you’d expect and she still can’t be bothered to be seen with her husband. A lot will be said about political violence in the coming weeks but I’m going to be clear. Advocating for a woman’s right to abortion, for voter enfranchisement, for a free Palestine, for an end to racism and xenophobia, for trans rights, for queer liberation, none of that is violent. Protesting what you believe is wrong is not political violence. Don’t let anyone muddy something that is crystal clear. There is only one political party that has consistently engaged in political violence, especially in recent years. Anyway, the Times editorial board finally said Trump is unfit to lead. Sometimes, the obvious needs to be stated.
AOC introduced Articles of Impeachment for Justices Thomas and Alito. Good for her; shame her colleagues won’t support her in this effort.
Dr. Ruth lived a long, interesting life and, sadly, has passed away. RIP Shannen Doherty who was a beloved Gen-Xer, Brenda Walsh in my heart, the best to ever do it. She fought until the end. Also, I hate when people say someone lost a battle to cancer. They didn’t lose shit. Fighting cancer is hard and thankless and most people do it as long and fiercely as they can. I’d rather recognize that, personally. RIP Shelley Duvall, an icon. I’ve never seen The Shining. And damn, RIP Richard Simmons, who my friend Becky ADORES. Pour one out for him.
Most Americans cannot name a famous Asian American which…. YIKES.
In what will be no surprise to most, Idaho’s economy could not function without undocumented immigrants. (It’s not just Idaho.)
Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us,” inspired young Kenyans to protest.
Blah blah blah Glen Powell blah blah blah.
Eddie Murphy got married again. He has ten children. I’m just sharing that because that is a lot of children.
Run them their Oscar.
The Los Angeles Times is hiring a film critic.
In Haaretz, a look at how Netanyahu has (???) stymied efforts to get the hostages released.
The city of New York, in yet another weird failure, is making it almost impossible for curbside dining.
The charges against Alec Baldwin have been dropped because of prosecutorial misconduct.
I will read anything about Vanderpump Rules.
I guess Abercrombie has rebranded itself? I wouldn’t know a thing about that.
Reagan Arthur rises again. Congrats!
A conversation with Maya Rudolph. A conversation with Lena Dunham.
The fashion industry continues to struggle with sustainability.
Amadeus is coming back to theatres! It is one of my favorite movies because it is perfect.
Ummm…. Jack Schlossberg is Vogue’s new political correspondent. I guess he is en vogue hahahahahahahahaha.
Some Brandon Taylor nonfiction is coming!
Facts, only.
Where is the sad boy lit? And who is clamoring for it?
Monica Lewinsky on alternate endings and how she has reimagined her life.
Jason Mraz came out as gay! Good for him!
Minnesota has passed a right-to-repair law. Power to the people!
Melania's response tho. I just have SO MANY QUESTIONS.
"Blah blah blah Glen Powell blah blah blah"
could not agree more!