September 24, 2012 On the Shelf Doyle’s Journals, Rowling’s House By Sadie Stein Check out the journals young Arthur Conan Doyle kept as a ship’s surgeon. “I bought my wedding dress in disguise.” J.K. Rowling on the perils of fame. Speaking of Ms. R, you can now buy her house, should you have a few million pounds handy. The full trailer for Ang Lee’s highly anticipated Life of Pi adaptation is here. Of late, “bloggers and booksellers have converged on the idea of telling people what they should read.” [tweetbutton] [facebook_ilike]
September 21, 2012 Ask The Paris Review Life-Affirming Reads By Sadie Stein Dear Paris Review, I am currently suffering from a major depression, which has caused me to lose my job and my relationship. I see a therapist and a psychiatrist, and I believe and hope I’m beginning to recover. I have been a major reader all my life, but the depression has made it difficult for me to concentrate, so I haven’t been able to read much lately. I’ve been reading bits and pieces of books I’ve read before many times (Darkness Visible, Diving Into the Wreck), trying to get something from them. I suppose I’m looking for two different types of book as I recover: books that will show me why to live and how, and books that will allow me to escape my present torture. Both need to be pretty easy to follow—for instance, I recently bought The Myth of Sisyphus after reading William Styron’s reference too it, but it’s too difficult for my slow brain right now. Thank you. Dear friend, I’ve been where you are and know exactly the state you describe: one of the many distressing aspects of depression is the inability to lose yourself—and for those of us who have always found comfort in books, this is particularly scary. It goes without saying that everyone’s recovery process is different, and without a sense of your exact tastes—although it is clear you are an ambitious and curious reader with wide-ranging interests—it is a little tricky to suggest comfort reads. (After all, that is so bound up with one’s history and associations, no?) But I can tell you what has worked for me, and for some people I know, and hope that the suggestions, and the knowledge that you are in good company, will prove helpful. Read More
September 21, 2012 This Week’s Reading What We’re Loving: Sea Monsters, Children’s Books By The Paris Review I spent a recent vacation totally engrossed by Richard Ellis’s Monsters of the Sea. An accomplished marine artist and writer, Ellis examines the great sea monsters of history—from the sea serpent to the Kraken to the mermaid—and explains the sources of the myths (basking shark, giant squid, and manatee, respectively). The book is a combination of lore, history, and scientific inquiry, and a fun and accessible read. Plus, it introduced me to the Journal of Cryptozoology. —Sadie O. Stein I tripped into a fit of digital nostalgia this week when I discovered Stylist’s compilation of opening lines from classic children’s books. There are even thumbnail covers, and the combination somehow makes the Paris Review office smell like the library I went to when I was a kid. To prevent sentimental overdose, I recommend a mix-and-match game: combine three opening lines and begin your own canonical text for youngsters. “In a hole in the ground it was too wet to play, if you really want to hear about it”; “Once upon a time, a little girl named Laura got the dog drunk on cherry brandy so she was sent to bed without eating anything.” And so on. —Samuel Fox Read More
September 21, 2012 Bulletin Object Lesson: Undermining By The Paris Review We can’t express how excited we are to show you Object Lessons: The Paris Review Presents the Art of the Short Story. To recap: the editors approached twenty contemporary masters, asked them to choose their favorite short stories from our extensive fiction archive, and then write an introduction explaining what makes said story so good. The result? Stories we already loved, stories we didn’t know we needed in our lives, and a veritable M.F.A. between two covers. (Publishers Weekly is actually the one who said that!) A must for the reader, the learner—for anyone! Today’s quiz: Can you guess who wrote the following selection? I had an odd figure for a modern dancer. Rubanesque, my composer boyfriend called my body when pressed for compliments. This was long before I found the tiny crimson panties tucked beneath his buckwheat pillow. I also heard him say Rembrandt. My mother, it’s worth noting, took figures very seriously. I often felt this was another feature of her generation, like the typing and the meals on trays. In my time, I believed, a body could be different and still be okay. But when the composer mentioned Botero, I lost confidence. Find out! And pre-order a copy today!
September 21, 2012 On the Shelf Books for Readers, Nonreaders By Sadie Stein A retired bibliophile in Manila has turned his home into a public library. He also runs a “book bike” to book-deprived areas. “As a book caretaker, you become a full man,” he says. Remembering the late, legendary Knopf editor Ashbel Green. Authors: consider working naked. Books for nonreaders. (Not illiterates; those who don’t enjoy books.) From MoMA, the A to Z of alphabet books. [tweetbutton] [facebook_ilike]
September 20, 2012 Bulletin Never Fear! Your Mugs are Coming! By The Paris Review Friends! We are so excited about the enthusiasm with which you have greeted our super-duper new mug! (We can’t wait either.) But we wanted to warn you: due to a slight print delay, they’ll be shipping out a little later than we planned. We didn’t want you to worry and thought we’d tell you right away: you will get your mug in plenty of time for fall cider sipping! They will arrive in early October, so sit tight!