Biblioklept.
An awesome literary blog I just found. Anyone even remotely into reading should check it out.
I Write Like
Analyze your syntax, baby. I write like Stephen King and P.G. Wodehouse, according to this flattering website.
When DJ culture makes it's way into literature.
A pretty interesting look at plagiarism, that, curiously, has nothing to do with McSweeneys.
Your morning cup of Hateorade
Seriously? Screw Ayn Rand. I know this conversation’s been hinted at in earlier posts, but Steven Colbert justifies my opinion nicely… after the jump.
Washington Post Style Invitational
According to the Wikipedia page the Style Invitational has been going on since 1993. Every week, readers are invited to submit a humorous response to some creative prompt. This week’s asks the audience to write a funny diary or journal entry for someone, famous or not, for any point in history.
The Scrabbled Book Club
As mentioned in the Harold Bloom thread, would anyone be into doing a book club? If so, how should we set it up? Is there anything I should set up within the page to facilitate it or are we fine with the basic post/comment/tag system we have now? Anyone have any suggestions for a good first book?
An Explanation of Kitsch
or
An essay on the wooden stake in the heart of all things good and pure about art and culture.
or
Why I hate that stupid bullshit you love so much.
(really, it gets better after the jump)
Unorthodox Advice to American Youths
Madconomist has a pretty lengthy advice article explaining at length why American youths should think twice about the current education/career system in place and it’s a really thought provoking read. Certainly, there’s plenty to disagree with and perhaps more than a few radical ideas and recommendations, but there’s also some really good stuff. Advice on keeping your head above water in potentially turbulent times, on higher education, and learning skills and crafts, and on bettering yourself as a person — not to improve the ego, but to make yourself more capable of shifting and adjusting with the times. Very much worth the read, regardless of whether or not you have the time.
Quite Possibly, The Most Unorthodox Piece Of Advice Ever Given To The American Youths.
Good Reads
I don’t know if you’ve all seen this site yet, but for all the bibliophiles, check it out:
Think of it as last.fm…for books. Sign up and then drive yourself crazy trying to remember every book you’ve ever read. I’ve always had trouble trying to keep track of all the book on my to-read list, and this will do it for me.
Get Paste Magazine for $1
They’re running a Radiohead-esq “Pay What You Want” campaign. So go get a $1 subscription for a year and get tons of free music and stuff to read.
Harry Potter and the Author Who Wouldn't Shut Up
The Douglass Adams quote (originally said in response to a fan’s inquiry about a type of computer in the Hitchhiker’s Guide trilogy) used in the middle of the article says it all. The author’s main point is that by continually giving definition to the Harry Potter world outside of the books, Rowling is removing, bit by bit, the things that make the books so much fun. What’s left for us when there’s no mystery left? And I couldn’t agree more. She must be stopped.
Dumbledore is Gay
That’s probably the stupidest headline I’ve ever written. But it’s true. So says Rowling herself. Apparently he “had an unrequited love affair with Gellert Grindelwal.” Ok, then.