More Solid Reading Around the Web, Old and New

Danziger Projects: Alejandra Llaviada

I’ve been coming across one too many really great pieces of writing not to share. Here’s a short list for you if you’re looking for some good stuff to read while bored at work this week…

“I Am the Unicorn,” by Nicolle Elizabeth, over at the Rumpus. Beautiful, deeply human, well executed and heavy. Nothing like a seemingly far-reaching tangent in an essay that then gets neatly folded back into the fabric of the piece.

“Animal Instincts: Destroying the Cult of Reason,” by Alexis Orgera now playing at HTML Giant.

From a little while back, a great piece of criticism by Katie Roiphe entitled, “The Naked and the Conflicted,” featured in the NY Times Sunday Book Review, and much discussed on literary blogs and sites all over. A great breakdown of last century’s great novelist, chauvinist heroes and how they differ from the new breed of contemporary male novelists. I don’t agree with everything in this piece, mind you, but it’s provocative and well-written. Will spark a nice conversation with a thoughtful fellow-writing friend.

From the LA Times Book Blog Jacket Copy, a piece on Don DeLillo: “It’s a wild world with Don DeLillo, Eve Ensler and more,” by Carolyn Kellogg.

Haven’t gotten to this one yet but was intrigued by the title. “Chasing the Sandman: Ambien Zombie at War With Insomnia,” by J.M. Blaine for The Nervous Breakdown.

Nice little bit of props to my new writer friend Kathleen Rooney, who contributed a Books Notes to largehearted Boy for her new book, “For You, For You I Am Trilling These Songs.” There’s a ton of text on the page which is awesome, as I’m gathering this was well thought out and should be super insightful.

Finally, “James Patterson, Inc.” by Jonathan Mahler over at the NY Times Magazine, breaking down the “staggering success” and beyond prolific output of this authorial juggernaut.

The artwork in the picture, which is from the images that adorn the Nicolle Elizabeth article, is by Alejandra Llaviada, who shows with Danziger Projects.