Without really knowing why, my reading these days consists primarily of philosophy-as-literature instead of straight-up fiction. Thinking about this it sounds kind of stupid, since all literature can in some sense be deemed philosophy. But still, Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, which I have been sneaking off to read every chance I’ve gotten [...]
Tagged Cocaine, Culture, Literature, Philosophy, Tarantino, TVThis week, due to time constraints and other nuisances, I have chosen to highlight Bent Sørensen’s excellent three part series on the Beat Generation, specifically, Beat ‘Others.’ It’s an interesting angle on an interesting movement; the role of women and colored people. In the course we had at U. of Copenhagen on American Literature and [...]
Tagged American Studies, Blogs, Culture, LiteratureI am writing this after 8 hours of standing up and doing nothing, followed by 45 minutes of thrashing around on the squash court, getting humiliated by a curly Italian 3 years younger than me. So my nerves and reflexes are understandably shaken. What I need now is a beer and a book, and tonight [...]
Tagged Binge Drinking, Culture, Literature, Movies, PhilosophyHave you noticed toady’s Google search image paying homage to the techno-counter-cultural icon Nikola Tesla? Today is his birthday (thanks canuck for the reminder). Timothy Ely’s inspired work above beautifully narrates Tesla’s haunting legend and continued mystique electrically interwoven into techno lore. Airtight Games homage to Tesla (and insertion of his character into the gameplay’s [...]
At LA Weekly there is a Q & A with the literary critic James Wood, who is under fire at the moment and has been for some time now. I am not completely up-to-date on the polemics surrounding Wood but the interview/Q & A is interesting as an entry point into the debacle. Wood, in [...]
Tagged Belletristic, Criticism, Culture, Literature, Ménage a troisSummer is upon us, though the weather may not always be clear about this. There is nothing like being caught unawares in freezing rain wearing nothing but a tank top, shorts and worn flip-flops. This is what summer in Denmark is, and we like it. Summer also means beach reading, and sometimes train and plane [...]
Tagged Column, Culture, Libary, Literature, Readings, Recommendations, SummerThis week will be a small one. For Friday, I need to learn the basics of French Theory, and how to discuss it without applying it to anything but itself. So I am writing to you from the non-existent centre of Derrida’s ramblings, as of now, but starting this Friday at exactly 3pm I will [...]
Tagged Explosives, Father's Day, Literature, NovelsAfter a well executed but hectic NAAS conference, I am left in the midst of term paper frenzy here at the English Dept. Library at the University of Copenhagen. Though the 4th floor vista calms the nerves there is no denying that the students, me included, are on the edge. Still, I have promises to [...]
Tagged Arthur Miller, Creative Writing, Literature, PublishingAn experiment, if you’ll allow; how brief can this column be? I am currently in the midst of NAAS 2009 preparations, reading/providing feedback on friends’ BA projects, and making travel arrangements for Lisbon, Rome and Palermo. Hectic, schmectic, there’s always time for literature.
3quarksdaily announces The Quarks: four annual blog prizes, to be handed out on [...]