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The Artist Who Remembered Everything

This book review is a Trojan horse. Ostensibly it concerns a collection of letters titled “Love, Joe,” written by the downtown artist and writer Joe Brainard (1941-94) to friends including the poets John Ashbery, Ted Berrigan, Anne Waldman and James Schuyler. Before we get to those letters, a historical wrong must be righted. Next year is the 55th anniversary of the publication of Brainard’s experimental memoir, “I Remember.” I hadn’t read it until I picked it up in preparation to write this piece. Now I consider it one of the best books I know. Read more

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‘A Sand County Almanac’ Remains an Environmental Classic at 75

Aldo Leopold (1887-1948) is often described as the father of environmental ethics. His seminal book, “A Sand County Almanac,” was first published 75 years ago and remains a foundational text in nature writing. Still in print, it’s a classic in the classroom and, as Barbara Kingsolver has written, “the manifesto of a movement.” It is full of memorable, finely observed writing and is a landmark in American philosophical thought. Read more

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‘The Philosopher Fish’ Claims the Prize for the Oddest Book Title of the Year

The Philosopher Fish: Sturgeon, Caviar, and the Geography of Desire earned 27% of the public vote, just ahead of How to Dungeon Master Parenting, which itself was a hair in front of Looking through the Speculum: Examining the Women’s Health Movement. Read more

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Ferdia Lennon Wins Bollinger Everyman Wodehouse Prize for ‘Delightful’ Novel

Ferdia Lennon has been awarded the 2024 Bollinger Everyman Wodehouse prize for comic fiction, which means a pig will be named after his winning novel, Glorious Exploits. The prize, set up in 2000, seeks to recognise the funniest new novels that best evoke the spirit of PG Wodehouse’s work. As well as the chance to name a gloucestershire old spots pig, the winner receives a jeroboam of Bollinger Special Cuvée, a case of Bollinger La Grande Année and a complete set of the Everyman’s Library PG Wodehouse collection. Read more

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‘Wicked’ Adaptation Is in Theaters Now

Wicked, the untold story of the witches of Oz, stars Emmy, Grammy and Tony winning powerhouse Cynthia Erivo (Harriet, Broadway’s The Color Purple) as Elphaba, a young woman, misunderstood because of her unusual green skin, who has yet to discover her true power, and Grammy-winning, multi-platinum recording artist and global superstar Ariana Grande as Glinda, a popular young woman, gilded by privilege and ambition, who has yet to discover her true heart. Watch trailer

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