Pops: Fatherhood in Pieces by Michael Chabon
Most of these essays were published elsewhere. They are reminiscences of Chabon’s experiences with his children and about his efforts to navigate the uncharted waters of parenthood. Some are better than others. The first essay, which ran in GQ, talks about his son’s fascination with fashion. It is a great example of one of Chabon’s skills as a writer: doing the hard work of identifying the details that make a story feel rich and true.
Cat’s Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut
This is one of two novels by Kurt Vonnegut that I read recently for my book club (The Mules). It would probably be indexed under “science fiction,” but it reads as a somewhat superficial but funny satire of science, technology, religion, and the arms race. Like Vonnegut’s Slaughterhouse-Five, it is a triumph of dark humor, mixing irony and parody with a compelling plot.
Flash Fiction from The New Yorker: “The Weight” by Anne Enright
“Fare Warning” in Taki’s Magazine
The latest issue of AWAI’s Barefoot Writer
In this issue:
* “Mind-Blowing Writing Projects That Protect Forests, Rebuild After Disasters, Save Lives… and Pay Your Bills”
* “Prague, Paris, and the Dutch Romance That Launched My Writer’s Life”
* “The Unforced, Nonthinking Bridge to Better Habits”
* “Is This the Missing Link Between You and an Avalanche of Paying Clients?”
The latest issue of Independent Healing
“The Great Vegetarian Con” LINK
The meatless movement is peddling bogus science. Giving up animal foods won’t make you healthier or help the environment.
“The Big Business of Scavenging in Postindustrial America”
The US produces more garbage per capita than any other nation in the world. In this article from The New York Times, Jake Halpern explains how scrappers are turning that waste into a $32 billion business. LINK
“Who Needs Freedom” in Taki’s Magazine
This is an interesting little essay about a topic no thoughtful person can avoid: the conflict between freedom and regulation. LINK
I thought it was interesting because the writer, who seems to have a strongly right-wing view of most things, admits to the advantages of overly regulated western Europe. I’ve had the same thoughts. I’ve also had the experience of running businesses in Europe, and he makes good points on that, too, although I think his perspective is extreme.
“PolitiFukt” – a very funny piece in Taki’s Magazine by the smart and obsessively persistent David Cole. LINK
“5 Photographers Capturing Chinese Youth Culture Today”
An interesting article that I found on Artsy.net. LINK