#literary-research

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#ben-lerner
Writing
fromThe New Yorker
11 hours ago

He Wrote a Book About Interviewing. Here's His Interview.

Ben Lerner's 'Transcription' explores memory, language, and technology through the lens of a writer's relationship with his mentor.
Books
fromDefector
2 days ago

The Gentle Parenting Of Ben Lerner's 'Transcription' | Defector

Ben Lerner's novels explore themes of youth, sexuality, and the complexities of adulthood through autofictional narratives.
Writing
fromThe New Yorker
6 days ago

The Ample Rewards of Ben Lerner's Slender New Novel

An interview with Ben Lerner reveals complexities of memory and influence in art and literature.
#literature
fromThe Atlantic
2 days ago
Books

Unconventional Novels About Conventional People

Aging revolutionaries and conformists share parallel narratives of disillusionment and the loss of youthful dreams in recent literature.
Books
fromThe Atlantic
2 days ago

Unconventional Novels About Conventional People

Aging revolutionaries and conformists share parallel narratives of disillusionment and the loss of youthful dreams in recent literature.
#art
Writing
fromwww.theguardian.com
5 days ago

Transcription by Ben Lerner review a stunning exploration of technology and storytelling

The novel explores themes of touch, familial inheritance, and the complexities of communication through a narrative involving a final interview with a mentor.
History
fromMedievalists.net
5 days ago

New Medieval Books: Light on Darkness - Medievalists.net

Liturgy is central to Western cultural history, rich in artistic expression and emotional depth, influencing society for over a thousand years.
Digital life
fromwww.dw.com
6 days ago

The pleasure of books in the digital age

The debate over digital archiving versus physical books highlights the unique engagement and sensory experience that books provide in a digital age.
Writing
fromwww.theguardian.com
10 hours ago

Life of Pi author Yann Martel: I thought the Iliad was a book for old farts then I started getting ideas'

Yann Martel's new novel, Son of Nobody, reimagines the Trojan War from the perspective of an unknown soldier, blending humor and domesticity with scholarly footnotes.
Women in technology
fromenglish.elpais.com
1 week ago

Yes, there were women in the Frankfurt School: Feminists, militants and researchers

Seven women played crucial roles in the Frankfurt School, challenging the misconception of their secondary status in the Marxist Work Week photo.
fromwww.theguardian.com
1 week ago

Daunting, inspiring, comforting, terrifying: the writers who can make silence as eloquent as words

A vision lay before him: Fleet Street blanketed with snow, silent, empty, pure white, and, at the end of it, the huge and majestic form of Saint Paul's Cathedral. It was a spellbinding moment: the great thoroughfare temporarily devoid of carts and carriages, the cathedral looming blurrily out of the still-falling snowflakes a real-life snow globe.
London
#poetry
Books
fromwww.theguardian.com
2 days ago

The best recent poetry review roundup

The collection features unrhymed sonnets exploring the relationship between landscape, language, and human experience amidst themes of illness and trauma.
Higher education
fromFortune
1 week ago

What if I told you the 'AI slop' debate was over 100 years old? It used to be about 'ghostwriting' | Fortune

Vanderbilt University faced backlash for using ChatGPT to draft a message about community after a campus shooting.
fromEmilysneddon
1 week ago
Typography

Fran Sans Essay - Emily Sneddon

Fran Sans is a display font inspired by the unique destination displays of San Francisco's diverse public transit system.
Philosophy
fromMail Online
6 days ago

Bible analysis uncovers clues showing scripture was written by God

A network of over 63,000 connections in the Bible suggests intricate links that some believe indicate divine authorship.
fromFast Company
1 day ago

A New York Times critic used AI to write a review, but good criticism can't be outsourced

Preston's reliance on A.I. and his use of unattributed work by another writer was deemed a clear violation of the Times's standards, leading to his dismissal.
Writing
#reading-memories
Books
fromwww.theguardian.com
2 days ago

Sarah Hall: Everyone wangs on about Anna Karenina I've never been able to finish it'

Early reading experiences shaped a love for literature and inspired a desire to write, highlighting the impact of strong female characters and diverse narratives.
Books
fromwww.theguardian.com
1 week ago

Benjamin Wood: John Fowles's The Magus was so frustrating I threw it at the wall'

Reading experiences shape personal growth and inspire creativity in writing.
Books
fromwww.theguardian.com
2 days ago

Sarah Hall: Everyone wangs on about Anna Karenina I've never been able to finish it'

Early reading experiences shaped a love for literature and inspired a desire to write, highlighting the impact of strong female characters and diverse narratives.
Books
fromwww.theguardian.com
1 week ago

Benjamin Wood: John Fowles's The Magus was so frustrating I threw it at the wall'

Reading experiences shape personal growth and inspire creativity in writing.
#film-vs-literature
Women
fromThe New Yorker
3 weeks ago

The Feminist Visionary Who Lost the Plot

Elizabeth Cady Stanton's experience of discrimination at the 1840 World Anti-Slavery Convention catalyzed her feminist activism, though her sense of intellectual superiority later contributed to bigoted views.
Books
fromThe New Yorker
4 days ago

The Sci-Fi Novelist Who Disappeared for Decades

Cameron Reed's science fiction explores cognitive estrangement, revealing alien worlds that reflect and challenge our own societal norms and moral dilemmas.
Writing
fromThe Nation
6 days ago

The Enigma of Gertrude Stein

Gertrude Stein's complex writing style and innovative use of language significantly influenced 20th-century literature, despite ongoing ambivalence from readers.
Film
fromenglish.elpais.com
3 weeks ago

Insult or adaptation? Why films still struggle to adapt novels

Film adaptations of literature often transform source material through cinematic techniques, sometimes sacrificing literary depth for visual spectacle and narrative restructuring.
History
fromMedievalists.net
3 weeks ago

New Medieval Books: Widow City - Medievalists.net

Late medieval Italian widows mourned their spouses and navigated their lives through religious or secular paths, evolving from allegorical subjects to prominent authors who reshaped public discourse on widowed identity.
Books
fromenglish.elpais.com
5 days ago

Frankenstein, Jane Eyre and Snow White with a gender-based perspective: The Madwoman in the Attic' and the beginning of feminist literary criticism

The new edition of 'La loca del desvan' revives feminist literary criticism, highlighting the relevance of women's voices in literature today.
Books
fromwww.theguardian.com
4 days ago

Baldwin by Nicholas Boggs review the relationships that drove a genius

James Baldwin's legacy has been revitalized, particularly through Raoul Peck's documentary, despite earlier criticisms of his work and its relevance.
Philosophy
fromBig Think
3 weeks ago

The 3 types of reading (and the 2 you'll pick)

Reading exists on a spectrum from scanning to deep engagement, with most digital readers employing surface-level scanning that misses textual depth and nuance.
Books
fromSlate Magazine
5 days ago

A Major Scandal Rocked the Book World. It's Only the Beginning of What's to Come.

Hachette canceled the publication of Mia Ballard's novel Shy Girl due to accusations of A.I. writing influence.
Books
fromThe Atlantic
6 days ago

How Long Can You Live Your Ideals?

Pat Calhoun chooses parenthood over radicalism, paralleling Elsa Haddish's struggle between her militant past and raising her daughter safely.
Miscellaneous
fromenglish.elpais.com
1 month ago

Laszlo Krasznahorkai, Nobel Prize laureate in Literature: My Hungary is that of language, not of hussars'

László Krasznahorkai rejects symbolic interpretation of his work, insisting his literature contains no symbols, parables, or hidden meanings despite critical attempts to decode them.
fromInsideHook
1 month ago

Are the Humanities Poised for an Academic Comeback?

Many colleges and universities have made cuts in these programs, often bolstering STEM programs at their expense. It's a situation that has sparked no small amount of impassioned editorials. The headline of a recent article at The Guardian by Alice Speri referenced an 'existential crisis at U.S. universities,' and Speri's reporting features numerous examples of undergraduate and graduate programs facing cuts or outright elimination.
Higher education
Music
fromwww.npr.org
1 month ago

Why music has become such a big part of the romance novel reading experience

Romance novel readers increasingly use pop music playlists to enhance their reading experiences, creating a community that bridges book fandom and music fandom, exemplified by Charli XCX's Wuthering Heights album.
Books
fromThe Atlantic
1 week ago

Today's Atlantic Trivia: Charles Dickens

The nighttime disorder formerly known as 'Pickwickian syndrome' is now called sleep apnea.
fromFuturism
2 weeks ago

Novel Pulled From Shelves After Author Is Accused of Using AI

Hachette remains committed to protecting original creative expression and storytelling. The company requires all submissions to be original to the authors and that the authors disclose whether AI is used during the writing process.
Books
fromApaonline
1 month ago

Recently Published Book Spotlight: Anticolonialism, Ontology, and Semiotics: A Cinematic Exploration

Anticolonialism, Ontology, and Semiotics draws upon Africana anticolonial philosophy-especially the work of Frantz Fanon and two of his most influential interpreters, Eldridge Cleaver and Sylvia Wynter-to develop a basic analytical model for doing anticolonial political theory. I wanted to show that there is something distinctive, something special, to be found in this tradition of thought that has not been fully appreciated by philosophers and theorists in other fields.
Philosophy
Books
fromHarvard Gazette
2 weeks ago

Our 'Frankenstein' Fixation - Harvard Gazette

Frankenstein endures as a cultural touchstone over 200 years after publication due to its nested narrative structure and the monster's eloquent humanity that challenges initial perceptions of monstrosity.
Philosophy
fromApaonline
1 month ago

The Humanities Challenge: Expanding the Circle of Philosophy

Philosophy offers transformative insights and vision into human life, and public humanities must evolve beyond traditional academic formats to make philosophy accessible to broader audiences through innovative, engaging methods.
Writing
fromPsychology Today
1 month ago

Virginia Woolf and the Reclaiming of Attention

Virginia Woolf's stream-of-consciousness technique demonstrates how attention shapes consciousness and remains relevant to contemporary struggles against digital distraction.
Books
fromwww.theguardian.com
2 weeks ago

Better than Wuthering Heights? The Brontes' novels ranked!

Charlotte Brontë's debut novel The Professor was rejected nine times before publication, while her second novel Jane Eyre achieved immediate success, and Anne Brontë's Agnes Grey drew authentically from her governess experience.
Europe politics
fromThe New Yorker
2 months ago

The Country That Made Its Own Canon

Sweden released a national culture canon, sparking controversy over national identity as immigration rises and the nationalist Sweden Democrats gain political influence.
Books
fromThe Atlantic
3 weeks ago

How Not to Recommend a Book

Reader's advisory—the skill of matching specific books to individual readers' preferences—is essential for successful book club experiences and literary recommendations across libraries, bookstores, and online platforms.
Arts
fromHyperallergic
1 month ago

A Surprisingly Enjoyable Show About Critical Theory

Echo Delay Reverb examines French critical theory's influence on American art, highlighting Francophone thinkers and artworks addressing labor, incarceration, materiality, and formal contrasts.
Film
fromwww.dw.com
2 months ago

An undying trend: How vampires hold a mirror to society

The vampire figure personifies societal anxieties and mirrors social and racial violence, sustaining enduring cultural relevance across myth, literature, and film.
Books
fromThe Atlantic
3 weeks ago

Books Are Meant to Be Slow

The slowness of reading books is a virtue, not a weakness, offering contemplative depth that digital media cannot replicate.
Books
fromHarvard Gazette
4 weeks ago

That's a book? - Harvard Gazette

Italo Calvino used tarot card decks as a computational system to generate interconnected narratives, predating modern AI by decades and demonstrating how structured systems can create complex literary works.
History
fromMedievalists.net
2 months ago

New Medieval Books: More Swindles from the Late Ming - Medievalists.net

Late-Ming collection catalogs diverse scams, sexual exploitation, sorcery, and moral corruption, revealing pre-modern Chinese cons, social instability, and normative anxieties.
Books
fromwww.theguardian.com
4 weeks ago

The best recent poetry review roundup

Andrew Motion's latest collection explores mortality and loss through elegies, showing a shift toward rootedness and acceptance of death as a universal human experience rather than personal bewilderment.
Books
fromwww.theguardian.com
1 month ago

Saba Sams: I've no interest in reading Wuthering Heights again'

Jacqueline Wilson's unflinching approach to children's literature, alongside works by authors like Gwendoline Riley and Clarice Lispector, demonstrates that literary courage and emotional complexity resonate more powerfully than conventional safety or virtuousness.
fromMedievalists.net
2 months ago

New Medieval Books: Interconnected Traditions - Medievalists.net

This open-access book brings together more than thirty essays on languages and the ways they develop, interact, and influence one another. Its main focus is the Middle East, where Hebrew, Arabic, and Aramaic long existed side by side and often overlapped in everyday use, scholarship, and culture. In line with Geoffrey (Khan)'s commitment to the maximally accessible dissemination of research, this Festschrift has been published in both open-access digital editions and affordable printed formats.
History
fromAeon
2 months ago

How a playful literary hoax illuminates Classical queerness | Aeon Essays

Carved on the walls surrounding her sarcophagus were more than 150 ancient Greek poems in which Bilitis recounted her life, from her childhood in Pamphylia in present-day Turkey to her adventures on the islands of Lesbos and Cyprus, where she would eventually come to rest. Heim diligently copied down this treasure trove of poems, which had not seen the light of day for more than two millennia.
Philosophy
Books
fromVulture
1 month ago

How Should a White Woman Writer Be?

White women writers from the Dimes Square literary scene are receiving major book launches and media attention, sparking both acclaim and online criticism about nepotism and industry favoritism.
fromblog.apaonline.org
2 months ago

How to Handle the Death of the Essay

If you don't know it, Ecclesiastes is a collection of Old Testament verses in which the eponymous title character discourses on the apparent meaninglessness of pleasure, accomplishment, wealth, politics, and life itself in the face of the infinitude of the universe and the absolute perfection of God. It is the source of many of our most cliched phrases, such as there is a time for everything and there is nothing new under the sun.
Philosophy
Writing
fromBig Think
2 months ago

Why "read more" may be the most underrated thinking advice we have

Extensive, wide-ranging reading is essential to develop the skills and raw materials needed to compose clear, effective prose; there is no shortcut.
Books
fromThe Atlantic
1 month ago

When Did Literature Get Less Dirty?

Philip Roth's Zuckerman Unbound functioned as a response to the controversial reception of Portnoy's Complaint, with Roth's protagonist expressing regret over writing sexually explicit material that drew accusations of anti-Semitism and misogyny.
Writing
fromOpen Culture
2 months ago

Hear James Joyce Reads From Ulysses and Finnegans Wake In His Only Two Recordings (1924/1929)

Ulysses examines Dublin and language, portraying words as two-faced with immediate meaning and historical, mythic resonances within journalism and rhetorical performance.
Books
fromwww.theguardian.com
1 month ago

What we're reading: writers and readers on the books they enjoyed in February

Claire Baglin's 'On the Clock' uses narrow focus on fast-food work to reveal profound truths about contemporary alienation and precarity with compassion and emotional depth.
Writing
fromThe Atlantic
1 month ago

Literary Theory

Words carry multiple meanings; 'swallow' embodies both bird and ingestion, showing language's power to alter perception and emotional states.
Books
fromThe Nation
1 month ago

Has Contemporary Fiction Ignored the Working Class?

Work's grip on life demands vigilance; allowing career to consume identity risks losing oneself entirely to labor's demands.
Books
fromwww.theguardian.com
1 month ago

The best recent crime and thrillers review roundup

Two contemporary novels probe suburban domesticity, revealing secrets, manipulation, and moral ambiguity through slow-burn suspense and darkly comic plotting.
Books
fromBig Think
2 months ago

5 literary conspiracy theories - debunked

Literary conspiracy theories question authorship, use pseudonyms, and misattribute works, sometimes entertaining but often distorting historical understanding.
fromThe Atlantic
2 months ago

A Biography Without 'The Boring Bits'

Sophia Stewart poses a choice that many biographers struggle with: "what to do with the boring bits."
Books
Books
fromHarvard Gazette
2 months ago

The stories behind the books - Harvard Gazette

Harvard's library collection includes books that use layered images, movable elements, and raised type to create interactive, tactile, and accessible reading experiences.
fromwww.theguardian.com
1 month ago

The best recent science fiction, fantasy and horror review roundup

Subsequently, runaway children turned the valley into a fortress, surviving on food they could catch or grow, with occasional forays into the towns below. Riley has heard the rumours, but it is only when she sees a green-clad boy or is it a girl? hovering outside her bedroom window offering directions on how to find Nowhere that she realises this might be her chance to escape and save her little brother from their sadistic guardian.
Books
#infinite-jest
#lionel-shriver
Books
fromThe Atlantic
2 months ago

C'mon, Professors, Assign the Hard Reading

Assigning whole novels in literature classes restores deep reading, rebuilds attention, and enables students to engage meaningfully despite technological distractions.
Books
fromThe New Yorker
2 months ago

How Do You Write About the Inexplicable?

Rational skepticism coexists with a persistent tendency to personify evil and read coincidences as omens.
Books
fromenglish.elpais.com
2 months ago

The lost lessons of Jorge Luis Borges: His English and American literature classes

Recovered 1966 lectures by Jorge Luis Borges were published, revealing lost oral work and previously uncollected material through meticulous editorial recovery.
Books
fromThe Walrus
2 months ago

"It's Not Something I'm Squeamish About": Heated Rivalry Author on Writing Explicit Sex Scenes | The Walrus

Rachel Reid experienced a rapid surge in visibility, sales, and professional opportunities after the TV adaptation of Heated Rivalry, creating both excitement and overwhelm.
fromThe Atlantic
2 months ago

Why Authors Can't Let Go of Greek Myths

When I was 8 or 9 years old, my uncle and aunt gave me a copy of D'Aulaires' Book of Greek Myths, a standard-bearer for children's folklore that was originally published in 1962. I was immediately dazzled by the book: D'Aulaires' was my first exposure to Greek mythology, and I marveled at its vibrant cosmology, its richly illustrated tales of deities whose omnipotence was matched only by their strikingly human, self-indulgent caprice.
Books
fromThe Atlantic
2 months ago

The Writer's Magic Trick

A writer is a kind of magician. Their job is to create living, three-dimensional people out of the ordinary stuff of ink and paper. This is no easy task, because readers can't literally hear, touch, or observe a character. Everything that defines a human being in real life-the physical space they occupy, or how they smell, feel, and sound-is stripped away, replaced by description. But authors have one major, mystical advantage: They can show you what's happening inside of someone's brain.
Books
Books
fromwww.theguardian.com
2 months ago

Underground wit and poor attention spans | Letters

Poems on the Underground seldom capture the London Underground experience, inspiring satirical commuter poems and comparisons between oral epic attention strategies and modern cinema.
Books
fromwww.theguardian.com
2 months ago

Ali Smith: Henry James had me running down the garden path shouting out loud'

Early exposure to Beatles labels, Charlotte's Web, and Liz Lochhead’s poetry sparked a lifelong love of reading and inspired a desire to write.
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