December 2008
22 posts
“Literature was a vast minefield occupied by enemies, except for a few classic...”
– New Bolaño in the New Yorker.
Book about fascists often hysterical
I’ve just finished Roberto Bolaño’s Nazi Literature in the Americas (still working on 2666). The epilogue is riotous (and terrifying?), to wit:
Duchess of Bahamontes. Cordoba, 1893-Madrid, 1957. Duchess and Cordoban. Period. Her (platonic) lovers numbered in the hundreds. Urinary problems and anorgasmia. A fine gardener in her old age.
Jack Brooke. New Jersey, 1950-Los Angeles, 1990....
favs '08: in order
Hercules & Love Affair
The Raveonettes: Lust Lust Lust
favs '08: 5-7
El Guincho, Alegranza
favs '08: 8-10
La Casa Azul, La Revolucion Sexual (r. ‘07)
Erykah Badu, New Amerikah: Part one
Fav songs:The Ting Tings, Great DJ; Cut Copy. Lights and Music; Martha Wainwright, You Cheated me; Estelle, American Boy; Madonna, Give it 2 Me; Mariah Carey, I’m That Chick; Beach House, Home Again; Ladyhawke, Dusk til Dawn; Miley Cyrus, See you Again; T.I., Live Your Life
Best live show: Roisin...
“Chronic over-reacher Darren Aronofsky…..Marisa Tomei, Hollywood’s...”
– Zing! J. Hoberman on The Wrestler
2008: the year in media corrections →
Correction of the year:
Slate:
In the June 20 “Culturebox,” Jonah Weiner stated that Lil Wayne was the first hip-hop artist to fantasize about eating his competition. Other rappers have contemplated consuming their rivals.
“If it’s true that hell is an oasis of horror in a desert of boredom, the...”
– from Facing Poverty, Gainesville Sun
art basel: day 2
In the days that followed, the Miami Herald would report that half of all dealers at Basel saw sales drop, Bloomberg would say that high-end dealers showcased lower-priced works, and a Larry Gagosian memo advising dealers to , more or less, “always be closing,” would famously make the internet rounds. But Friday night, at Charcoal Studios in Wynwood, at the incongruously named FAGE True Artistry...
art basel: first night
the gossip played their second basel show last night at o.h.w.o.w. to a crowd heavy in asymmetrical greasy haircuts and cheap mondays. these disembodied scenesters took in the show with the casual mien of the undead, sipping free (obvs) cocktails at the downtown gallery with a veritable who’s that of the art set, andrew andrew for instance, and jd samson. were those cocktails? or peyote...
