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Tag: Gretchen McCulloch

‘Tis the Season for Best Books Lists: A Links Round-Up

Oh, friends. Albeit the holidays are a challenging and tiring time for many, they are also the glorious occasion of Best Books of the Year lists, which I love so much. I am linking to, uh, a certain number of those lists. Make of that what you will. NPR’s Book Concierge for 2022 Brittle Paper‘s list of 100 Notable African Books of 2022. The Guardian‘s Best Books of 2022. Paste‘s Best Fantasy Books of 2022. Kirkus has a bunch of subject-specific lists of best books of 2022. The Globe and Mail‘s Best Books of 2022. Laura Miller’s best of 2022.…

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All the Books that Blew My Mind in 2020, Part 1

So it turns out that 2020 was a pretty amazing reading year? I hadn’t really noticed because there were so many other things to occupy my brain, such as the quarantine and the election and the crumbling of American democracy, but in looking back at my reading spreadsheet I discovered that I had read a shocking number of books that needed a place on my Best Of list. There are, in fact, so many that it has necessitated me breaking this post down into two parts. This one covers my reading through like mid-June or something, and represents the number…

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Review: Because Internet, Gretchen McCulloch

Who here has seen Harvey, anyone? The old movie where Jimmy Stewart has an invisible friend that is a six-foot-tall rabbit named Harvey, and this friendship causes some anxiety to his friends and relations? I ask because there’s a scene late in the movie where Jimmy Stewart says, “In this world, you must be oh so smart or oh so pleasant. Well, for years I was smart. I recommend pleasant. You may quote me.” A of all, I am pleased to have quoted him. Secondly, this moment from the movie Harvey exactly sums up my approach to language. For years…

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Somehow Only One Link about Cats: A Links Round-Up

The last Friday before Christmas is upon me, and there are so many presents yet unwrapped and even one present yet unprocured, which is not the way I like to comport myself. But here we are. Luckily in the midst of all this turmoil and disarray, I still have the Netflix show The Untamed to sustain me, and it is the most searingly romantic thing that perhaps ever has burned itself across my greedy eyeballs. Please hit me up here or on Twitter if you need a show to watch over the holidays. I am happy to give you an…

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