Kings & Queen. Contains one of the most emotionally wrenching sequences I've ever seen on film. Full of brilliant performances; also, I'll never hear "Moon River" in the same way again. www.youtube.com/watch?v=7YYN...

Terrific novel, this one. One part pastoral, one part uncanny.

....anyone know what happened to the movie Bando Stone & the New World? Trailer looked very good.

We've got less than 2 WEEKS LEFT and are less than $500 from DOUBLING our funding goal! SYTI has gotten praise from sites like ComicsXF and comics creatives like Kieron Gillen, G. Willow Wilson, and Al Ewing, and YOU DON'T WANT TO MISS OUT ON OUR DEBUT ISSUE!! GO GET YOURS NOW!

I'm going to stick with the "SNL-adjacent celebrities" theme and say that either Bad Bunny or Jason Momoa (or both) would be great.

Last War in Albion has reached From Hell. This series just keeps levelling up and Sandifer keeps outdoing herself somehow.

Between the hella racist post on social media and trying to coerce one of NY's senators to support renaming Penn Station, feels like today is a particularly stark lesson in the "flooding the zone with shit" approach to politics. www.nytimes.com/2026/02/06/u...

Rambled a bit about Stanley Elkin as part of this @insidehook.bsky.social feature! Lots of terrific book recommendations here as well. www.insidehook.com/books/read-r...

in the elite circles of the US, racism is treated less as a matter of social stratification with direct implications for political stakes and more as a matter of moral etiquette. it is even more notable, then, that this administration can't constrain themselves to the meager associated standards

Friends! There's a new episode of Framed & Bound out in the world! This time, Scott Adlerberg and I chatted about the 1990 film Tune in Tomorrow, the greatness of Peter Falk, transposing a Mario Vargas Llosa novel to 1950s New Orleans, and so! much! more! framedandbound.libsyn.com/site/tune-in...

....I should probably do a podcast episode on "The Flower of My Secret," huh.

We've got a new episode of Framed & Bound going out Friday morning! And we should be on a more regular schedule going forward, as the next episode is already recorded... framedandbound.libsyn.com/site

Bought myself a ticket to see the restored NADJA at BAM tomorrow, with Michael Almereyda Q & A. Am I excited? Oh yes.

"A 'Young Sherlock' series on streaming?" I thought. "Why, it hasn't been that long since the Chris Columbus-penned film with a similar concept was first released." Reader, it was released 41 years ago. www.youtube.com/watch?v=QWvM...

Two classic cracker advertisement collectors secretly pine for each other. Uneeda Biscuit Rivalry

Quick and dirty post on this countercraft.substack.com/p/why-litera...

....oxford collapse's 'remember the night parties' turns 20 this year, he typed and then crumbled into dust.

Apparently my hunch that the music of Charles Hayward would be a good writing soundtrack for this project was correct. Nicely done, Tobias of the Past.

I shared some February book recommendations at @insidehook.bsky.social! www.insidehook.com/books/books-...

Folks, as of right now the stunningly talented artist Frazier Irving is homeless and needs your help. He hasn’t got a fundraising page because he doesn’t want charity but he is selling pages. Please give his shop a look and buy something that appeals if you can. frazerirving.bigcartel.com

Hello, looks like independent publishers should beef up our books coverage. If you're into the idea of joining the @flaminghydra.com collective and writing a book review each month (800-2000 word range), please send us your ideas and some clips to [email protected]

After 20 years, I've been laid off at The Washington Post. substack.com/home/post/p-...

The bloodbath at the Post is the worst day in US media in quite some time. Hundreds of talented journalists laid off because a billionaire wants to curry favor with an authoritarian president.

As a book critic, WaPo was always on my white whale list of places to review books for. Sad about that, and especially sad that a number of very knowledgeable books people have been unceremoniously laid off.

Seconding this, with perhaps adding in some room for arts/books coverage.

I still remember the time I discovered that Brek Shea erotic fanfiction was something that existed.

Kokomo.

MFA vs NYC vs Fanfiction? Good stuff at @defector.com. defector.com/fanfictions-...

Cullen Bunn brings his experience writing twisty comics to Wilson Island, North Carolina, which has more than the usual serial killer disrupting its small town. @tobiascarroll.bsky.social reviews Bones of Our Stars, Blood of Our World:

If you need a revenge novel for Black History Month, I’ve got you.

@jtprice.bsky.social joined me for Six Ridiculous Questions at @vol1brooklyn.bsky.social. Check it out! @tobiascarroll.bsky.social www.vol1brooklyn.com/2026/02/03/s...

Well, looks like The Drama is set to have the best onscreen bookshelves since Tár. www.youtube.com/watch?v=6zmK...

Ah, I understand the racists are upset that one of the most beautiful women in the world was cast in a film as one of the most beautiful women in the world

We're thrilled to announce the panel of authors who will select the recipient of the 2026 Ursula K. Le Guin Prize for Fiction: Nicola Griffith Mat Johnson Fonda Lee Darcie Little Badger Peter Rock Anyone can nominate work for this $25,000 prize; nominations will be open March 1st through 31st.

Love that the first half of this year brings deluxe blu-rays of two Scorsese films: Killers of the Flower Moon and — wasn't expecting this one! — Boxcar Bertha. vinegarsyndrome.com/products/box...

Soccer bars and indie bookstores teaming up! Very much here for it, as they say.

Some big "fine, if no one wants to play with me no one gets to play with my toys" energy here. www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/politic...

New Interview: www.newyorker.com/culture/q-an...

Today on Eruditorum Press, a massive post in every sense as Last War in Albion reaches From Hell. Make yourself a fresh pot of tea and settle in with it; this one’s a wild ride.

Weird time to share art, but I’m finally allowed to share the cover of my next book, THE SHIP OF DEATH, from @harpercollins.bsky.social & Avon A. (9/29/26) Expect some other posts w/ choice blurbs and preorder links! Illustration: Peter Strain/Design: Julianna Lee. Editor @peterkispert.bsky.social

Pondering starting an ambitious, research-heavy nonfiction project, and wondering if it isn't an absolute fool's errand, as a writer sans agent and sans a ton of experience in that category.

Macaulay Culkin on Instagram. 😢

There's an outstanding lineup playing Union Pool in March to benefit the excellent writer/editor/human @jenpkelly.bsky.social. Details below. dice.fm/event/7dp5o6...

Farewell to a legend. deadline.com/2026/01/cath...

James Sallis was one of the true towering figures, crossing multiple genres and categories, but particularly in crime fiction. His death at the age of 81 is a real loss, but we do have two more books of his to look forward to this year. mailchi.mp/sohopress/re...

As a big admirer of his work on For All Mankind (and For All Mankind in general), it was a pleasant surprise to see Dan Donohue turn up on Wonder Man.

I found this and thought you all needed to see it

Imagine having Bruce Springsteen AND Billy Bragg release songs about how much you fucking suck and how much the people fighting you rule you within the same 48 hours

I'm sorry but techbros don't get to coopt a perfectly good musical genre name. www.ft.com/content/d0b7...

@tobiascarroll.bsky.social recommends BECKOMBERGA on this months January Watchlist. Read it here: wordswithoutborders.org/read/article...