In the New Yorker...

[Jeff Wrangler]

I agree that something's wrong with it. But Annie Proulx uses wrong sentences effectively. However, this one's confusing too.

Well, I never said it wasn't effective. It's a very conversational way of writing. I merely wondered whether a writer would have been allowed to do something like that during the decades-long editorship of William Shawn.

And I have to wonder whether William Shawn would have felt that Annie Proulx was a New Yorker kind of writer.

Times do change.

[serious crayons]

Personally, I love them. Sentence fragments.

Though I'm sure Mr. Shawn and I would disagree about any number of things.

[TOoP/Bruce]

In the May 21 issue, I read the "Talk of the Town" mini profile of Dustin Lance Black (Milk). I was charmed to read there that according to the mother of author Pat Conroy, "All Southern literature can be summed up in these words: 'On the night the hogs ate Willie, Mama died when she heard what Daddy did to Sister.'"

Thanks, dude.  

Reading that just sent Starbucks coffee right up the back of my nose...

[Jeff Wrangler]

Thanks, dude.  

Reading that just sent Starbucks coffee right up the back of my nose...

Don't thank me. Thank Pat Conroy's mother.  

I'm sure that Starbucks swill will clean out your nasal passages. ... 

Personally, I love them. Sentence fragments.

Though I'm sure Mr. Shawn and I would disagree about any number of things.

They can be very effective. When used judiciously.  

[Front-Ranger]

The New Yorker has caught the Bucolic Plague. I'm up to page 21 of the latest issue and I've read a blurb on what the drought is doing to the corn crop, ELizabeth Gilbert's publication of her grandmother's cookbook, and rhapsodies about food.

[Jeff Wrangler]

At lunch today I read the excerpts from Mavis Gallant's diaries, about being a (literally) starving writer in Madrid in 1952 (August 9, 16 issue).

Next up will be Dexter Filkins on Afghanistan.

I don't like Dexter Flikins' or Jon Lee Anderson's articles mainly because they're too long. However, I read them anyway because I figure they're Important and also good for me. 

[serious crayons]

I don't like Dexter Flikins' or Jon Lee Anderson's articles mainly because they're too long. However, I read them anyway because I figure they're Important and also good for me. 

I know what you mean. The New Yorker as cod liver oil.

I feel that way, too, but I resist it. There's only so much time in the world, and consequently I'm going to have to skip a lot of worthy articles. If I'm going to cross off "Worst Hollywood hairstyles" or whatever on the internet (and I do try to be pretty conscientious about limiting that shit), then I can cross of some boring Jon Lee Anderson article, too, and skip to something that's both important and actually interesting.

[Jeff Wrangler]

I know what you mean. The New Yorker as cod liver oil.

That's exactly the image I had in mind! 

[Front-Ranger]

Interesting article on foresnsic linguistics that may come in handy during the trail of James Holmes. Which is expected to drag on for years now, I hear.

[Jeff Wrangler]

This just in from this morning's Metro:

Jonah Lehrer quit yesterday. Somehow it was discovered that he made up quotes from Bob Dylan for his book, Imagine: How Creativity Works.

David Remnick called it a "terrifically sad situation."