SIGHTINGSTRAINER David Kirsch, filmmaker Wendy Ettinger, author Amanda Stern and New Yorker scribe Menachem Kaiser toasting Arthur Phillip's new novel, "The Song is You," at the Upper East Side home of Donna Wick . . .
Sunday, May 31, 2009
Bold face this!
SIGHTINGSTRAINER David Kirsch, filmmaker Wendy Ettinger, author Amanda Stern and New Yorker scribe Menachem Kaiser toasting Arthur Phillip's new novel, "The Song is You," at the Upper East Side home of Donna Wick . . .
Friday, May 29, 2009
Thursday, May 28, 2009
pork & chocolate cookies
Wells's risk was to combine two things he finds delicious. Introducing Chocolate Bacon cookies that WD-50 will surely be adding to their menu, soon.
Happy Ending Series Makes Our Town Summer Guide!
HE gets picked for good summer fun and I get interviewed! Read there other picks here.
The Interview follows...
Risky Readings and Sing-Alongs
By Nick Broad
Amanda Stern is curator of The Happy Endings Reading Series, a monthly event held at Joe’s Pub. Writers and musicians come to the stage, but there’s a twist—readers are required to take one public risk and do something they’ve never done before, and musicians have to perform one cover song and try to get the audience to sing along. Stern recently explained how her one-woman production company manages to pull together such big names for an evening of unexpected entertainment. The following transcript has been edited.
You started doing weekly sessions in a Chinatown bar called Happy Endings. Now you’re doing bigger productions in Joe’s Pub. Is this your happy ending, or is it just the beginning?
Ideally I’d like this to be the beginning of a much larger cultural program. However, I don’t have a salary, staff, grant money, a sugar daddy or an anonymous benefactor, so I need to figure out a way to get at least one of those things, stat.
Some of the upcoming readings this summer include Zadie Smith, Nick Laird, Adam Gopnik and Lisa Randall. How do you get such good names? (AMANDA: some of these names have changed).
The most important reason is that I am patient. It’s a courtship. I will wait as long as it takes to book someone whose work I believe in. I spent five months talking to James Salter. David Markson and I have been talking for a year and a half. I’ll wait.
You get authors to do on stage something they’ve never done before. What have been some highlights?
Ben Greenman reading aloud his pin code numbers, Ian Chillag getting a volunteer to cut his hair onstage, Andrew Sean Greer swapping outfits onstage with a volunteer from the audience, a random audience member singing opera while Lydia Davis played synthesizer and John Lurie playing harmonica for the first time onstage in 25 years and then almost fainting and falling down the stairs.
Has anything ever gone horribly wrong?
When I was trying to quit smoking, a doctor put me on Wellbutrin, but gave me too high a dosage so I had a panic attack on stage, which I described to the audience in great detail as it was happening.
Happy Endings reading series, first Wednesday of the month at Joe’s Pub, 425 Lafayette St., 212-254-1263, $15. Dates and times vary; visit amandastern.com/happyending for more information.
Dude, let's do it. Let's just fucking do it right here!
John Wray puts up his dukes backstage with Arthur Phillips
Monday, May 25, 2009
Sandelicious!
Veteran and upcoming Happy Ending author (and pdgf -- that's my acronym for pretty damn good friend), Laurie Sandell gets an awesome Publishers Weekly review. They forgot to add the star, but I didn't!
In this delightfully composed graphic novel, journalist Sandell (Glamour) illustrates a touchingly youthful story about a daughter's gushing love for her father. Using a winning mixture of straightforward comic-book illustrations with a first-person diarylike commentary, Sandell recounts the gradual realization from her young adulthood onward that her charming, larger-than-life Argentine father, bragging of war metals, degrees from prestigious universities and acquaintances with famous people, had lied egregiously to his family about his past and accomplishments. Growing up with her two younger sisters and parents first in California, then in Bronxville, N.Y., the author records signs along the way that her father, a professor of economics with a volatile temperament and autocratic manner, was hiding something, from his inexplicable trips out of town, increasing paranoid isolation, early name change from Schmidt to Sandell, to massive credit-card fraud. Interviewing her father for her first magazine article, the author resolved to check his sources and even flew later to confront his past in Argentina, only to discover the truth. Feeling betrayed, guilty for exposing him and mistrustful in her relationships with men, Sandell numbed herself by abusing Ambien and alcohol. Her depiction of her rehab adventure is rather pat and tidy, and she does not address the notion that her own creativity might have sprung from her father's very duplicity. However, Sandell's method of storytelling is marvelously unique and will surely spark imitators. (July)
In this delightfully composed graphic novel, journalist Sandell (Glamour) illustrates a touchingly youthful story about a daughter's gushing love for her father. Using a winning mixture of straightforward comic-book illustrations with a first-person diarylike commentary, Sandell recounts the gradual realization from her young adulthood onward that her charming, larger-than-life Argentine father, bragging of war metals, degrees from prestigious universities and acquaintances with famous people, had lied egregiously to his family about his past and accomplishments. Growing up with her two younger sisters and parents first in California, then in Bronxville, N.Y., the author records signs along the way that her father, a professor of economics with a volatile temperament and autocratic manner, was hiding something, from his inexplicable trips out of town, increasing paranoid isolation, early name change from Schmidt to Sandell, to massive credit-card fraud. Interviewing her father for her first magazine article, the author resolved to check his sources and even flew later to confront his past in Argentina, only to discover the truth. Feeling betrayed, guilty for exposing him and mistrustful in her relationships with men, Sandell numbed herself by abusing Ambien and alcohol. Her depiction of her rehab adventure is rather pat and tidy, and she does not address the notion that her own creativity might have sprung from her father's very duplicity. However, Sandell's method of storytelling is marvelously unique and will surely spark imitators. (July)
Monday, May 18, 2009
Practice and All is Coming
Now that it has been announced elsewhere, I feel okay announcing it here.
My brother sent an email from India early this morning telling us that Guruji had just passed away. Pattabhi Jois (aka Guruji) was the modern founder of Ashtanga Yoga, and my brother's mentor, guide and guru. He was an extended member of my family; we've known him now for a bit over twenty years. He lived a long (he was 93), well-celebrated life and while it's a very sad day for the yoga community, my heart and thoughts are with his daughter Saraswathi, his son Manju, his grandson Sharath, and my brother Eddie, my sister in law Jocelyne and my niece, Lili.
Saturday, May 16, 2009
Lord have Jesus, I love Jonathan Caouette.
In a preposterous sprint to rebook what was to be SCIENCE NIGHT on June 3rd, I've been reaching out to people who might fit the theme: IDEAS & INVENTIONS. In Lisa Randall (the theoretical physicist who was to be the science part of science night) and Adam Gopnik's (the author in conversation with the scientist) place, I've booked Samantha Hunt who will read via Satellite from London, where if all goes well, she will win the Orange Prize that same evening and Steven Johnson, The Invention of Air.
I reached out to John Cameron Mitchell who can't participate because he will be entrenched in his first week of shooting, but he suggested Jonathan Caouette who made Tarnation, a film that I can very accurately claim as a favorite of mine. I reached out to Caouette and his enthusiasm for the event got me so excited it took most of this week to contain myself. Sadly, he discovered (and upon discovering used the best phrase ever, "Lord have Jesus,") that he needs to be in Texas on June 3rd. Ted Hope sent me to Darren Aronofsky who was also interested in the event, but is too slammed that week. And now, I've reached out to the installation artist Sarah Sze (who I was friends with at camp when I was a kid).
In all this reaching out, I began to realize that the purpose behind Ideas & Invention night is for each participant to expose a part of their brain and align it with their innate drive in order to verbally illustrate what sets them apart from their peers. But, I think I already know what sets them apart from their peers. It's bravery.
I can't stop thinking about Jonathan Caouette and his film Tarnation. If you haven't seen it, I urge you to rent it. No, scratch that, you should own it. It's not only an innovative film (he made it using imovie), in terms of cost and tools, but because the narrative, and the foundation that holds that narrative, is made from something often missing in contemporary art and literature: honesty. And it's that honesty that makes it so brutal.
A lot of people hide behind their persona in their daily life (uh - me!), which, quite frankly, I think is okay and somewhat healthy (to a point). What's not okay is to hide behind a persona in your work, unless that persona is in intentional service to a larger purpose in which contains truth.
Caouette should serve as a model for those afraid to feel.
I reached out to John Cameron Mitchell who can't participate because he will be entrenched in his first week of shooting, but he suggested Jonathan Caouette who made Tarnation, a film that I can very accurately claim as a favorite of mine. I reached out to Caouette and his enthusiasm for the event got me so excited it took most of this week to contain myself. Sadly, he discovered (and upon discovering used the best phrase ever, "Lord have Jesus,") that he needs to be in Texas on June 3rd. Ted Hope sent me to Darren Aronofsky who was also interested in the event, but is too slammed that week. And now, I've reached out to the installation artist Sarah Sze (who I was friends with at camp when I was a kid).
In all this reaching out, I began to realize that the purpose behind Ideas & Invention night is for each participant to expose a part of their brain and align it with their innate drive in order to verbally illustrate what sets them apart from their peers. But, I think I already know what sets them apart from their peers. It's bravery.
I can't stop thinking about Jonathan Caouette and his film Tarnation. If you haven't seen it, I urge you to rent it. No, scratch that, you should own it. It's not only an innovative film (he made it using imovie), in terms of cost and tools, but because the narrative, and the foundation that holds that narrative, is made from something often missing in contemporary art and literature: honesty. And it's that honesty that makes it so brutal.
A lot of people hide behind their persona in their daily life (uh - me!), which, quite frankly, I think is okay and somewhat healthy (to a point). What's not okay is to hide behind a persona in your work, unless that persona is in intentional service to a larger purpose in which contains truth.
Caouette should serve as a model for those afraid to feel.
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Catskill Studio for Writing!!
MY FRIENDS DO THE MOST AWESOMEST THINGS!
Look here!!
HUDSON VALLEY, NEW YORK: A WEEK OF FICTION writing in an informal salon-style atmosphere — read, write & workshop at the foothills of the Catskill Mountains and along the Hudson River - Spend time with the visiting literary luminaries, including Emily Barton & Joshua Ferris— Feed your imagination with bucolic settings, daily writing exercises, intensive workshops, story consultations, fantastic family-style meals & nightly guest readings.
Days begin with a freshly baked breakfast & a group writing exercise.
A daily fiction workshop led by Nelly Reifler, Thisbe Nissen & Jay Baron Nicorvo. Casual lunches following workshop—grab a sandwich to take on an excursion to the Saugerties Lighthouse, Kaaterskill Falls, up Lookout Mountain, to the stone quarry sculpture of Opus 40, the local horse shows...
Spend afternoons in the garden, swimming in the Plattekill, writing on the porch or looking out over the Hudson River, exploring the Saugerties/Woodstock area. Reconvene in early evening for cocktails, followed by a capital dinner, featuring local & homegrown foods, cooked by Chef Jonathan Dixon.
A special guest fiction writer will join us each evening for dinner & a reading.
$500 PER PERSON, with three square meals a day. Lodging isn't included, but delightfully rustic & extremely affordable kamping kabins have been reserved at the nearby Koa. There are also local hotels, motels & B&Bs. For more information & application form, go to
CATSKILLSTUDIOFORWRITING.BLOGSPOT.COM
Look here!!
HUDSON VALLEY, NEW YORK: A WEEK OF FICTION writing in an informal salon-style atmosphere — read, write & workshop at the foothills of the Catskill Mountains and along the Hudson River - Spend time with the visiting literary luminaries, including Emily Barton & Joshua Ferris— Feed your imagination with bucolic settings, daily writing exercises, intensive workshops, story consultations, fantastic family-style meals & nightly guest readings.
Days begin with a freshly baked breakfast & a group writing exercise.
A daily fiction workshop led by Nelly Reifler, Thisbe Nissen & Jay Baron Nicorvo. Casual lunches following workshop—grab a sandwich to take on an excursion to the Saugerties Lighthouse, Kaaterskill Falls, up Lookout Mountain, to the stone quarry sculpture of Opus 40, the local horse shows...
Spend afternoons in the garden, swimming in the Plattekill, writing on the porch or looking out over the Hudson River, exploring the Saugerties/Woodstock area. Reconvene in early evening for cocktails, followed by a capital dinner, featuring local & homegrown foods, cooked by Chef Jonathan Dixon.
A special guest fiction writer will join us each evening for dinner & a reading.
$500 PER PERSON, with three square meals a day. Lodging isn't included, but delightfully rustic & extremely affordable kamping kabins have been reserved at the nearby Koa. There are also local hotels, motels & B&Bs. For more information & application form, go to
CATSKILLSTUDIOFORWRITING.BLOGSPOT.COM
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
We're transatlantic, baby!
Simon Reynolds of the UK Guardian writes up the Vampire Weekend event. In it, I discovered that Agyness Deyn was there. Craziness.
How Vampire Weekend fans help 'write' the songs
By Simon Reynolds
The other night I went to see Vampire Weekend participate in a series of New York literary/music events called Happy Ending. Taking a break from recording their second album, the band played two micro-sets of three songs each (frustratingly not including any of their work-in-progress), which bookended readings by three young cult novelists: Wells Tower, John Wray and Arthur Philips. It would be an exaggeration to describe the event as star-studded, but Zadie Smith was standing right next to us, the model Agyness Deyn kept sauntering past, and during their second set Vampire frontman Ezra Koenig gave a shout-out to movie director Ed Burns. Mostly, though, the place – Joe's Pub in the East Village – seemed crammed with young literati and publishing people.
Read the rest of the article here...
How Vampire Weekend fans help 'write' the songs
By Simon Reynolds
The other night I went to see Vampire Weekend participate in a series of New York literary/music events called Happy Ending. Taking a break from recording their second album, the band played two micro-sets of three songs each (frustratingly not including any of their work-in-progress), which bookended readings by three young cult novelists: Wells Tower, John Wray and Arthur Philips. It would be an exaggeration to describe the event as star-studded, but Zadie Smith was standing right next to us, the model Agyness Deyn kept sauntering past, and during their second set Vampire frontman Ezra Koenig gave a shout-out to movie director Ed Burns. Mostly, though, the place – Joe's Pub in the East Village – seemed crammed with young literati and publishing people.
Read the rest of the article here...
Monday, May 11, 2009
We've been Page-Sixed!
Funny that Jack Pendarvis should bring up Louella Parsons the other day, and then I sauced back with my Cindy Adams line because...We've been Page-Sixed. While, the series didn't get mentioned by name, we know who the hell they're talking about. We're all waiting with stale breath for Michiko's response to John Wray's ink job....
HOMAGE IN INK
May 11, 2009 --
AUTHOR John Wray had the Joe's Pub audience howling the other night at his reading of his novel "Low Boy." When Wray was finished, he pulled up his shirt to reveal a giant magic marker tattoo of the face of caustic New York Times book critic Michiko Kakutani. While Wray has received positive reviews from other critics, he has not yet been deemed important enough to warrant the attention of Kakutani.
HOMAGE IN INK
May 11, 2009 --
AUTHOR John Wray had the Joe's Pub audience howling the other night at his reading of his novel "Low Boy." When Wray was finished, he pulled up his shirt to reveal a giant magic marker tattoo of the face of caustic New York Times book critic Michiko Kakutani. While Wray has received positive reviews from other critics, he has not yet been deemed important enough to warrant the attention of Kakutani.
Sunday, May 10, 2009
I'd be my honor to be your stepfather.
From the folks who brought you "Dick in a Box," comes, "Mother Lover."
Oh, why the hell not. It IS my favorite song..
Oh, why the hell not. It IS my favorite song..
What We Talk About When We Talk About Gossip.
Jack Pendarvis thinks I'm the Louella Parsons of the 21st Century. If that's so, who's my Hedda Hopper? Cindy Adams?
The Bitter Feud Between Louella Parsons and Hedda Hopper (some good stuff, here).
VERSUS
OR
VERSUS
The Bitter Feud Between Louella Parsons and Hedda Hopper (some good stuff, here).
VERSUS
OR
VERSUS
Thursday, May 07, 2009
Un-embeddable
There's a video from last night that Jason Boog over at Galleycat shot. You can see it here. I tried to embed it, and poor Jason even tried to help me, but it was all for naught.
Alas.
Last night was excellent. Thank you to everyone who came out and have taken the time today to write about it, blog about it, and post your videos. Thanks also for the many emails. You have my endless gratitude and appreciation.
Now it is time to celebrate Ayelet Waldman, so off I go.
Alas.
Last night was excellent. Thank you to everyone who came out and have taken the time today to write about it, blog about it, and post your videos. Thanks also for the many emails. You have my endless gratitude and appreciation.
Now it is time to celebrate Ayelet Waldman, so off I go.
Monday, May 04, 2009
I Bet You Thought My Essay Was About You.
THIS JUST IN FROM PUBLISHERS WEEKLY:
Love Is a Four-Letter Word: True Stories of Breakups, Bad Relationships, and Broken Hearts Edited by Michael Taeckens. Plume, $16 paper (320p) ISBN 978-0-452-29550-6
Breakups are hard to forget, and this collection—surprisingly restrained yet full of emotion—is equally memorable. Patty Van Norman's two-frame graphic story “Dear Ugly, Dear Fatso” (other graphic entries are from Lynda Barry and Emily Flake) resonates like a quick punch to the solar plexus. Josh Kilmer-Purcell writes of the lover who could only perform with Wonder Woman on the television. George Singleton urinates a bellyful of beer into his ex's kitty litter box. Maud Newton tells of a sex- and rage-filled relationship, wondering: “was he the abusive one, or was I?” Taeckens, publicity director at Algonquin Books, anthologizes modern heartbreak in stories replete with contemporary commentaries (e.g., using Match.com to express a new relationship status). In a book full of hits, Amanda Stern's “Scout's Honor,” about camping in the Washington Cascades, stands out. The collection's material could make one feel a bit voyeuristic, but throughout this tender book one instead feels like a privileged confidant. (July 28)
Sunday, May 03, 2009
Etan Patz
I wrote about this case for the New York Times' "Lives Page," a few years back. It changed my entire childhood, confirmed my worst fears about what could happen when you left your mom's side, something I struggled with, daily. There's a long piece about it in the NY Post today. Here are both pieces.
SEEING ETAN, NYT's 12/30/2001
by Amanda Stern
They say he's finally dead now. Etan Patz was 6 when he vanished on his way to school one morning in 1979. He was never seen again, and recently the courts declared him dead. I have spent the past 22 years convinced I would bring him home. Read the rest of my piece, here.
Here's today's piece from the New York Post.
CHILDHOOD'S END, NYP
by Ginger Adams Otis
Thirty years ago this month, six-year-old Etan Patz ran down the three flights from his SoHo loft, kissed his mother goodbye, dashed out his front door to head west on Prince Street, vanished somewhere on the next block as he approached West Broadway, and changed New York City forever. READ THE REST HERE...
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