David Markson, R.I.P.
Today’s news spans the genre bridge from postmodern fiction to Twilight (yes, it is now its own genre), with a little summer reading thrown in for fun.
- First, some sad news–David Markson, the postmodern author of Wittgenstein’s Mistress and This is Not a Novel, has died at the age of 82. Markson was not widely known, but his innovative work earned him devoted followers, including Ann Beattie and David Foster Wallace. The Elegant Variation‘s Mark Vargas was a fan, and he mentions some of his personal favorites in a tribute to the late author. Jacket Copy also discusses Markson’s work and the role he played in postmodern literature.
- As a precursor to this weekend’s “Summer Reading” extravaganza, the New York Times Book Review asked eight authors to discuss summer vacation books that meant something to them. Specifically, the authors (including Elizabeth Gilbert, Dave Eggers, and Maile Meloy) talk about books they’ve happily stumbled upon while searching hotels and rental units for something–anything!–to read. So if you get to page 20 of your vacation book only to discover it’s a dud, follow Eggers’ lead and peruse the tattered paperbacks others left behind.
- Yesterday, Jacket Copy expressed the question on many Twilight fans’ minds: “Why did Stephenie Meyer write Bree Tanner?“ The novella, The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner, came out this weekend and gives a vampire’s account of the events in Eclipse. Meyer describes Bree as “a ‘real’ vampire — a hunter, a monster,” but critics claim Meyer should stick with nice vampires that readers can relate to. As the Guardian laments, “We’re promised a wild, amoral, bloodthirsty teen protagonist, but what we get is Bree.” If you’re still curious, however, you can read the book free online through July 5th.
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