I never thought we’d actually have to tell grownup authors not to stalk reviewers.— Megan Erickson (@MeganErickson_) October 18, 2014 This month has been an extra-special zenith for authors getting mad over negative reviews and online comments and behaving badly—although Kathleen Hale, who apparently resorted to stalking her online detractor, really takes the book-revenge cake. […]
Megan Burbank
Posted inBooks
Tonight: Leslie Jamison Reads About Faking Sick
Graywolf Press Leslie Jamison’s The Empathy Exams won this year’s Graywolf Press prize in nonfiction, and it’s so good it almost makes me forgive Graywolf for bankrolling* yet another dull James Franco “poetry” project. Tonight at 7 pm, Jamison is reading at Literary Arts (925 SW Washington) with music from Timmy Straw, as part of […]
Posted inBooks
Joan Didion’s Nephew to Make Documentary About Joan Didion
Queen of stark prose, noted snappy dresser, and Margot Tenenbaum haircut possessor Joan Didion might be getting a new title: DOCUMENTARY SUBJECT. But in true cold, Didion style, it looks like Didion’s story will be told in the uncritical, “Authorized Biography” style. The news came out yesterday at, appropriately, Vogue, where Didion started her career […]
Posted inBooks
Bad Medicine
Katha Pollitt Infiltrates the Anti-Abortion Movement
Katha Pollitt infiltrates the anti-abortion movement.
Posted inPortland
All Jane No Dick Closing Showcase: The Loopiest Sets They’ve Ever Done
Pat Moran IT COULD HAPPEN TO YOU: Aparna Nancherla shares the saddest ever Okcupid message. By the end of a festival like All Jane No Dick, many of the stand-ups have already performed their laughter-proven material, making the final performance a weird playground for trying out new bits on a captive audience, or, as Phoebe […]
Posted inBooks
Saturday at All Jane No Dick: Queer Zone and The Worst Books You’ll Ever Read
Pat Moran THE ACTUAL FUNNIEST DeAnne Smith. There’s only one day of All Jane No Dick left! How did that happen? For the past couple days, I’ve been ugly-laughing like a boss at jokes told by women and non-binary comedians. Yesterday’s Queer Zone showcase of LGBTQ performers at Alberta Street brought up my laughter quotient, […]
Posted inGirls Only!
All Jane No Dick, Day 2: All Beth Stelling’s Friends, Recaps From Brunch Enthusiasts
All Jane continued last night with Beth Stelling and Friends at Curious Comedy Theater, which brought together sets from Aparna Nancherla, Rye Silverman, Subhah Agarwal, Emily Maya Mills, Kelsie Huff, and Maggie May, with Mercury pal Bri Pruett MCing. Pat Moran captured these photos at the early show: Pat Moran Beth Stelling Pat Moran Maggie […]
Posted inGirls Only!
BRB, Laughing Forever: All Jane No Dick, Day 1
All Jane No Dick launched Wednesday, with a lineup of local all-stars at Helium and no evidence of MRA protesting. That show—which featured Kristine Levine and Kyle Mizono—was excellent, and the festival continued yesterday with more opportunities for your face to be pleasantly contorted by laughter. Yesterday night’s Phoebe Robinson, Kate Berlant, and Friends at […]
Posted inBooks
In Other Words Update: They Need $20k by November to Stay Open
Last week, beloved feminist bookstore In Other Words board member Madeline Jaross told the Oregonian that the nonprofit was struggling financially and might be closing at the end of February if the situation doesn’t improve. This week, In Other Words sent out an email announcing an IndieGoGo campaign to make up the funds they’d need […]
Posted inTheater & Performance
Steeped in Controversy
This Year’s All Jane No Dick Highlights
Our (now controversial!) picks for this year’s All Jane No Dick comedy fest.
Posted inBooks
You Don’t Have to Be Pinned Under a Boulder: A Conversation with Elissa Washuta
Elissa Washuta I reviewed Pacific Northwest writer Elissa Washuta’s memoir My Body is a Book of Rules this week, but there are many gems from our interview that had to be cut for space. Here are some of the things Washuta told me about using yourself as a nonfiction subject, writing advice from David Shields, […]