Martin Lemelman lived every child’s dream. He grew up in the back of a candy store. His experience wasn’t all egg creams and lollipops though. The rough neighborhood of Brownsville in Brooklyn, NY, where he was raised, was in decline. Luckily, his life was populated with colorful neighbors and family who…
Punk rock auteur and zinester legend Erick Lyle focused most of his last book for Microcosm Publishing, On the Lower Frequencies, on his then-adopted hometown of San Francisco. Part investigative journalism, academic research, first-person narration, and oral history, the slim but thorough volume wove together radical action in San Francisco’s…
Art books tend to be heavy both in weight and in visual content. They’re often expensive and show work by artists you’ll never meet, ever. Then there’s those by [Name] Publications, which feature Miami artists such as Daniel Newman and Beatriz Monteavaro. They may still be heavier than your average…
“There once was a man from Nantucket, with” … a few more words and we’d qualify for the O, Miami’s Poet Census. The inaugural poetry festival, which begins this April, wants to do a head count of all the poets living in Miami-Dade. Founder P. Scott Cunningham, a former New…
When it was announced a few week that none other than Tom Waits would be collaborating with the University of Texas press to publish a collection of Waits’s poetry on hobos (Hard Ground), the typical response was “Oh, of course Tom Waits is publishing hobo poetry. What else would he…
Still reeling from the celebrity parade at last week’s Miami Book Fair? Having Bush, Meghan McCain, John Waters, Patti Smith, etc. in town really got us jones’n for more literature about how the famous half lives. And there’s no need to wait until Miami Dade College organizes another fair 12…
Photo by Conrad VenturWhat happens when you get three funny ladies in the same room? Knock-knock joke about kittens, tampons, and feelings? Nah, more like Julie Klausner, Julie Klam, and Sascha Rothchild — three writers of the XX chromosome who gave an audience a complete core workout (suck on that,…
On Saturday morning at Miami Dade College, author Dave Eggers told a packed room that Miami Book Fair International was “the one festival nobody says no to.” He then added, mostly because of the weather. Though Eggers had a short time in the spotlight at the festival, he managed to…
Miami is a big event town. And there’s no doubt, the Miami Book Fair International is a big event. So you can expect a big turnout this weekend. And that’s cool (the world could stand to pick up a couple million readers). Still, if you’re looking for some events within…
Dan Archer, creator of archcomix.com and one of 250 authors attending the Miami Book Fair, has been published in the Huffington Post, The Guardian, Wired Magazine, and many other international publications. Currently, co-teaching the Graphic Novel Project within Stanford’s Creative Writing Department, he holds Bachelors and Masters degrees in French/Spanish…
Chip Kidd is probably the coolest cat whose name you don’t know. Both author and graphic designer, Kidd takes turns using words and images to create unforgettable landscapes. As a book cover designer, he designs the covers for the works of David Sedaris, Raymond Chandler, Gore Vidal, and Michael Crichton…
You’d think that the sort of mind capable of conceiving a lovable serial killer would be warped beyond human recognition. Seriously, as much as we may be in awe of, say, Hannibal Lecter’s IQ, we wouldn’t exactly invite him over for dinner. Dexter, on the other hand, we’d invite him…
In a world drowning in footage of Britney Spears’ meltdowns, blogrolls of Tiger Woods’ mistresses and fawning Brangelina features, how does a writer contrive to say anything new about celebrity in America?Simple! If you’re proud Miami New Times alum Ben Greenman — now an acclaimed author and editor at The…
What’s the difference between the bad taste of say the Jersey Shore variety and the bad taste of John Waters? “You have to have good taste to have bad taste. You have to know which rules to break,” Waters explained last night at his Miami Book Fair appearance. The legendary…
Anybody who’s ever tried to write anything beyond a grocery list (sometimes even that can be a challenge) can relate to the difficulties in filling the blank page. It is a daunting task. When the Miami Book Fair International rolls into town, the feelings of ineptitude, multiply. How do all…
In 2001, Chenjerai Hove was driven out of his homeland, Zimbabwe, after years of persecution by Robert Mugabe’s government. Hove drew Mugabe’s ire with plays like Sister Sing Again Someday about the plight of Zimbabwean women, leading his to home being burglarized, his works stolen and his movements placed under…
Over the past twenty five years Susan Cheever has written brazenly honest biographies and memoirs, ranging in subjects from her own struggles with alcoholism, sex addiction, and motherhood to her father, famed author John Cheever. Her most recent book, Louisa May Alcott: A Personal Biography delves into the life of…
Biographer Ron Chernow has risen to prominence due to his entertaining, all encompassing exploration of historical figures like John D. Rockefeller and Alexander Hamilton, both of which racked up book prizes and year-end ‘best of’ spots. His most recent book, Washington: A Life is billed as the first definitive cradle-to-grave…
Comedy writer and former Upright Citizens Brigade member, Julie Klausner has news from the frontlines – of shitty relationships. Like most of us, she spent her twenties ricocheting from douchebag to douchebag, and she reveals every crappy moment in her dating memoir I Don’t Care About Your Band: What I…
How do you beat writer’s block? Do you thrash your head against the wall? Down a fifth of Jack and start muttering atonal Bob Dylan songs? Do you give up and start selling insurance? Next time a blank page inspires a panic attack, try doodling. That’s the advice of famed…
Ian Frazier’s storytelling is without pretense, making it easy to absorb. It is truthful and informative, making it a learning experience. Finally, it is engaging and thoughtful, making it addictive. If you’re a fan of The New Yorker or of travel writing in general, you should be familiar with Frazier’s…
After Eva Talmadge told us about her blog-book deal on literary tattoos (that was actually more book-deal to blog), we wondered what other web logs have recently landed book advances. (We’re just thinking out-loud here, bosses. Plus, everyone knows there’s no real money in books anymore.)Everyone surely remembers the success…
