New Yorker magazine alert thread

Thought the Rushdie piece was excellent, and I understand the impulse to write it in the 3rd person: both as a process, in order to step out from under that kind of shadow and describe it with any kind of objectivity; and as a kind of compensatory measure — he justifiably wants to sever the "I" from this story, to be regarded more for his work than his face/notoriety.

Also thought it was a good narrative strategy that dovetailed neatly w/ the historical sections....

ugh i couldn't read the gladwell thing about pedophiles, not even because of ugh gladwell, but it was just too disturbing and gross, it basically read like "how to be a pedophile"

good pieces this week: surprisingly touching profile of joe girardi, interesting piece about the first political consulting firm

really wish the contents flap on the front of the magazine read MALCOLM GLADWELL how to be a paedophile

yeah that article was really disturbing. could possibly do some good, though (or lead to more witchhunts).

My first fear was that Gladwell would have some sort of gimmick insight to offer on the subject. Which he didn't. But there were paragraphs in there that made my whole body cringe (b/c of the details).

i look forward to him including that article in his next book of mind-blowing essays for business-types

mind-blowing essays for child-molesters

mindful essays for child-blo[REDACTED]

from the author of BLINK and OUTLIERS: CREEPY GIGGLE

http://deadspin.com/5944033/malcolm-gladwell-turns-jerry-sandusky-into-a-parable-by-leaving-out-some-facts?post=52780804

confidential informants article, so sad. the details about the parents' new routines.

Just getting around to Kolbert's article on Neanderthals, really good. This was a startling detail, though:

While I was in Leipzig, I watched a graduate student cut the heads off some of the altered mice and then slice up their brains, like radishes.

yeah i love that article. the part about the desire to raft into uncharted territory separating neanderthal from man.

you are v far behind w/your stack of nyers, though.

this is now my favorite new yorker cartoon of all time:

http://i45.tinypic.com/1q4jdu.jpg

i liked the one with the political candidate kissing a baby while it was breastfeeding. i chortled a little at that one.

it was good anyway (i love that he's brought his stick into the room. it adds another layer to the whole ridiculous situation, which is that he's still playing childish games while his wife is moving on to having sex with...uh...humans), but the fact that the man's arm resembles a deer leg takes it to a new level.

the stick is such a nice touch

this is now my favorite new yorker cartoon of all time:

http://i45.tinypic.com/1q4jdu.jpg

― Thanks WEBSITE!! (Z S), Friday, September 21, 2012 5:39 PM (2 hours ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

omg

What issue was the Kolbert neanderthal thing in? I feel like I missed that.

it was approx one zillion new yorker years ago

http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2011/08/15/110815fa_fact_kolbert

i also like that neither the poodle or the deer-man look ashamed or startled at all. they're just like "fuck yeah we're having sex now, go play with your stick and get lost!"

prelude to a threesome

damn, this gonorrhea article is really dispiriting. I hate to think we are approaching a time where condoms for oral sex are gonna need to be the way of the world.

compelling reasons to skip articles

(not really)

(i am sexually responsible)

I totally laughed at the snake/cell phone gag.

http://imgc.allpostersimages.com/images/P-473-488-90/65/6561/WLD2100Z/posters/ariel-molvig-o-k-now-do-you-see-a-giant-snake-i-m-inside-the-snake-new-yorker-cartoon.jpg

haha

biden-as-server is good

roz chast is awful

I like the "My wife! My best friend!" cartoon very much, but I think of it as an extremely funny twist (the stick! Poor doggie!) on a fairly common joke among couples where the pets are allowed in the bedroom. I know I've yelled it at napping wife and cat enough times that they both hate me.

i will admit that i laughed at the biden-as-waiter shouts and murmurs.

it was a really good shouts and murmurs!

Haven't read it yet, but imo Biden is always comedy gold.

wait, in the new one? my subscription just lapsed, and i'm waiting for my resubscription issues to arrive. are you telling me that in the ONE issue of the new yorker that i've missed in the last 6-7 years, there's FINALLY a shouts and murmurs??!!?

WTF

sorry, finally a FUNNY shouts and murmurs??!?!

http://www.newyorker.com/humor/2012/10/01/121001sh_shouts_barol

It’s the special. It’s the special.

Anybody read the review of the Seward bio? Good fun -- a great character.

i really liked the piece about Campaign, Inc

i did! have been wanting to read a seward bio for some time -- he's my favorite character in vidal's 'lincoln.'

any thoughts on the jk rowling profile?

yeah, mine too; I wish Vidal had written a Johnson-era nouvelle in which Seward stars.

the rowling profile was really needlessly bitchy i thought

or not 'needlessly' -- fine to dislike rowling but came across as personal and mean rather than convincing. i felt like given the material it couldve been a lot more subtle

yes, i agree -- there's something slightly chilly and withheld about rowling's public persona which could have made for a really interesting profile but the writer just seemed interested in making her look as unpleasant as possible.

didn't really get that feel--except for the "she asked for quote approval--we said no" thing. how was the writer making her look "as unpleasant as possible" by trying to find the good things in her new novel?

ha thats exactly it though, the kind of grudging "well if i look hard maybe theres something of value in this" tone

I had forgotten how much I like Tony Earley's prose; I gotta get the new collection based on this Jack and the Mad Dog story in this ish.

Roz Chast's cover for Sept. 24 is the worst NYer cover I've ever seen.