Recommended

Deerhunter: Microcastle and Weird Era Cont. Music
Deerhunter: Microcastle and Weird Era Cont.
Should have done a best of the year music thing on Fanzine like everyone else, but personally speaking, have been busy with a transition, moving (back to) to Atlanta. Speaking of the ATL, it's been many years and the musical landscape has changed, the one constancy being that the scene here never fails to impress. Currently Deerhunter is leading a certain facet of the pack (hell they've probably already moved to New York now as I write this).  In any case, 2008 saw two lovely, blurred tempo releases - Weird Era Cont. and Microcastle-CM

Trinie Dalton et al: MYTHTYM Book
Trinie Dalton et al: MYTHTYM
A new collection drawing from Trinie Dalton’s theme based zines about Unicorns, Werewolves, and the natural world in a beautiful collection from Picturebox. Contributors include: Aurel Schmidt, Folkert De Jong, Takeshi Murata, Jim Drain, Andrew Leland, Aura Rosenberg, Sue De Beer, Leif Goldberg, Matt Greene, Francine Spiegel, Derek McCormack, Jesse Bransford, Shamim Momin, Amy Gerstler, assume vivid astro focus, David Altmejd, Sammy Harkham, Rachel Kushner, Marnie Weber, Bjorn Copeland, and Paper Rad. Also see Trinie’s new story up at Joyland. Oh and come to the launch party in NYC, December 12th!

Events

Tuesday, January 6, 09

Blog

Wednesday, Jan. 7

Ron Asheton Found Dead

Friday, Dec. 26

Our New Mascot

Wednesday, Dec. 17

Nevermind the Shopocalypse

Saturday, Dec. 13

Dennis Cooper & Gisèle Vienne on Bookworm

more news...

Books

2666 by Roberto Bolano: a review

Andy Beta

12.26.08

Roberto Bolaño, Chile's own prodigal poet has been getting an expansive amount of respect since his novels began being translated into English over a year ago.  Bolaño, the longtime junky and self-affirmed outsider, passed away from liver failure in 2003; but we now fortunately have the translation of his last great unfinished novel, 2666, a sprawling, beefy, gruesome and enigmatic hunk of prognostication for where mankind may soon be headed.  Best read of 2008?  You decide. Review by Andy Beta.

Film

Holiday with Preston Sturges

Jason Jude Chan

12.23.08

This holiday season forget about George Seaton and a Miracle on 34th or Frank Capra and his Wonderful Life; for a change of pace, if you happen to be in New York City, come down to Film Forum for an homage to one of Hollywood’s greatest, Preston Sturges, the writer and director of Christmas in July and many other brilliant screwball comedies. The festival “Essential Sturges” runs from Christmas Eve through New Years day. Jason Jude Chan previews.

Columns

Talk Show 20: with Will Allison, Rebecca Donner, Ron McLarty, & Ben Schrank

Jaime Clarke

12.22.08

Well here's a stocking stuffer for everyone, Talk Show 20, a nice round milestone for us here at Fanzine.  In this episode host Jaime Clarke get authors Will Allison, Rebecca Donner, Ron McLarty, & Ben Schrank to spill the beans on their most embarrasing moments.  The truths uncovered aren't just pissing in the wind. Art by Danny Jock.

Film

Frost/Nixon: in review

Adam Underhill

12.21.08

If you are too young to know which came first, Deep Throat or “Deep Throat,” now is a good time to wiki some history on the presidential scandal known as Watergate. These days there will certainly be plenty to read about, as infamous informer Mark “Deep Throat” Felt has passed away just days before Ron Howard’s Frost/Nixon sees its nationwide theatrical release on December 25th. There have been other notable films on Richard Nixon, but Howard’s is different as it catches the man post-presidency, trying to secure his legacy against the reportage of David Friost, a rival in some ways as complex as Nixon himself.  Adam Underhill reviews.

Poetry

Lucifer Poetics: The State of NC part 2

Brian Howe

12.09.08

Thom Donovan's survey of poetry communities continues... A few months back, poet Brian Howe introduced to us a selection of fellow poets that hail from, reside in or are tied to North Carolina in one way or another. Now we get to hear them in their own words. Included here are Chris Vitiello, David Need, Dianne Timblin, Joseph Donahue, kathryn l. pringle, Ken Rumble, Magdalena Zurawski, Patrick Herron, Rodrigo Garcia Lopes, Tanya Olson, Tessa Joseph Nicholas, and Tony Tost. Brian Howe returns to write the intro for this hell of a collection from the Lucifer Poetics group. Take your time with it and enjoy.

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Books

Digging for Dirt: The Life and Death of ODB

Michael Louie

11.25.08

We all miss Big Baby Jesus, and no we ain't talking about that little December squirt of joy, hell it ain't even Thanksgiving yet. Y'all can start shopping on Friday. And if you do, pick up Jamie Lowe's new book, Digging for Dirt: The Life and Death of ODB (that's Ol' Dirty Bastard, R.I.P., of the Wu-Tang Clan), a biography that'll make a great stocking stuffer for anyone's grandma. Michael Louie reviews, while Mr. jock draws Mr. Dirt McGirt in kind.

Sport

All Hail Hull City

Pete Hausler

11.18.08

How hard can it be to find an English football jersey? Well harder than you think, Pete Hausler finds, especially when you are hunting for the gold and black of the Hull City Tigers, one of the year's great cinderella stories in all of sports. Art by Danny Jock

Columns

Talk Show 19 with David Ebershoff, Sheridan Hay, Amy MacKinnon, Kirsten Menger-Anderson & Roxana Robinson

Jaime Clarke

11.05.08

In this episode of Talk Show host Jaime Clarke talks to authors David Ebershoff, Sheridan Hay, Amy MacKinnon, Kirsten Menger-Anderson and Roxana Robinson on the subject of subjects - doubt - whether the printed book is “dead,” whether there’s an afterlife? a God? the validity of the effectiveness of disinfectant wipes and other would be illusions looming on the horizon. Art by Danny Jock.