The Yellow Scarlet Letter: True Detective’s Finale

Rust Cohle has a cross up in his room. He tells his partner, Hart, that this is merely in order to perform a meditation exercise, in which he endures the thought of all… Continue reading →

The Best of 2013

Oh yes. It’s that time again, and the gloves are off, and the wisdom teeth are out. First up, some epigraphs. Most people who survive a devastating disaster want the opposite of a… Continue reading →

On writing essays, in college: An open letter to Rebecca Schuman

You say you mean well You don’t know what you mean You fucking oughta stay the hell Away from things you know nothing about -Elliott Smith I had no idea I’d be writing… Continue reading →

Close Reading

In transitioning from teaching university courses to teaching high school, I have of course thought a lot about “close reading,” as it’s called, and why it’s such an important thing. After all, it’s… Continue reading →

yeshe chölwa

At theology camp, it was important to seem busy, so we were — the days were just packed. We would have breakfast at seven, woken up by reggae versions of non-reggae songs. Breakfast… Continue reading →

as a matter of fact it’s all dark: cyberpunk, language, and the two worlds

Emma Becciu, one of the most gifted interpreters I’ve ever known, has begun a language & translation blog. A lot of it is in Italian; if you can’t read that, turn on Chrome’s… Continue reading →

in case of emergency

(SCENE. Kugelmass and Nicholas Bourbaki are chatting via Skype. To Kugelmass’s right is a small, unkempt mattress, strewn with gummi bears and Walter Benjamin essay collections. To his left is a painting that… Continue reading →

Yes, We (Shere) Khan: The Life of Pi, A Film About The Simple Bare Necessities

First, you have to watch this short video. Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. –Matthew 7:15 Why should you run? Can it… Continue reading →

the minor fall and the major lift, part one: on mozart

Note to the reader: the two performances above are both excellent realizations of Mozart’s musical ideas, even though, in both videos, the performers look totally ridiculous. I mean, just so bad. Like Monty… Continue reading →

On the unbearably important writing of Milan Kundera

I have known all these situations, I have experienced them myself, yet none of them has given rise to the person my curriculum vitae and I represent. The characters in my novels are… Continue reading →