Monthly Archives: February 2009

Starting Today, You Can Enjoy The New Yorker on Your Kindle

Martin Schneider writes:
Jeff Bezos of Amazon unveiled the Kindle 2 today; apparently it represents a significant upgrade.
Also released today is the Kindle version of The New Yorker. Starting now, for $2.99 a month, you will get your New Yorker subscription on your Kindle. How does it get there? “Free wireless delivery via Amazon Whispernet.” (Amazon Whispernet—doesn’t that sound like something Tarzan might have to free himself from?)
Amazon user “Dick Diver” approves: “I’ve been waiting for this now for over a year.” He’s hoping that more magazines are on the way.

Book Giveaway: Daniyal Mueenuddin’s “In Other Rooms, Other Wonders”

Martin Schneider writes:
Emdashes is pleased to be hosting a book giveaway this week, for In Other Rooms, Other Wonders, Daniyal Mueenuddin’s first collection of short stories, which is being released today. Mueenuddin has had three stories in The New Yorker over the last two years, and there’s every reason to think that he will be a writer to watch for some time to come. As an example, here’s Publishers Weekly‘s review of the book:

In eight beautifully crafted, interconnected stories, Mueenuddin explores the cutthroat feudal society in which a rich Lahore landowner is entrenched. A complicated network of patronage undergirds the micro-society of servants, families and opportunists surrounding wealthy patron K.K. Harouni. In “Nawabdin Electrician,” Harouni’s indispensable electrician, Nawab, excels at his work and at home, raising 12 daughters and one son by virtue of his cunning and ingenuity-qualities that allow him to triumph over entrenched poverty and outlive a robber bent on stealing his livelihood. Women are especially vulnerable without the protection of family and marriage ties, as the protagonist of “Saleema” learns: a maid in the Harouni mansion who cultivates a love affair with an older servant, Saleema is left with a baby and without recourse when he must honor his first family and renounce her. Similarly, the women who become lovers of powerful men, as in the title story and in “Provide, Provide,” fall into disgrace and poverty with the death of their patrons. An elegant stylist with a light touch, Mueenuddin invites the reader to a richly human, wondrous experience.

Here are the rules: Drop us an email, subject line “NAWABDIN ELECTRICIAN” and please include your name and full mailing address. We’ll take all entries until 8:00 pm EST on Friday, February 13, and then the Random Number Generator will make its merciless decision. And good luck to all entrants!

Boffo Barthelme Bio

Benjamin Chambers writes:
Tracy Daugherty (who published the story, “Low Rider,” in The New Yorker in 1987), has just come out with Hiding Man, the first biography of long-time TNY contributor Donald Barthelme. Good reviews so far (here’s another), in particular for putting Barthelme’s work in context and establishing that his dense, allusive stories were anything but random.

Art for Cats: Bid On Original Art, Save a Cat

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_Pollux writes_:
Help homeless cats and kittens by participating in a “a new online auction on Facebook.”:http://www.facebook.com/pages/Art-for-cats/46704559142 The opportunity is irresistible: you can bid on original art pieces by top _New Yorker_ cartoonists and illustrators such as Victoria Roberts, Roz Chast, Danny Shanahan, Liza Donnelly, Sam Gross, Mark Ulriksen, and George Booth!
Inspired by the efforts of cat rescuer Kathleen Goward, the auction is the brainchild of Kathy Osborn, who persuaded these artists to contribute. It was set up on Facebook thanks to the tireless efforts of Alexander Knowlton.
The auction allows you to see the gallery without joining the group, and you can also become a fan to view the auction close dates. Most of the art pieces start at $100 or less. We here at Emdashes love win-win situations, especially when it comes to original _New Yorker_ artwork and saving the lives of animals.

Surowiecki Appearance on The Colbert Report: A Palpable Hit

Martin Schneider writes:
Last night, I was pondering something Emdashes-related with a TV on nearby and was suddenly confronted with the visage of James Surowiecki on The Colbert Report (start 8:25, end 11:17).
It’s wonderful to hear the Keynesian Surowiecki of recent “Financial Page” columns and “Balance Sheet” posts get an airing on national TV. (Unsurprisingly, it takes a comedy show to put a guy like Surowiecki on.) Note that Colbert plays fair: nary a syllable of derision in naming his employer—regrettably rare! The joke involves him being knowledgeable, not “hoity-toity.”
Surowiecki advocates dropping money from a helicopter (not as a preference to Obama’s agenda) and leasing Yellowstone Park to the Canadians and all-around makes a great impression. Congratulations, James!

Welcome to Lisa Hughes, New Publisher of The New Yorker

Emily Gordon writes:
From the New York Observer, masthead (or at least ownership statement) news:

The New Yorker’s publisher Drew Schutte is leaving the magazine to become the senior vice president and chief revenue officer of Condé Nast’s newly consolidated internet group, Condé Nast Digital.

Meanwhile, Lisa Hughes has been named the new publisher of the magazine, which makes her the third one that David Remnick will work with in the decade-plus he’s been The New Yorker‘s top editor. Ms. Hughes has been the publisher of Condé Nast Traveler since 1995, a 14-year span regarded as an eternity in publishing circles. A source tells us, "She’s tough, smart, but this will be a really big test for her."
Here’s the full release:

(Continue reading.)

Warm wishes and best of luck to Mr. Schutte (pictured here with “a reporter,” as they say in Talk of the Town), and we send Ms. Hughes good vibes as she takes on a tough role. (We know a little about these challenges, as companies like to say, as the editor of a magazine called Print.) Here’s to a prosperous and enjoyable career at The New Yorker.