i can't really sing, so

+I am not a fan of Dave Eggers. What is the polar opposite of a fan? That is what I am. However, let it be known that I, Kimberly Southwick, an opposite-of-a-fan of Dave Eggers, enjoyed very much his short piece written for the New Yorker on the deaths of J.D. Salinger and Howard Zinn. -- http://bit.ly/cm2KKW +Stephen Colbert's "Salinger Watch" from August 2008. Needless to say, Salinger never appeared on the 'Colbert Report', however, the video is very funny. "Listen up, Salinger! No one stands me up!" And he calls him 'Jerome'. Must watch. -- http://bit.ly/9F4AsR +The Onion posted an Onion-esque blurb on the day of his death, which I found perfectly hilarious -- http://onion.com/duwPD H +Here is a website that contains much of the once-or-'under'-published work of Salinger, as well as the text of many of his work that *was* printed in book form, which I recommend you go buy immediately, because the cost of the mass market versions of hi...

So what's the big deal? Dude published four books, one of them was universally accepted as one of the greatest coming-of-age stories to over-use a single word (in this case, 'phony') since Huck Finn , the other three were rented out to the kingdom of hipster obscurity. So he died. What-ever... Oh, I almost wish I could feel so blasé! On January 1st 1009, J.D. Salinger's 90th birthday, I posted a blog , a letter to the aging writer known as much for his esteemed first novel Catcher in the Rye as for his seclusion from society. I am pretty sure he never read it. When I first heard of his death (via text message, thank you, Liz; thank you, Ian), I instantly was overcome with emotion. It took me the next few hours to determine what this emotion was exactly. In the end, I have settled on: ecstatic mourning. I have been waiting years (and years) for the Death of J.D. Salinger. Though I consider him one of the greatest 20th century American writers (if not the greatest) hi...

THOUGH we have our 1.2 issue prepared and ready to go, our main contact at printing company we use to print the book is on vacation. Therefore, the publication and distribution of this issue is taking longer than anticipated. We appreciate your patience while we wait for his return. THANK YOU.

I read a lot in December. Perhaps to counteract one-book November? I am not sure. I think I just found the time and the energy to immerse myself into my reading, chose the right books, and thoroughly enjoyed a good number of them... books read: December Bend Sinister by Vladimir Nabokov I picked this book up because during lunch before I went to work, I finished the book I had been reading. I searched and searched in Book Trader for something. Book Trader is one of those can't-go-there-to-find-something-specific bookstores. I grabbed this book because the copy I found was a limited edition with an interesting textured cover that had a modern painting on both the front and back. The book was excellent. I immediately recommended it to at least two or three readers I know. Nabokov has a way of weaving stories you'd never think to create yourself with human emotions, tendencies and specifics that make you think "I do that!" or "I know someone who would think like t...