Ellen Wernecke

AV Club: Review of Jonathan Safran Foer's EATING ANIMALS

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 15:36:32 -0500

AV Club: Review of Jonathan Safran Foer's EATING ANIMALS:

It feels like a defensive move to point out, but I loved JSF’s two novels — this one just didn’t do it for me.

Historical perspective

Sun, 08 Nov 2009 10:05:51 -0500

When I get too sucked into “Mad Men” I try and remind myself that my parents are Sally Draper’s age. Neither of their home lives growing up was close to the Drapers’, but Dad says some of the details are spot-on, like Don Draper making breakfast on the weekends in his white undershirt.

I had a good upbringing but I wonder if it will look absurd and cruel to people in 50 years’ time.

AV Club: Review of Douglas Coupland's new novel GENERATION A.

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 10:02:24 -0500

AV Club: Review of Douglas Coupland's new novel GENERATION A.:

For what it’s worth, if you haven’t read any Coupland I vote you start with MICROSERFS. It’s scarily prescient considering it was published in 1995.

On the return of the Lilith Fair.

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 10:05:38 -0500

As a sheltered child of the ’90s, it probably won’t surprise you that the Lilith Fair was my first concert. My aunt got my sister and me tickets for Christmas and it was the coolest.

Next summer we’ll probably go (with my other sister and my cousin, who were both too young) and unironically have an awesome time. My dream line-up would include Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings, Aimee Mann, Feist, M.I.A., Metric, Neko Case, Nicole Atkins and the Black Sea… and Kelly Clarkson.

AV Club: My review of Colin Harrison's RISK.

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 10:04:21 -0500

AV Club: My review of Colin Harrison's RISK.:

I saw Harrison on a panel with James Ellroy back at BookExpo America in May. He was completely overwhelmed by Ellroy, but that’s not his fault. This book is perfect for a lazy fall afternoon.

AV Club's Wrapped Up in Books: My comments on Peter Straub's GHOST STORY.

Sun, 01 Nov 2009 10:03:17 -0500

AV Club's Wrapped Up in Books: My comments on Peter Straub's GHOST STORY.:

After I read this book I discovered Straub went to (the predecessor of) my high school, but I’d like to think that didn’t influence my review at all.

SPJ: Remembrance of Soundtracks Past

Sat, 31 Oct 2009 10:04:29 -0400

SPJ: Remembrance of Soundtracks Past:

I contributed to this round-up of the golden era of movie soundtracks, the 1990s.

"It's like I don't even KNOW you any more," the website said.

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 18:51:07 -0400

I just reactivated my Netflix account to rent a Tyler Perry movie.

I'm Noncommittal

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 12:53:07 -0400

paulbrady:

rdmcgeorge:

Facebook message received this morning from the Midnight Sun Social’s organizer: “i’m messaging you because you’re in the ‘maybe’ attending. and as we all know, ‘maybe’ is the new ‘no.’ well, i hope, for your sake, i’ll see you at the social. otherwise … well, i won’t even go there. hee hee. hope to see you tonight!”

I willing to overlook the lack of capitalization because this is just another reason they call it Charm City.

How very PassiveAggressiveNotes.com of them.

Rather puzzling comment on my review of SUPERFREAKONOMICS for...

Thu, 22 Oct 2009 13:55:32 -0400

Rather puzzling comment on my review of SUPERFREAKONOMICS for the A.V. Club. I am sure, but thanks for asking!

paulbrady: Made a Flickr set of photos I took on my way to work...

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 23:38:57 -0400

paulbrady:

Made a Flickr set of photos I took on my way to work this morning. (via Paul Brady)

Oh hey neighbor!

AV Club: Review of Jonathan Lethem's CHRONIC CITY.

Fri, 16 Oct 2009 11:03:01 -0400

AV Club: Review of Jonathan Lethem's CHRONIC CITY.:

I didn’t hate it as much as Kakutani did, but stretches of it are pretty hard to take.

AV Club: Review of Michael Chabon's collection of essays MANHOOD FOR AMATEURS.

Thu, 08 Oct 2009 06:32:28 -0400

AV Club: Review of Michael Chabon's collection of essays MANHOOD FOR AMATEURS.

AV Club: Review of New Yorker writer Tad Friend's WASP memoir, CHEERFUL MONEY.

Fri, 02 Oct 2009 10:02:24 -0400

AV Club: Review of New Yorker writer Tad Friend's WASP memoir, CHEERFUL MONEY.

AV Club: Review of Nick Hornby's new novel, JULIET, NAKED.

Thu, 01 Oct 2009 08:58:11 -0400

AV Club: Review of Nick Hornby's new novel, JULIET, NAKED.

"I became a pop-culture writer because I love movies, music, and books, and I wanted to share that..."

Tue, 22 Sep 2009 17:20:49 -0400

“I became a pop-culture writer because I love movies, music, and books, and I wanted to share that enthusiasm. I want every movie to be good. It breaks my heart when art doesn’t live up to its potential. I got into this business so that I could infect people with that overriding passion.”

- Maybe the Washington Post should insult my A.V. Club colleague Nathan Rabin more often if it leads him to write rallying cries like this one for Poynter. FREEDOM! If you love everything that is good, buy Nathan’s book THE BIG REWIND and pre-order the new A.V. Club collection INVENTORY.

On Michael Chabon's The Mysteries Of Pittsburgh

Mon, 21 Sep 2009 14:50:49 -0400

On Michael Chabon's The Mysteries Of Pittsburgh:

This is my month for the AV Club book club, so please come over and read and comment. If you haven’t read the book, spoiler alert: I liked it a lot.

Do this, New York: Brooklyn Book Festival, Sept. 13

Thu, 10 Sep 2009 12:35:04 -0400

Do this, New York: Brooklyn Book Festival, Sept. 13:

I’ll be there starting from the 10AM Updike/DFW panel. Reblog if you want to play Edward Coffee-Hands on the courthouse steps beforehand!

AV Club: Review of the debut novel Moonlight in Odessa.

Thu, 10 Sep 2009 10:26:07 -0400

AV Club: Review of the debut novel Moonlight in Odessa.:

See first paragraph for the reason I bothered Twitter about borshch. I’m still not completely satisfied with it, I think I could have done better, but that is not your fault, tweeps!

"Now, in addition to removing shoes, belts and laptops and carrying liquids of no more than 3.4..."

Tue, 08 Sep 2009 17:25:17 -0400

“Now, in addition to removing shoes, belts and laptops and carrying liquids of no more than 3.4 ounces in a zip-top plastic bag, passengers may be stopped if they are carrying what security personnel consider suspicious looking powder.”

- Airport Screening Will Now Include Powders

Just kill me.

(via paulbrady)

First plane evacuation due to “suspicious looking powder” left in a forbidden seat back pocket in 5… 4… 3…