Max Ross at the Rake has good news for U of M boosters:"According to this survey, the results of which were posted last week on this blog, the University of Minnesota's MFA program in creative writing is the 3rd-best in the nation."Congratulations, folks.--David E

This is El Ateneo Grand Splendid, in Buenos Aires. Built in 1919 as a theatre, it was converted into a bookstore in 2000. Although the seats were remove to make way for the books, most of the rest of the building's original features--including the red velvet curtains framing the stage--are still intact.--David EFrom Proserpina, via … Continue reading Yowza

Peter Plagens, artist and art critic for Newsweek magazine, is writing a novel that promises to give us all a glimpse of the sordid underbelly of the art world. The first chapter is up and readable; the subsequent 23 installments will come once a week. You can read Plagens' novel at artnet.com.--David E