Treehouse

compiled by Rachel Bondurant

Acclaimed African writer Chinua Achebe died this week at the age of 82. Check out this interview about his life, education, writing, and love of stories in The Paris Review.

Brought to my attention by one of our esteemed editors Caleb Andrew Ward, there’s this charming (possibly NSFW, depending on where you work) piece about “10 Books that Taught [Joshua Chaplinsky] Everything [He] Know[s] about Sex,” – brackets included so there’s no confusion here about what books taught who now.

More on the VIDA front, Andrew Ervin for The Rumpus engages in some self-reflection as being – in his words – “part of the problem,” specifically about book reviews and books reviewed.

A fun experiment in The Review Review leads to commentary on slush piles and a good laugh to be had at the expense of The New Yorker (always a treat).

This week I’m suggesting you read “6.5” and “Dead of Winter” by Ian Murphy in A Clean, Well-Lighted Place: two stories that will hurt. Because sometimes good literature has nothing to do with sunshine and roses.