Writing about Nothing

Writing about Nothing   Very few works of art are ever actually about nothing. We all know the famous pitch in Seinfeld – “a show about nothing” – but we also know that the show is very much about all kinds of things. It’s just that none of these things matter. Matt Zoller Seitz, in…

Enough of What Is and Isn’t So: Dying in Philip Roth

Enough of What Is and Isn’t So: Dying in Philip Roth   “At life’s close, you’re like the child whose parents step out for a drive —” – Max Ritvo, “The Big Loser” Philip Roth puts Nathan Zuckerman through a lot. For every energizing success Zuckerman experiences throughout the three main novels of the Zuckerman trilogy…

The Long Hurt

The Long Hurt Here’s a joke I like: A caveman walks into a bar holding hands with a bear. The bartender asks, “What’s the deal here?” The caveman responds, “It’s a long story: bear with me.” That’s pretty good. Here’s another one: Two cavemen walk into a bar. The bartender asks, “What’ll it be?” The…