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From the archives

Between Words

Anne Carson’s new book-without-a-spine, and the spiritual experience of centrelessness

O Brother, Where Art Thou?

A postmodern elegy from our most original writer

Boredom as a Political Weapon

Saul Bellow fought banality—and taught us to look hard at the world

A Quick Thank You

If not for the book clubs of Dubai

David Macfarlane

Assuming that the traditional order of pagination has been followed and that you have gone to the trouble of reading my new novel™ before getting to these, my heartfelt acknowledgments, you will not be surprised to learn that the book clubs of Dubai and the marketing agencies throughout the United Arab Emirates are my first embedded links of gratitude. They both noticed and liked my new novel™ when traditional publicists did not.

If, unlike authors’ festival impresarios, arts section editors, and chain store product buyers, you have actually opened my new novel™ (an executive summary is provided to premium Substack subscribers), you will already be aware, by virtue of the dynamic footnotes, dedicated inserts, and book club discussion points, that my pot of creativity has been stirred by the digits of many cooks. The list of branding initializers, digital strategists, and influencers to whom I owe my thanks and 40 percent is appended.

My first novel™, as...

David Macfarlane is the award-winning author of The Danger Tree. His new book is On Sports.

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