Cathleen Schine talks to the New York Times By the Book section about contemporary fiction, why she avoids literary dinner parties, and her new book, The Grammarians. “Many years ago, as a 30-year-old, I attended a dinner party with a number of well-known New York writers,” she said. “I spent an excruciating evening among these very successful, older writers, trying not to spill my wine and wondering if I should pretend I had read ‘The Bonfire of the Vanities’ and tell Tom Wolfe, who was sitting next to me, how much I liked it. I did not, which is a good thing, because I realized when I got home that Tom Wolfe sitting next to me was actually Gay Talese.”
Vox’s Matthew Yglesias is writing a book. One Billion Americans: The Case for Thinking Bigger makes “the case for expanded immigration and social support for parents and children as the real key to achieving national greatness.” The book will be published by Portfolio.
New York Times reporter Ian Urbina is joining The Atlantic as a contributing writer.
Two of Trump’s former press secretaries have found new jobs. Sarah Huckabee Sanders will be a contributor on Fox News, and Sean Spicer will compete on Dancing with the Stars. ABC employees were not particularly excited about Spicer joining a show on their network. “It’s a slap in the face to those of us who had to deal with his baloney and the consequences of the ongoing lies and disinformation campaign at the White House,” one staffer told CNN. Spicer seemed unconcerned about the criticism. “I think this is an entertainment show. I look forward to having some fun,” he said. “And if people are looking for news, I suggest they tune into a news program.”
Town and Country magazine talks to Gwyneth Paltrow’s “personal book curator,” Thatcher Wine about book jackets, his advice for curating your own collection, and his new book, For the Love of Books. “First, think about what you are trying to accomplish. Is there a story you are trying to tell? A color palette you want to achieve? Then think about how that might work within the context of your home and available space,” he explains. “Second, acquire the books. Depending on how important the style and binding of the cover is to you, buy them intentionally either at your local bookstore or through online listings. Third, arrange your books in a way that makes you feel comfortable and looks inviting. It may take a few hours to get it just right.”