Jonathan Ames for BlackBook

Jonathan Ames Takes Me to the Russian Baths



Before the premiere of the second season of "Bored to Death," Jonathan Ames hosted me on a tour of the Russian baths in the East Village. Following the baths, I attended the premiere, with the cast of BTD.

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“Yes,” says Jonathan Ames. “Cover yourself up good. Like this.” I look back as he’s putting a towel over his shins. He puts several more over his body, and says, “You can even put one over your head.” He pulls up a brown towel smoothly over his face and drops it. “But then you can’t see the view.”

The Rumpus and Tin House Present

Fun Fun Fun

Tonight at the Highline Ballroom, The Rumpus and Tin House present More Than You Expected, a variety show including readings by Rick Moody, Starlee Kine, Jonathan Ames, and David Rees, comedy by Todd Barry and Eugene Mirman, and musical guests Care Bears on Fire. Come out!

Goings on About the Rump

James Franco's Face and Benefit Party w Care Bears on Fire

At the Rumpus, my write-up on the New Yorker Festival has been linked to by a few places like PW Morning Report, Tao Lin's blog and Vol. 1 Brooklyn, which liked my title, "James Franco's Face."

Also, save the date, the Rumpus and Tin House are having a benefit party on November 17th 2009 that's going to be a blast.


MORE THAN YOU EXPECTED, A NIGHT AT THE HIGHLINE

Rick Moody, author of Right Livelihoods, Jonathan Ames, author of The Double Life Is Twice As Good, This American Life's Starlee Kine, David Rees, author of Get Your War On, comedians Todd Barry and Eugene Mirman, HBO Def Poetry Jam star Vanessa Hidary, the Six Word Memoirists and music by kid core phenomenon Care Bears On Fire

DOORS 6:00PM, SHOW 7:00PM @THE HIGHLINE BALLROOM, 431 W. 16TH STREET

Showpage: www.highlineballroom.com/bio.php?id=1183

$10, Cheap!

Photo of Care Bears on Fire by Phil Knott

Brooklyn Book Festival

Where I'll Be

Heading to the 2009 Brooklyn Book Festival tomorrow to see readings by Ben Marcus, Sarah Manguso, Tao Lin, Lewis Lapham, and Heidi Julavits and panel discussions on DFW, rappers and upward mobility. It's free and going to be good. A lot will be happening. In several venues. But I'll be going here:

10:00am - The Legacies of John Updike and David Foster Wallace - a panel of distinguished critics discuss their work. (Borough Hall Courtroom)

11:00am - The Future of Literary Fiction - Keith Gessen and T. Cooper will discuss, among other things, how digitization impacts the creative process. (Borough Hall Community Room)

12:00pm - Real Surreal - Definitely don't want to miss Tao Lin and Ben Marcus reading from their latest work. Any rubric that brings together writers of dirty realism and experimental prose is one worthy of note. (St. Francis College Reading Room)

Alternate 12:00pm - Poetry Pop and Hip-Hop - A panel including Thurston Moore (of Sonic Youth) and Matthew Zapruder will discuss how poets, songwriters and rappers push language in new and good ways. (St. Francis Auditorium)

1:00pm - Editor as Author - Discipline and Freedom - Heidi Julavits and Hannah Tinti, who tower as both editors and authors, couldn't be more suited to discuss the roles that editors play in the lives of writers. (St. Francis College Reading Room)

Alternate 1:00pm - Rasskazy: New Fiction from a New Russia - Emily Gould (formerly of Gawker) will interview Rasskazy contributor Dmitry Danilov. Dale Peck and Francine Prose read. (International Stage)

2:00pm - Movin' On Up - Don't miss Lewis Lapham, storied editor of Lapham's Quarterly, discussing the myth and reality of upward mobility. (Borough Hall Community Room)

Alternate 2:00pm - Life Stories - Sarah Manguso and Philip Lopate are among the authors who will be discussing bad breaks and tough choices in writing memoir. (Brooklyn Historical Society)

3:00pm - Literary Masters - Three highly-revered authors read: Paul Auster, Russell Banks and Francine Prose (St. Francis Auditorium)

4:00pm - Faith and Fiction - Chris Adrian, Rene Steinke and Benjamin Anastas discuss reconciling religion and the ambiguities of character. (St. Francis College Reading Room)

5:00pm - Happy Ending Reading Series - End your jaunt with some risk-taking writers and comedians Jonathan Ames and David Cross with music by Jonathan Coulton (Main Stage)