• The Cocktail Hour, by A. R. Gurney
• This Be the Verse, by Philip Larkin
• Alcohol, by Franz Wright
• High Windows, by Philip Larkin
• Night Heron, by John Foy
• from Essay on Psychiatrists, XIII, by Robert Pinsky
• Male Sexual Disorder, by John Foy
• from Essay on Psychiatrists, XVI, by Robert Pinsky
• from The Attic, by Derek Mahon
• Servant Boy, by Seamus Heaney
• Victim, by John Foy
• Forgive, O Lord, my little jokes on Thee, by Robert Frost
• Wall Street, by John Foy
• Don’t tase me bro, by John Foy
• The Bank, by John Foy
• OK Chris, by John Foy
• Headless Barbie Commission, by John Foy
• from Four Quartets, East Coker, by T. S. Eliot
• Paterfamilias, by John Foy
• Come live with me, by John Foy
• Cost, by John Foy
• Room, by John Foy

(more...)

Frog

in

the house!

The Nervous Breakdown Literary Experience - Portland*

We Read So You Don't Have To

Tagging along with Wordstock JUST LIKE YOUR YOUNGER SISTER

The members of the Stay Classy Crew would like to make two critical announcements regarding TNB’s Literary Experience in San Diego on August 25, 2011:

The first is that beloved founder and dad-figure, Brad Listi, is stepping down from his slot reading at the event. In his stead, we are pleased to announce that one of TNB’s most popular (and often polarizing) authors will be taking his place.

Yes, we are pleased (and a teensy bit nervous) to announce that J. Angelus Dust will be Listi’s replacement for the event.

No further information is available at this time, but suffice to say, this is going to be one for the ages....

(more...)

Hi guys,

TNB is back after a spell of glitchiness.  So sorry for the hassle. Hackers.  Quagmires.  Tech stuff.

Bleh.

Please note that the site in its current form is missing "Recent Comments" and "Most Read" in the sidebar -- this is intentional and is meant to help keep us up and running while we await the launch of the new-and-improved TNB in the coming days.

With luck, we'll be fully operational from here on out.  Keep your fingers crossed.

And thanks for your patience.

-BL

WHAT: The Nervous Breakdown's Literary Experience- Stay Classy Edition (San Diego)

WHEN: Thursday August 25, 2011 7 p.m.

WHERE: The Historic Ideal Hotel and Tea Room 540 3rd Ave. San Diego, CA (619) 808-9847

WHO: Readings by:

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A big happy birthday to Veronica Boose, the TNBaby!  She turns two today. (Here she is last year, age one.)

As many of you know, Veronica's parents, Greg Boose and Claire Bidwell Smith, are TNB contributors. They met here, fell madly in love, got married, and had a baby.  Part of our lore.

With great affection, we refer to Veronica as the TNBaby and will try to make a point of celebrating her birthday each year -- until, of course, she's old enough to be embarrassed by it.  Which could happen soon.

Anyway.

Happy birthday, little Veronica!

While the origins of San Diego's name remain murky for some, The Nervous Breakdown is staying as classy as ever by celebrating it's 5th birthday with TNB's Literary Experience in San Diego, CA on Thursday, August 25, 2011 at 7 p.m.

This event, like the tasty waves rolling up to its bikini-speckled beaches, will be epic.

To commemorate this auspicious occasion, TNB is unleashing a seismic event full of outrageous readings, delicious birthday cake and a special musical guest.

WHEN: Thursday August 25, 2011. 7 p.m.

WHERE:  The Historic Ideal Hotel and Tea Room
540 3rd Ave.
San Diego, CA

(more...)

This is a partial list of everyone I met, hung out with, exchanged cards with, worked with, or stalked during the various events at last week's Book Expo America. This is not an exhaustive list; I'm sure there are people I'm omitting, and I already feel bad about it.

With that disclaimer, here is the list, in alphabetical order:

ADAM WILSON

Editor at The Faster Times, and author of the forthcoming Flatscreen, which sounds fantastic. Hung out with him at the swankier-than-swank Authors Guild cocktail party.

ALISON SKAPINETZ

Blogs at Alison’s Book Marks. Met her at the Harper blogger party at Bill’s Gay Nineties. Like me, is from Jersey. Like me, is half Italian. Like my wife, had just taken her kids on a field trip to the Crayola Factory.

ANDY SHAFFER

AKA Evil Wylie. Author of Great Philosophers Who Failed At Love, which, unlike The Financial Lives of the Poets, really is about philosophers who failed at love. His line of “Evil” Christmas cards was featured on Colbert. Wore heart-shaped Disney glasses on his head. Is from Iowa. Does not seem like he’s from Iowa. Very funny.

BETH FISH

Nom de plume of [real name redacted]. Blogs at Beth Fish Reads.

CAROLINE KENNEDY

The biggest name on the docket, it says here, but she was a no-show. The official reason is that a family matter compelled her to bow out, but I think it was a conspiracy involving the Mafia, the CIA, and Fidel Castro.

COLLEEN GORMAN

Blogs at Books in the City, which is one of the best-designed book blog sites out there. Spends the holidays in Dallas, so maybe she’s also in on the aforementioned conspiracy.

DAWN RENNERT

Is too fond of books. Has four kids, whom she left home with her husband for BEA. In a related story, she looked very relaxed whenever I saw her.

DAVID GUTOWSKI

AKA Largehearted Boy. Wanted to meet him, but our paths, alas, did not cross.

DIANE LaRUE

Blogs at BookChickDi. At the party at Bill’s Gay Nineties, I mistakenly called her blog BookLadyDi, which would not be nearly as interesting, unless you're into royal gossip and “Goodbye English Rose.”

DIANA SPECHLER

One of the featured authors at Monday’s Harper blogger event (the day after her TNB chat). Author of Skinny. Just a super nice person (real-person nice, not car-salesman nice). Wish we could have spent more time talking shop.

ELISSA SCHAPPELL

Author of the forthcoming Blueprints for Building Better Girls, a collection of inter-related stories that has one of the best titles going. Has more literary bona fides than you can shake a stick at, were you moved to shake a stick at literary bona fides. Met her at the Authors Guild party.

ERICA BARMASH

Perennial marketeer extraordinaire. Taker of vitamins.

JASON CHAMBERS

Managing editor at the increasingly-misnomered Three Guys One Book. Is launching a new venture called LitBreaker, a literary and pop culture ad network. Can totally pull off a white hat.

JASON RICE

He’s tall, and he has cool glasses.

JEN SCHULKIND

My excellent editor and companion-in-wandering around Javits. Waited with me to meet Russell Banks. Texted me showtimes for Bridesmaids.

JENNIFER HART

AKA Book Club Girl. Harper’s marketing director and associate publisher. New Jersey apologist.

JIM LEYRITZ

Former New York Yankee playoff hero who has written a book about the financial meltdown in Iceland. Just kidding! He wrote a book about his time with the Bronx Bombers. Spotted him on the NJ Transit platform in Madison.

JOHN LITHGOW

Keynote speaker at the Authors Guild dinner. Saw him at the cocktail party. Tried to play New York cool, but when I held the door for him, felt it would be rude to not say hello. Told him he was great on Colbert. Kept bumping into him for the rest of the party—when I went to the men’s room, for one thing—and again at BEA. Got to be sort of funny. If I didn’t know better, I’d think he was stalking me.

JOSEPH PAPA

My publicist and handler for the autograph table. Thought an event was open bar; ordered two Champagne cocktails. It wasn’t; cost him $38. Was a bit shaken when the insane person came by the table (I used to recruit at job fairs, so I’m used to insane people).

JULIANNE MOORE

Walked by her on the way to my table; saw the back of her more-brown-than-red head. She’s small, and was folded up under the table like she was trying to vanish.

KIT STEINKELLNER

Blogs at Books Are My Boyfriends. Big fan of TNB. Was wearing a really cool dress.

LAUREN CERAND

Invited me to the Authors Guild cocktail party, which was awesome, and then did one better by introducing me to people when I showed up by myself, parched, early, and feeling quite out of place. As art deco swanky as the Edison Ballroom is, her outfit was even swankier.

LORI HETTLER

Longtime supporter of Yours Truly. Blogs at The Next Best Book Blog. Mastermind of The Next Best Book Club at Goodreads. First in line at the Fathermucker signing session. Introduced me to a lot of cool bloggers. Even nicer in person than she is online.

MARY SASSO

Harper’s marketing coordinator, which means she does the dirty work. Did a great job putting my stuff together. The lollipops turned out great!

MATTHEW NORMAN

Author of the very funny Domestic Violets, which drops in August. Lives in Baltimore. Is very tall.

MEGAN ABBOTT

One of the few American writers at the Quais du Polar festival I attended in March, in Lyon, France—and we were both at BEA, on the same day, at almost the same time slot, promoting two different books. Unlike in Lyon, the book she signed(The End of Everything) is in English, and is next in my stack.

MICHAEL FUSCO

Art director who designed the invitations for the Authors Guild event. Emma Straub’s husband, and the designer of the awesome book jacket for Other People We Married. Hung out with me at the Authors Guild party.

MOLLIE GLICK

My intrepid agent, who went with me to the Harpers party at The Park (her dog we left at the office).

RACHEL MANWILL

Blogs at Home Between Pages. Distinguishing mark: tattoo on her neck.

REBECCA COLEMAN

Author of The Kingdom of Childhood. Waited in line for a signed copy of Fathermucker; seemed surprised when I waited in line for a signed copy of her book.

ROB SPILLMAN

Editor of Tin House. Wearer of the coolest shirt-and-tie combo at the Authors Guild party.

RUSSELL BANKS

One of my favorite authors. I waited in line for a signed galley of his new one, Lost Memory of Skin. I actually said, “Hi, Russell; big fan,” like I was calling a sports radio talk show or something.

T. OLMSTED

BookSexy. Huge Colbert fan. Has tastes very similar to mine (guess how she feels about Franzen?).

TALIA CARNER

Author of Jerusalem Maiden, which sounds terrific...and releases today. Very elegant.

VANESSA VESELKA

Author of Zazen, which I’m reading now, and which is as superb as advertised. Has a tattoo of the New York Public Library lion on her arm. Met her at Javits, and again at Bill’s Gay Nineties. Inspired my wife and I to eat dinner at Veselka, our favorite restaurant in the East Village, after the party.

Greetings, TNB readers and Book Club members!

This month's TNB Book Club selection is Diana Spechler's second novel, Skinny.

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The powers that be at TNB -- the most powerful forces of good ever assembled, if you believe our tagline -- are contemplating making our collective presence known two weeks from now, at BEA in New York. [Rejected ideas: 1. Capture the Flag inside the Javitts Center; 2) Pin the moustache on Shya Scanlon; 3) Slut Lullaby Flash Mob*.]

Please let us/the world know if you're planning to attend, or will otherwise be in the Five Boroughs environs during the penultimate week of May. (Email Greg or Brad, or just leave a comment below).

Thank you.

--The Management

* I don't know what that even means, but it sounds like a good time, no?

Keith Dixon's newest book, a memoir with more than forty recipes, follows a rich history of novelists like Orwell, Zola and Hemingway—whose interests (some might say obsessions) with food, drink and eating spilled over into their writing.

Chime in below with some examples of your favorite food writing by novelists, and we'll automatically enter you in a drawing for three free copies of Cooking for Gracie.

***CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED***

Due out from TNB Books.  End of summer.  Get ready.