Nate Silver Wins, Literary Agent Wishlist, and More

by
Evan Smith Rakoff
11.7.12

Every day Poets & Writers Magazine scans the headlines—from publishing reports to academic announcements to literary dispatches—for all the news that creative writers need to know. Here are today's stories:

With Obama's victory last night, the Los Angeles Times reports another winner was Nate Silver, who correctly predicted the election outcome. His 2012 book The Signal and the Noise immediately climbed Amazon's sales rankings.

In light of the election outcome, Maria Popova takes a close look at Henry Miller's prescient World War II-era essay, “Of Art and the Future,” which deliberates on "war, art, technology, the role of women in society, and mankind’s future." (Brain Pickings)

Along with literary scholars and scientists, the New York Times attended a Radcliffe Institute conference last week called Take Note, which focused on how we take notes as part of a larger exploration of reading and books.

Thomas Wolfe worked with Maxwell Perkins at Scribner, Franz Kafka had Max Brod—Flavorwire lists its favorite author/editor relationships.

James Franco has published a chapbook called Strongest of the Litter. (Harriet)

The San Francisco Weekly peruses the bestsellers at two loved bookstores—City Lights Books in its hometown, and New York City's McNally Jackson.

On her blog, literary agent Janet Reid posted a wishlist.

Book Riot discusses a handful of literary conversations they never want to have (again).