Listicles, tweets, your ex’s Facebook status, picture of dogs wearing costumes — the Internet offers no shortage of entertaining stuff to look at. But there’s plenty of substantial writing out there, too, the pieces you spend a few minutes reading and a long time thinking about after you’ve closed the tab. In this weekly feature, Flavorwire shares the best of that category. This week: Sun Ra, great essayists in discussion, Judy Chicago’s fireworks, and more.
“Why Sun Ra Is Dominating Chicago’s Culture Scene” by Matthew Hendrickson, Chicago
You know, sometimes you get so down on contemporary culture, then you read that Sun Ra’s genius is still influencing artists, and suddenly things seem a little bit better.
“Cover Letters Written in Desperation” by Matthew Mazer, The Toast
I’m not trying to cop out of writing an actual description for this one, but the title and the fact that it’s on The Toast should be all you need to click that link.
Roxane Gay and Leslie Jamison discuss the state of the essay with Michele Filgate, Salon
Two of the best contemporary essayists around talk about what does and doesn’t work, how popular essays have become, and what the future holds for them.
“The Death of the Neighborhood Restaurant” by Josh Ozersky, New York Observer
“My life in New York, and my memories of it, is inextricable from its restaurants — especially the cheap ones.” Sure, there are plenty of great places to eat in New York City, but Josh Ozersky misses the cheap spots for locals only.
“A Butterfly for Brooklyn: Judy Chicago Turns 75” by Laura C. Mallonee, Hyperallergic
For those who were unable to catch the artist Judy Chicago’s fireworks in Brooklyn this past week, Hyperallergic’s coverage is the next best thing to being there.