Carmela Ciuraru’s first nonfiction work, Nom de Plume: The (Secret) History of Pseudonyms, was recently published by HarperCollins. The book explores the biographies of several writers—Patricia Highsmith, Mark Twain—who adopted pen names and their various reasons for doing so. Ciuraru has written for the New York Times,
* Climate change arguments from 1799. * Signs welcome all to a DC-area yard sale "except for LGBT people, illegal immigrants, and muslims." * How a series of dots and a memory stick spawned a game with all the markers of a holy war. * Photos from inside China's
* Two years later, Afghans pay twice as much in bribes; Karzai, lacking power base, turns cheek. * Accessible survey of Eurozone economic solutions, with "haircuts" and "hoses." * Ezra Klein on the Gang of Six debt plan: probably the best we'll get. * The Go6 plan is
Photographs that ask why romantic relationships should look the same. For example, why can’t one partner be a piece of homemade sushi?
Dogs can be used to advance political careers, to bring life to sitcoms, to discover theorems. And that’s just the beginning.
* Far-right Jobbik party cheers, Weisenthal Center cries foul at Hungarian's acquittal in 1942 massacre. * Ben Judah interviews Roma king. * Disagreeing with UK lawmakers, committee says nudges won't change people's habits, but laws will. * Psychologists argue against childproofed playgrounds, claim bruises are a part
* Murdochs and Rebecca Brooks to face three hours of parliamentary questioning today. * Phone-hacking scandal now being investigated by 10 separate inquiries. * Global survey of tabloid newspapers' power—means to further political aims, not to make money. * Website answers one question, "Is David Cameron still prime minister?"
Though you can still count on it for antibiotic-free cheese, the farmers’ market has become a macrocosm of first-world food neuroses. True stories from behind the rustic wax-paper-lined baskets.
Pop culture loves the magical gay BFF: the one-stop shop for no-pressure male companionship, a night out without all the subconscious competition with your girlfriends, standby sperm, fashion sense, and above all, the best relationship advice. OK, so my gay BFF in high school didn’t really fit
* France wrestles with its latest Anglo import, "le binge drinking," bans nighttime alcohol sales. * Recalling empty weekend subways. * Owning a dog in Iran means paying smugglers to break a fatwa--and taking your pooch for unseen walks. * As Coney Island undergoes a family-friendly makeover, some businesses are
