There's this writer Tom Bissell. I got turned on to him through reading The Believer. He wrote an article there called The Banality of Reality, that unfortunately is not available online. But if that issue ever gets returned to me by Ry-dawg, one is welcome to check it out.
But this article prompted me to search more on the web for his stuff. He hasn't actually ever published a book. But Salon has two great articles (1) (2)from him. Both articles essentially say the same thing, having "high-brow" taste can kind of be a burden. What makes these articles worth-while is the candor and wit Bissell uses in exploring this idea.
Bissell's amazing. His piece on reality TV is the best thing I've read on why fiction matters. And his Believer profile of anarchist literary movements made me smile for hours. (It's a crying shame those articles aren't available online, the Salon ones are good too.) I was just beginning to put together over the last few days how many things I've read by Bissell that I enjoyed without noting the writer.
By the way, Ry-Diggity left that Believer issue at my place. If you come down to help me move tomorrow at noon, I'll give it to you. :)
Posted by: mesh at September 5, 2003 3:58 PM