Starting Summer

I’m back from a trip to Seattle and Portland where I did readings at Elliott Bay and Powell’s (on Hawthorne). These were great fun, the bookstores both awesome, and they drew my biggest crowds yet — not huge, but respectable, in the (very) low double digits. It’s kind of neat that people who’ve presumably never … Continue reading Starting Summer

McCain the Ironist

Neal Gabler has written an interesting analysis of the McCain campaign for the NYT: Seeming to view himself and the whole political process with a mix of amusement and bemusement, Mr. McCain is an ironist wooing a group of individuals [journalists] who regard ironic detachment more highly than sincerity or seriousness. He may be the … Continue reading McCain the Ironist

McCain the Ironist

Neal Gabler has written an interesting analysis of the McCain campaign for the NYT: Seeming to view himself and the whole political process with a mix of amusement and bemusement, Mr. McCain is an ironist wooing a group of individuals [journalists] who regard ironic detachment more highly than sincerity or seriousness. He may be the … Continue reading McCain the Ironist

Postironic Obama

A few months ago, I received an email asking whether I thought Barack Obama might be something like a postironic presidential candidate. I ignored the email at the time, too busy doing research on trendspotters and writing Pop Apocalypse (a decidedly ironic book). After the caucuses in Iowa, I listened to Obama’s victory speech on … Continue reading Postironic Obama

Postironic Obama

A few months ago, I received an email asking whether I thought Barack Obama might be something like a postironic presidential candidate. I ignored the email at the time, too busy doing research on trendspotters and writing Pop Apocalypse (a decidedly ironic book). After the caucuses in Iowa, I listened to Obama’s victory speech on … Continue reading Postironic Obama