Sam Stephenson

Former Vice President Kamala Harris to Visit Jackson in Book Tour Stop Former U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris will visit Jackson, Mississippi, for a stop on her book tour early next year.

“We look forward to hosting (former Vice President Kamala Harris) at Thalia Mara Hall and sharing in the dialogue her visit will spark about the future of our democracy,” Jackson Mayor John Horhn said.

My latest interlibrary loan caper. Came from University of Houston music library, which my phone indicates is 101 miles from where I'm typing now. The public library branch here in downtown Bryan, TX is about a 200 yard walk, across railroad tracks. Interlibrary loan makes me feel alive.

wtf is a FIFA peace prize? that's like being an NFL laureate in physics

A New Texan Finds Comfort on Matagorda Bay A writer discovers how Houston’s influence stretches across the Gulf Coast

Earlier this year @texashighways.bsky.social published an essay I wrote about first three years living in Texas. Piece has some autobiography, plus a subtle troll of fish and game culture here. Yesterday, an audio version with me reading was published, found here:

texashighways.com/culture/essa...

Absolutely wild that there's an NPR story about states preparing a year ahead for election interference *by the president of the United States*

Love and Work: Lyric Research on Jason Molina — The Brother In Elysium Sam Stephenson 2019 / 2025 Love and Work is a meditation on the life and music of the Ohio-born musician Jason Molina (1973–2013). In this work, Stephenson uses his wandering, associative, perhaps...

This new letterpress edition of my essay on Jason Molina is available from craftsman Jon Beacham, a favorite collaboration of my career. Jon puts all proceeds from sales back into his work. This edition mostly sold out pre-order. Some left today will go fast.
thebrotherinelysium.com/shop/love-an...

Thanks for the tip

What is alt-text?

Front page of today's Houston Chronicle. We're banning books and running out of drinkable water. Go Humans Go!

+1. The decline of the New Yorker profile is sad. Linear cliff notes summaries of rich and successful.

YouTube video by Led Zeppelin Led Zeppelin - Rock and Roll (Live at O2 Arena 2007) [Official Video]

4.4M views of shitty video of what could be a great, rare modern video of Zeppelin. The over-cute editing is mind-numbing. You can't see anything. You only see the choices of the absurdly over-clever editor. So much extant concert footage is ruined like this.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=K793...

I'm a certified salty snack nut from way, way back. But the options at the grocery store nowadays have gone too far. I wish Fred Wiseman would make a 3-hour documentary film about the chip aisle.

What do they think of Trump hosting a White House blood money gala for the Saudis last week?

I had that assignment in 6th grade. Interviewed an older friend of my father's who had been captured by Germans in Belgium in WWII. Felt to me like the absolute Stone Age. Truth was it was only 38 years earlier. 38 years ago now was REM "Life's Rich Pageant."

+1. What a bore, I'm sure he is.

I'd love to see some research on how that has changed over the last 40 years. Baseball has become much more white in the States. I'm an old dad of a 10 year old baseball player in Texas where youth baseball is heavy white and heavy MAGA and its on purpose. Pretty sad.

Just absolutely no soul. These people are the most boring people on earth. Funny thing is they actually know it, and it's what drives them, to try to prove they aren't boring, which only makes it worse.

Good luck! Sweet potato pie is our one and only. Pecan is up there for me, too. Grew up with 3 pecan trees in the yard. Dreaded picking them up and shelling them, loved the pies.

+1. Reminds me of a great seafood takeout that opened in Durham NC a decade ago. One chef cooking. Became very popular. Long lines. Most people happy to wait. I saw rich white man berate the chef (black) for taking too long. Few years later chef wins Beard award, has indoor pool at his house, etc.

I never understood how Jason Bourne was always clean shaven while being on the run for days and weeks. Clothes always fresh too. And he refused to wear a hat. Easy to spot.

How to Rescue Things, by Bill Orcutt 7 track album

Because of tip on this forum last night from @johnlingan.bsky.social, I bought this download of Bill Orcutt's new album this morning, burned it onto CD, and cranked it driving around in my car today. Surprising, beautiful, and moving music.

billorcutt.bandcamp.com/album/how-to...

+1000

+1. Layers of awfulness including self-congratulation about today

Thanks for the tip

+1. And these men are absolutely mind-numbingly boring. They make your hair hurt they are so boring. And they know it, deep down in their unconscious, and that's part of the reason they do the shit they do, to overcome offering absolutely nothing.

There are great books emerging from small presses and university presses, but in terms of large commercial publishing, it's primarily vapid.

Where in TX? Transplanted here 4+ years ago b/c my biologist wife great faculty job Texas A&M. Bizarre state, but not everything is Abbott and Cruz. Elements of Ann Richards and Barbara Jordan still palpable here, though submerged by gerrymandering.

Thank you. Stoked to listen to this tonight.

Is that available to hear online?

Real Warmth, by Joan Shelley 13 track album

I picked up this CD by Joan Shelley recently. It is outstanding. The tune "Who Do You Want Checking In On You" kills me.

joanshelley.bandcamp.com/album/real-w...