Everything I saw, read and enjoyed listening to this year.
BOOKS
John Cleland, Fanny Hill
Tove Jansson, Fair Play
Elizabeth Hardwick, The New York Stories of Elizabeth Hardwick
Jeffrey Eugenides, The Marriage Plot
James Salter, A Sport and a Pastime
Ann Beattie, Mrs. Nixon
Susan Orlean, Rin Tin Tin
Philip Roth, Indignation
Colson Whitehead, Zone One
John Jeremiah Sullivan, Pulphead
Chad Harbach, The Art of Fielding
Erin Morgenstern, The Night Circus
Will Hermes, Love Goes to Buildings on Fire
Tayari Jones, Silver Sparrow
Mark Yarm, Everybody Loves Our Town: An Oral History of Grunge
Kate Christensen, The Great Man
James Wolcott, Lucking Out
Eleanor Henderson, Ten Thousand Saints
James Baldwin, Giovanni's Room
Ernest Hemingway, The Sun Also Rises
Ernest Hemingway, A Moveable Feast
Alexandre Dumas, The Count of Monte Cristo
Edith Wharton, The Age of Innocence
Robert Louis Stevenson, The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
Charlotte Brontë, Jane Eyre
Bryan Charles, There's a Road to Everywhere Except Where You Came From
Peter Stamm, Seven Years
Jennet Conant, A Covert Affair
Emma Straub, Other People We Married
Tom Rachman, The Imperfectionists
Ha Jin, Waiting
Frank Brady, Endgame
Tove Jansson, Fair Play
Elizabeth Hardwick, The New York Stories of Elizabeth Hardwick
Jeffrey Eugenides, The Marriage Plot
James Salter, A Sport and a Pastime
Ann Beattie, Mrs. Nixon
Susan Orlean, Rin Tin Tin
Philip Roth, Indignation
Colson Whitehead, Zone One
John Jeremiah Sullivan, Pulphead
Chad Harbach, The Art of Fielding
Erin Morgenstern, The Night Circus
Will Hermes, Love Goes to Buildings on Fire
Tayari Jones, Silver Sparrow
Mark Yarm, Everybody Loves Our Town: An Oral History of Grunge
Kate Christensen, The Great Man
James Wolcott, Lucking Out
Eleanor Henderson, Ten Thousand Saints
James Baldwin, Giovanni's Room
Ernest Hemingway, The Sun Also Rises
Ernest Hemingway, A Moveable Feast
Alexandre Dumas, The Count of Monte Cristo
Edith Wharton, The Age of Innocence
Robert Louis Stevenson, The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
Charlotte Brontë, Jane Eyre
Bryan Charles, There's a Road to Everywhere Except Where You Came From
Peter Stamm, Seven Years
Jennet Conant, A Covert Affair
Emma Straub, Other People We Married
Tom Rachman, The Imperfectionists
Ha Jin, Waiting
Frank Brady, Endgame
Eleanor Brown, The Weird Sisters
Isaac Bashevis Singer, Shosha
Iris Owens, After Claude
Matt Haig, The Radleys
Matthew Gallaway, The Metropolis Case
FILM
Happy, Happy
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows
Margaret
The Artist
Young Adult
Shame
Melancholia
The Muppets
Hugo
Eames: The Architect and the Painter
Margin Call
Martha Marcy May Marlene
Footloose
50/50
Sarah's Key
Being Elmo: A Puppeteer's Journey
Crazy, Stupid, Love
Friends with Benefits
Beats, Rhymes & Life: The Travels of A Tribe Called Quest
Page One
Beginners
Submarine
L'Amour Fou
Midnight in Paris
Bridesmaids
Beautiful Darling
Bill Cunningham New York
Certified Copy
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows
Margaret
The Artist
Young Adult
Shame
Melancholia
The Muppets
Hugo
Eames: The Architect and the Painter
Margin Call
Martha Marcy May Marlene
Footloose
50/50
Sarah's Key
Being Elmo: A Puppeteer's Journey
Crazy, Stupid, Love
Friends with Benefits
Beats, Rhymes & Life: The Travels of A Tribe Called Quest
Page One
Beginners
Submarine
L'Amour Fou
Midnight in Paris
Bridesmaids
Beautiful Darling
Bill Cunningham New York
Certified Copy
Poetry
The Housemaid
LIVE
Other Desert Cities, Booth Theater
John Jeremiah Sullivan in conversation with Wells Tower, New York Public Library
Best Music Writing 2011 reading, Housing Works Bookstore
Best Music Writing 2011 reading, PowerHouse Arena
James Wolcott Lucking Out reading, 192 Books
Man and Boy, American Airlines Theater
John Summers and James Wolcott discuss Dwight McDonald, McNallyJackson Bookstore
Music Now Summit, Knitting Factory
Atys, BAM
Olivia Tremor Control, (Le) Poisson Rouge
Brooklyn Book Festival
Orchard Lounge, Webster Hall
Mark Yarm and Rob Sheffield grunge discussion, PowerHouse Arena
Hipster Puppies Pageant, PowerHouse Arena
Sonic Youth and Wild Flag, Williamsburg Waterfront
The Last Shot: A summer movies discussion, Housing Works Bookstore
Mission of Burma, Beekman Beer Garden
Yankees vs. A's, Yankee Stadium
Matthew Gallaway and Jon Michaud reading, Word Up
Ted Leo & the Pharmacists, South Street Seaport
Archers of Loaf, Webster Hall
Gay Talese nonfiction discussion, 192 Books
Old School Benefit, PS122
Hal Hartley The Heart Is a Muscle talk, PowerHouse Arena
Werner Herzog with Cave of Forgotten Dreams, IFC Center
Numbers & Letters, Cake Shop
Man with a Pan reading, Housing Works Bookstore
Swoosie Kurtz reads Edith Wharton, Center for Fiction
Christine Baranski reads Dame Edith Sitwell, Center for Fiction
Yo La Tengo, Bell House
Milos Forman with Taking Off, Miller Theatre
"Sex, Hope & Rock 'n' Roll: The Writings of Ellen Willis," NYU
John Waters Role Models reading, Paula Cooper Gallery
Taylor Mead, Bowery Poetry Club
Marc Farre, Joe's Pub
Longreads/Rolling Stone long-form journalism panel, Housing Works Bookstore
Emeralds, (Le) Poisson Rouge
Changing Modes, Knitting Factory
Sinfonietta Cracovia and Ben Frost, Alice Tully Hall
TVBC, Loring Theater
Mountain Goats, Bowery Ballroom
Big Star Orchestra Plays Sister Lovers, Mason Hall
Edwyn Collins, Rock Shop
John Jeremiah Sullivan in conversation with Wells Tower, New York Public Library
Best Music Writing 2011 reading, Housing Works Bookstore
Best Music Writing 2011 reading, PowerHouse Arena
James Wolcott Lucking Out reading, 192 Books
Man and Boy, American Airlines Theater
John Summers and James Wolcott discuss Dwight McDonald, McNallyJackson Bookstore
Music Now Summit, Knitting Factory
Atys, BAM
Olivia Tremor Control, (Le) Poisson Rouge
Brooklyn Book Festival
Orchard Lounge, Webster Hall
Mark Yarm and Rob Sheffield grunge discussion, PowerHouse Arena
Hipster Puppies Pageant, PowerHouse Arena
Sonic Youth and Wild Flag, Williamsburg Waterfront
The Last Shot: A summer movies discussion, Housing Works Bookstore
Mission of Burma, Beekman Beer Garden
Yankees vs. A's, Yankee Stadium
Matthew Gallaway and Jon Michaud reading, Word Up
Ted Leo & the Pharmacists, South Street Seaport
Archers of Loaf, Webster Hall
Gay Talese nonfiction discussion, 192 Books
Old School Benefit, PS122
Hal Hartley The Heart Is a Muscle talk, PowerHouse Arena
Werner Herzog with Cave of Forgotten Dreams, IFC Center
Numbers & Letters, Cake Shop
Man with a Pan reading, Housing Works Bookstore
Swoosie Kurtz reads Edith Wharton, Center for Fiction
Christine Baranski reads Dame Edith Sitwell, Center for Fiction
Yo La Tengo, Bell House
Milos Forman with Taking Off, Miller Theatre
"Sex, Hope & Rock 'n' Roll: The Writings of Ellen Willis," NYU
John Waters Role Models reading, Paula Cooper Gallery
Taylor Mead, Bowery Poetry Club
Marc Farre, Joe's Pub
Longreads/Rolling Stone long-form journalism panel, Housing Works Bookstore
Emeralds, (Le) Poisson Rouge
Changing Modes, Knitting Factory
Sinfonietta Cracovia and Ben Frost, Alice Tully Hall
TVBC, Loring Theater
Mountain Goats, Bowery Ballroom
Big Star Orchestra Plays Sister Lovers, Mason Hall
Edwyn Collins, Rock Shop
Ex, (Le) Poisson Rouge
Orchard Lounge, Hotel on Rivington
New York Coffee and Tea Festival
John Oswald, Stone
The Rejection Show, Bell House
Sons & Heirs, Union Hall
Mission of Burma, Maxwells
1964, Carnegie Hall
Marathon poetry reading, St. Marks Church
ART
"Sherrie Levine: Mayhem," Whitney Museum
"Kevin Roche: Architecture as Environment," Museum of the City of New York
"De Kooning: A Retrospective," Museum of Modern Art
"Picasso and Marie-Therese," Gagosian West 21st Street Gallery
"Revolutionary Film Posters: Aesthetic Experiments of Constructivist Russia, 1920-33," Tony Shafrazi Gallery
"Avedon: Artists," Gagosian Madison Avenue Gallery
"Richard Serra and Cy Twombly," Gagosian Madison Avenue Gallery
"Guitar Heroes," Metropolitan Museum of Art
"Angus MacLise: Dreamweapon," Boo-Hooray Gallery
Art Crank, Shelter Studios
Impulse Art Fair, Metropolitan Pavillion
"Kevin Roche: Architecture as Environment," Museum of the City of New York
"De Kooning: A Retrospective," Museum of Modern Art
"Picasso and Marie-Therese," Gagosian West 21st Street Gallery
"Revolutionary Film Posters: Aesthetic Experiments of Constructivist Russia, 1920-33," Tony Shafrazi Gallery
"Avedon: Artists," Gagosian Madison Avenue Gallery
"Richard Serra and Cy Twombly," Gagosian Madison Avenue Gallery
"Guitar Heroes," Metropolitan Museum of Art
"Angus MacLise: Dreamweapon," Boo-Hooray Gallery
Art Crank, Shelter Studios
Impulse Art Fair, Metropolitan Pavillion
PooL Art Fair, Gershwin Hotel
"Modern Life: Edward Hopper and His Time," Whitney Museum
"Kate Casanova: Spoils" opening, (Le) Poisson Rouge
ALBUMS
Acrylics, Lives and Treasure (Friendly Fire)
Crystal Stilts, In Love with Oblivion (Slumberland)
David Kilgour and the Heavy Eights, Left by Soft (Merge)
Destroyer, Kaputt (Merge)
David Kilgour and the Heavy Eights, Left by Soft (Merge)
Destroyer, Kaputt (Merge)
Edwyn Collins, Losing Sleep (Heavenly/Downtown)
Ex, Catch My Shoe (Carrot Top)
Hercules & Love Affair, Blue Songs (Moshi Moshi)
Iceage, Brigade (What's Your Rupture?)
Jonny (Merge)
Joy Formidable, The Big Roar (Warner Bros.)
Kids on a Crime Spree, We Love You So Bad (Slumberland)
La Sera (Hardly Art)
Lady Gaga, Born This Way (Interscope)
Magician, Magic Tape Seven (SoundCloud)
La Sera (Hardly Art)
Lady Gaga, Born This Way (Interscope)
Magician, Magic Tape Seven (SoundCloud)
Mickey, August Mixtape (SoundCloud)
Minks, By the Hedge (Captured Tracks)
Minks, By the Hedge (Captured Tracks)
Pains of Being Pure at Heart, Belong (Slumberland)
Smith Westerns, Dye It Blonde (Fat possum)
Smith Westerns, Dye It Blonde (Fat possum)
Thurston Moore, Demolished Thoughts (Matador)
Wire, Red Barked Tree (Pink Flag)
Wire, Red Barked Tree (Pink Flag)
Yuck (Fat Possum)
SINGLES
Aeroplane, "Without Lies (Breakbot Remix)" (Eskimo)
Crystal Stilts, "Through the Floor" (Slumberland)
Crystal Stilts, "Through the Floor" (Slumberland)
Destroyer, "Blue Eyes" (Merge)
Dum Dum Girls, "He Gets Me High" (Sub Pop)
Edwyn Collins, "In Your Eyes" (Heavenly/Downtown)
Edwyn Collins, "In Your Eyes" (Heavenly/Downtown)
Flight Facilities (feat. Jess), "Foreign Language (Drop Out Orchestra Remix)" (Future Classic)
Hercules & Love Affair, "I Can't Wait" (Moshi Moshi)
Hercules & Love Affair, "I Can't Wait" (Moshi Moshi)
Joakim, "Forever Young" (Tigersushi)
Jonny, "Circling the Sun" (Merge)
Jonny, "Circling the Sun" (Merge)
Kids on a Crime Spree, "I Don't Want to Call You Baby, Baby" (Slumberland)
La Sera, "Never Come Around" (Hardly Art)
Lady Gaga, "The Edge of Glory" (Interscope)
Locussolus, "I Want It (Lindstrom & Prins Thomas Remix)" (International Feel)
Minks, "Cemetary Rain" (Captured Tracks)
La Sera, "Never Come Around" (Hardly Art)
Lady Gaga, "The Edge of Glory" (Interscope)
Locussolus, "I Want It (Lindstrom & Prins Thomas Remix)" (International Feel)
Minks, "Cemetary Rain" (Captured Tracks)
Mitzi, "Morning Light" (Future Classic)
Pains of Being Pure at Heart, "My Terrible Friend" (Slumberland)
Pains of Being Pure at Heart, "My Terrible Friend" (Slumberland)
Peter & the Magician, "Love in Rimini" (Kitsune)
Rapture, "How Deep Is Your Love?" (DFA)
Tensnake, "Something About You" (Mirau Musik)Wire, "Bad Worn Thing" (Pink Flag)
Rapture, "How Deep Is Your Love?" (DFA)
Tensnake, "Something About You" (Mirau Musik)Wire, "Bad Worn Thing" (Pink Flag)
Wye Oak, "Holy Holy" (Merge)
Yuck, "Holing Out" (Fat Possum)
Yuck, "Holing Out" (Fat Possum)
