Language Arts

“Rediscovery doesn’t happen by accident,” Gebremedhin tells me over the phone last month. “Books return to public life because people fight for them.” I spend a lot of time thinking about how to help books out: Seeing if I can include them in a list, pitching reviews and author interviews, telling my friends the books they absolutely have to read. Often, it feels like the shot clock is running out (I watched 2 Knicks games) and then it’s time to start pitching whatever’s coming out next.

Along with being the award-winning author of Talking to the Wolf, Rebecca Chace is a fan of books that chronicle the beautiful, devastating, and unforgettable complexities of female friendship. She shared her favorites with Language Arts, which you can read below. Subscribe to Language Arts :) Some people are surprised that there are almost no male characters in my novel. Really? I thought the myth that women spend most of their time talking about men had died the painful death it deserves.

Last month, we celebrated the New York release of Anna Dorn’s latest novel American Spirits. It was a fabulous evening and we extend our most sincere condolences to those who couldn’t attend. Due to popular demand, we’re sharing one of the pieces from the reading: Layla’s fanfiction about the other woman of the hour beside Anna, Lana Del Rey. Subscribe to Language Arts :) The matcha-flavored Flume vape loved the way it felt at the bottom of Lana Del Rey’s purse.

Pride month can be a permanent state of mind — or a book on your reading list. From tender and heartbreaking to transgressive and perverted, Language Arts’ curation of queer novels, essays, memoirs, and more has you covered. Subscribe to Language Arts <3 Sex, drugs, and the underground Parisian techno scene. A must-read if you want messy lesbians reckoning with careers, affairs, and more.

There are a few core tenets to a good party: flattering lighting, enough booze to keep guests teetering between tipsy and blackout, music that’s a mix crowd favorites and deep cuts, a guest list of certified cuties who are addicted to having fun, and a few good gags to activate the hippocampus and lock it in as a fabulous night to remember. And believe it or not, these same rules apply to a reading — especially one celebrating a novel that’s essentially a 333-page ode to Lana Del Rey.

We <3 New York, especially today. In honor of the Knicks, this week’s post is celebrating one of the best things about the city: Our incredible library, which is a beacon of abundance, not only for books, but for community. Edwin Maxwell became Brooklyn Public Library’s Chief Librarian in October 2025, but has spent nearly 20 years at the library in various roles.

When Layla and I worked at Nylon, every Friday we posted a gallery of party photos called FOMO. It was mostly a way to hit our three article/day quota (đŸ„Č) but it was also my first foray into covering nightlife, albeit in a “from the comfort of my couch” way. We had a few rules: We didn’t include photos for parties Nylon wasn’t invited to. We didn’t include boring step-and-repeat red carpet pics. We prioritized photos that looked like people were actually having fun.

Why reading Bunny Rogers' new poetry collection "Sadly Glass" made me feel the same as when I read Emily Dickinson Every poet is salted with fire. A poet is a mirror, a transcriber” - Susan Howe While reading Sadly Glass, I took pictures of 27 poems. I found myself wanting to take pictures of so many poems I found it absurd. I wanted to imprint each poem into my mind and think about each of them for a long, long time. I used a frankincense scented bookmark from the Aftel Archive to keep my place.

"Because we’re only publishing two books a year right now, the bar for selection is very high, so when one of us is genuinely psyched about a book it’s always obvious and always a thrill." Whenever I seem to venture out of my home, I must buy a book. I try to keep myself in check but more often than not, it fails the moment I enter a bookstore. I must touch, I must skim. I love having a little world in my hand.

Annakeara Stinson is a writer whose work has appeared in Bustle, Brooklyn Magazine, The Inquisitive Eater, IndieWire, Paste, Marie Claire, and more. Read an excerpt from her debut novel Nerve Damage below and get your own copy here. And in case you missed it: We’re throwing a party with Rec League for the NYC launch of anna dorn’s AMERICAN SPIRITS with an insane lineup and an open bar. RSVP here.