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in Esquire
by
John Ridley, Ernesto Quiñonez, Scott Raab, Mark Warren, June 2008
This collection of four essays explores the current state of bigotry in the US. Quiñonez writes of the black-brown divide; he reports one telling statistic that 48 percent of Hispanics checked themselves as white in the 2000 census, and only 2 percent as black. Raab interviews leaders of the Anti-Defamation League, who say that about 35 million Americans hold strong anti-Semitic views. Lots of fun bigotry graphics are sprinkled throughout, including pie charts on what's the most offensive slur of all and a map of per capita incidences of hate crimes (Nevada holds the title). The authors provide refreshingly honest takes on those nasty -isms.
Posted 4:35, 8 May 2008
This abstract was written by
Emily Fisher
and edited by Brijit.
in Esquire
by
Chuck Klosterman, June 2008
Klosterman muses on the British "Sporting Giants" project, a nationwide appeal for tall people with athletic potential for the 2012 London games; 3,800 lanky folks applied and were tested for skills in four Olympic sports. Klosterman attempts to apply this concept to careers, wondering if the human process of self-selection is inherently flawed. Might most of us excel at something we've never considered? "It's simply impossible to be objective or insightful about the person you have always been," he writes, bizarrely arguing that employers should advertise for blind characteristics. An obscure and entirely unconvincing thought experiment.
Posted 3:38, 8 May 2008
This abstract was written by
Emily Fisher
and edited by Brijit.
Esquire is known for many things, but music coverage is not one of them. The Eskys are a nice trip through the year in music, as long as you can live with the fact that they are nowhere near conclusive, and tilt overwhelmingly toward indie rock. Filled with shout-outs to the likes of Cat Power, Calexico, Vampire Weekend, and Kings of Leon, this is more a snapshot of the editors' tastes than anything else.
Posted 5:28, 18 March 2008
This abstract was written by
David Arey
and edited by Brijit.
In showcasing spring fashion, Esquire photographs various restaurant owners, chefs, maitre d's, and a wine director at its favorite restaurants. The questions and advice here are all sensible, such as asking a maitre d' how long of a wait is too long, and asking a wine director if it's ever acceptable to return a wine that you don't like. Plus, the food is beautiful, saving readers from becoming bogged-down in five-figure watches and such.
Posted 5:27, 18 March 2008
This abstract was written by
David Arey
and edited by Brijit.
in Esquire
by
Jeff Minton, April 2008
Various writers provide tips on how to get better sleep, from Scott Raab recommending his favorite bed (Otis Bed Haley 150 Futon) to Barry Sonnenfeld giving his pick for best alarm clock (the Hammacher Schlemmer, which projects the time and weather conditions on the ceiling). There's also a discussion of sleep-inducing drugs, which quickly leads to the smart conclusion that the best choices are alcohol-free and not habit-forming. Overall, this is an encompassing piece that's sure to have at least one helpful piece of advice for everyone.
Posted 5:23, 18 March 2008
This abstract was written by
David Arey
and edited by Brijit.
in Esquire
by
Chuck Klosterman, April 2008
Klosterman offers a simple explanation for the decline of the record industry: People embraced music piracy because they will save money any way they can. He specifically pins the problem on the relatively young subset of savvy Internet users, a demographic that racked up credit-card debt in the 1990s and is now paying it off -- thus creating the need to save money via illegal music downloads. While he does his homework on the rise in credit-card debt from the '80s into the '90s, he strains to find a causal relationship. Still, it's an interesting notion to consider, if not necessarily a master's thesis.
Posted 5:10, 14 March 2008
This abstract was written by
Orr Shtuhl
and edited by Brijit.
in Esquire
by
Craig Davidson, April 2008
Davidson reports on his intriguing month-long experiment with taking steroids, ostensibly for research for a novel about boxing. With descriptive detail, he shares horror stories of self-injecting complicated stacks of chemicals -- and the resulting man-boobs, shrinking testicles, and caveman forehead. Of course, he got stronger and leaner during his experiment, breaking new personal weight lifting bests. Both funny and hard-hitting, the piece seems to fully capture the steroid experience, including the letdown when one quits: All Davidson's gains vanished seemingly overnight, leading him to temporary despair and disgust.
Posted 4:59, 14 March 2008
This abstract was written by
Matthew Cate
and edited by Brijit.
in Esquire
by
Chris Jones, April 2008
The third installment of Jones' portrait of John McCain shows a very human phoenix rising from the ashes of temporary defeat. He highlights McCain's integrity along with flaws that include a hair-trigger temper and a tendency to hold grudges. The bulk of the piece emphasizes McCain's campaign against Mitt Romney, first bitter and then reconciling, all leading to him sealing the Republican nomination. Above all, Jones shows a vulnerable human being with a strong streak of fortitude that impresses whether you're a McCain supporter or not.
Posted 3:18, 14 March 2008
This abstract was written by
Elliot Feldman
and edited by Brijit.
in Esquire
by
Bryce Duffy, April 2008
Taddeo's "first person" account of Heath Ledger's death is one of the most controversial Esquire pieces in years, but the question remains -- is it any good? Not exactly. Is it daring? Certainly. Writing something this definitive about a character that Taddeo, by all accounts, knows as little about as anyone else does, is certainly a risk. But it's clear throughout that even if we can suspend our disbelief and believe this is Ledger writing the piece, he's just playing another character, no different from Ennis or the Joker. In this case, Taddeo envisions him as some sort of sex-obsessed frat boy who writes poetry on the side. It's lurid, sure, but don't be fooled -- it's just fan fiction.
Posted 2:27, 14 March 2008
This abstract was written by
David Arey
and edited by Brijit.
In an original take on the celebrity interview, Jacobs and a typically entertaining George Clooney bravely put the actor's name into Google and dissect the resulting detritus. Clooney fact-checks a long list of rumored girlfriends, expressing mock outrage at websites decrying his looks, height, and sexuality, while a lurid kiss-and-tell article has him unable to remember how much truth it actually contains. Negative YouTube comments and his low price on a fantasy celebrity stock game leave him unfazed, though by the end of the interview Clooney comes to regret his introduction to the world of "2 Girls 1 Cup."
Posted 1:06, 14 March 2008
This abstract was written by
Stuart Millard
and edited by Brijit.