VQR Online

Consider the difference between James Cooper and James Fenimore Cooper; David Wallace and David Foster Wallace; or Jorge Luis Borges and Jorge Borges. Who would want to go down in history as Jorge Borges?

The deaths of Auchinchloss, Zinn, and Salinger; Borders begins to crumble; Apple gets into the books business.

South American cocaine is ferried to Europe through West Africa. Along the way, FARC, Hezbollah, and al-Qaeda all get a cut.

The VQR contributor talks about his essay about the return of the Axum obelisk to Ethiopia from Italy, featured in the current issue of the magazine.

Endorsing Portnoy’s penis as a guide post for literary sex is like saying guys these days should act more like Don Draper.

How in the world did people get information in the days before Google?

She’s written a book based on her Fall 2008 article about how the gender imbalance in China threatens the country’s future.

Is $50 too much to save the future of literary fiction?

The assistant director of UVA’s Creative Writing Program was in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, when the earthquake struck. He provides video and his impressions of the aftermath of the quake.

Anthony Ham on searching for nomadic elephants, writing travel guides, and trading work as a lawyer for the writing life.