Jonathan Ames
Sunday, August 17, 2008
Readings, Performances, News
http://www.jonathanames.com/
My graphic novel, THE ALCOHOLIC, illustrated by my good friend Dean Haspiel, will be published on September 17, 2008, by DC Comics/Vertigo. Here is a link to Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Alcoholic-Jonathan-Ames/dp/1401210562/ref=pd_bbs_sr_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1219004232&sr=8-3
Here is a listing of some events that will take place around the book, and below that is a 'starred' review from Kirkus:
Wednesday, September 24—Brooklyn, NY
7:00 pm -- Book Court 163 Court Street
Talk with Jonathan Ames and Dean Haspiel
(followed by a party somewhere)
Thursday, October 2 – Los Angeles, CA
7:30 pm Skylight Books 1818 N. Vermont Ave.
Talk/reading with Jonathan Ames
October 3 – San Francisco, CA
Litquake
Wednesday, October 15—New York, NY
7:00 pm -- Barnes and Noble Tribeca 97 Warren St. (at Greenwich St.)
Talk/reading with Jonathan Ames and Dean Haspiel
Wednesday, November 5—Iowa City, Iowa
Prairie Lights
Talk/reading with Jonathan Ames
THE ALCOHOLIC
FICTION A star is assigned to books of unusual merit, determined by the editors of Kirkus Reviews.
Rarely does a collaboration produce a graphic novel of such literary and artistic merit.Ames (Wake Up, Sir!, 2004, etc.) has distinguished himself as both a novelist and an essayist/journalist with a confessional intimacy and self-deprecating humor that sometimes blurs the line between memoir and fiction. He has found his artistic match in Haspiel, who brought a revelatory new dimension to the graphic memoirs of Harvey Pekar (The Quitter, 2006). Here, the whole is even better than the anticipated sum of its parts, with Ames exploring darker depths than he has in previous work, matched by Haspiel's noir-ish black-and-white illustrations, which make the lacerating, brutally funny story of a lovesick, self-destructive writer come alive on the page. With a protagonist named Jonathan A., the narrative invites the reader to identify the fictional novelist with his creator, though the string of mysteries penned by A. don't match the literary output of Ames. Yet it matters little what of this is "true" in the factual sense—the drugged-out debauchery, the coming-of-age sexuality, the opening tryst with an elderly woman that launches a series of flashbacks—for the truth of art rather than autobiography provides the richness here. In the wake of September 11, the self-absorbed narrator finds revelation outside himself: "It's perhaps too apt a metaphor, but collectively man was like a giant alcoholic—he knew better but he couldn't help but destroy himself and everything around him." The protagonist's attempts to come to terms with the tragedy as well as his addictions include cameos by President Bill Clinton and (hilariously) Monica Lewinsky. If the dinner with the latter never happened, it should have. There's also an orgy instigated by students at the school where the writer attempts to find refuge, and where he discovers that five women can't help him forget one. And there's a tender undercurrent throughout of a boyhood friendship complicated by suppressed homosexuality. Could be the most compelling and provocative work from either collaborator.
Monday, May 12, 2008
Readings, News, and Performances
www.jonathanames.com
I will be performing with the Moth on May 14th. Information is below:
Chutzpah! Stories of Movers and Shakers. Wednesday, May 14
Join us for stories from the bold, the brave and the daring, the movers and shakers with nerve, guts and gall.
Hear tales of those who act on their impulses and find the courage to step into the unthinkable. Featuring stories by:Frank Deford, Marvin Gelfand, Joanna Gleason, James Naughton, Dina Pearlman
Hosted by: Jonathan Ames
The Museum of Jewish Heritage, 36 Battery Place
Doors open at 6:00PM Stories start on stage at 7:00PM
$25 Tickets ($20 for Museum and Moth members) available now at www.ticketweb.com or by calling 646-437-4202. One complimentary drink at pre-show cocktail hour is included with admission. More information at: www.themoth.org
Tuesday, April 08, 2008
Readings, News, Performances
www.jonathanames.com
A comic I wrote can be seen at: http://www.smithmag.net/nextdoorneighbor/2008/04/01/chapter-1/
The art-work is by Nick Bertozzi and it is for a series (stories about next door neighbors) edited by Dean Haspiel.
Dean Haspiel is the illustrator of my forthcoming graphic novel, THE ALCOHOLIC, which will be published by DC Comics in 2008.
Joanthan
Monday, March 31, 2008
Readings, Performances, News
www.jonathanames.com
Tonight, March 31st I will be in this staged and funny recreation of the old TV show 'What's My Line?'
I will be in the role of panelist.
This is happening tonight at 8 pm in New York City at the Barrow Street Theater, 27 Barrow Street.
Go to this website for information: http://www. whatsmyline. org/The show is hosted by J. Keith Van Straaten, who is exceedingly funny and well-mannered.
Other news: I wrote a graphic novel, THE ALCOHOLIC, and it will be published by DC Comics in September. The art-work in the book was beautifully done by my dear friend Dean Haspiel, www.deanhaspiel.com
Also, I will have a new book of essays coming out sometime, I hope, in 2009, entitled: THE DOUBLE LIFE IS TWICE AS GOOD. This book will have some of my recent non-fiction work, such as my profiles for SPIN of Marilyn Manson and Lenny Kravitz, my coverage of "The Corduroy Appreciation Club" for the NY Times, and numerous other pieces (like some of the work I've done for www.nerve.com), as well as some of my short-fiction, like my story BORED TO DEATH, which appeared in McSweeney's 24.
Well, I guess that's everything.
all the best,
Jonathan Ames
Saturday, December 15, 2007
Readings, News, and Events
http://www.jonathanames.com/
Dear Kindly People Who Come to my Website,
Three years ago, I wrote and acted in a TV pilot for the Showtime network.
This pilot, WHAT'S NOT TO LOVE?, which is based on my memoir of the same title, is now being broadcast as a thirty-minute short film by Showtime this Tuesday, December 18th, at 11:30 pm, and will also be shown on a few other nights.
Here is a link to Showtime's schedule of WHAT'S NOT TO LOVE?:
www.sho.com/site/schedules/product_page.do?seriesid=0&episodeid=126457
And here is the schedule, should you not want to follow the link:
Showtime Dec 18 11:30 PM
Showtime Showcase Dec 19 1:25 AM
Showtime Too Dec 20 4:30 AM
Showtime Too Dec 26 3:15 AM
It will also be available 'on demand' from 12/19 to 1/15.
So should you have Showtime, perhaps you will tune in, as they say.
All the best,
Jonathan Ames
PS It was a hard-fought battle, but I did win my boxing match back in July against the talented writer-boxer Craig Davidson.
PPS I have a longish short story, "Bored to Death," in McSweeney's #24.
PPPS I've been in Iowa this past fall and I got to shake Barack Obama's hand and Bill Clinton's hand (for the second time in my life!), and both hand-shakes were rather thrilling.
PPPPS This wonderful band, The National, was inspired somewhat by my novel Wake Up, Sir!, and they have an excellent new album out called "Boxer", which I highly recommend.
PPPPS It came out a while ago, but this band Mimi Ferocious wrote this really nice song about me called "Jonathan". Go to http://www.mimiferocious.com/ to find it . . .
Monday, July 16, 2007
Readings, News, and Performances
http://www.jonathanames.com/
On Tuesday, July 24th at 8 p.m. at Gleason's Gym, 77 Front Street, Dumbo, Brooklyn, I will engage in exhibition boxing match against Craig Davidson (http://www.craigdavidson.net/). I am doing this to help promote Davidson's novel, The Fighter, and because I must be nuts.
To see a short promo-film about the match by Jennifer Prediger, go to: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R3AlikSn9sM
How this came about: Davidson's publisher, Soho Press, challenged me a few months ago and said that the fight would take place on a pier alongside the Hudson River as part of a night of amateur fights called "Rumble by the River." The combination of being challenged by a publishing house and a chance to box outdoors by the river, as the sun set, was too tempting and so I said yes.
Recently, though, I was disqualified from "Rumble by the River" for being too old. I'm 43 and Craig Davidson is 31, and there can't be more than a ten-year age difference in a sanctioned amateur bout. So now we're having an exhibition bout, as part of a book party for The Fighter, and this will take place, as I just mentioned, at the legendary boxing gym, Gleason's, and you can come for FREE. There is no cover-charge.
In 1999, I fought David "Impact Addict" Leslie and nine days before the fight I broke my nose while sparring, and then had the nose rebroken during the fight in the second round. This time I'm wearing a Hannibal Lecter-like mask and the nose should be safe, though Davidson's fight name is "The Crippler," so the rest of my body could be in danger.
My fight name is somewhat less intimidating. I dubbed myself "The Herring Wonder" back in 1999 and see no reason to come up with a new sobriquet. I recently went to Russ and Daughter's fish-shop on Houston Street and loaded up on herring, the absorption of which is an essential part of my training regimen.
Also, I have been working out at Gleason's with an excellent instructor, Grant Seligson. Feel free to contact him at grantsel@earthlink.net if you're looking to box or simply get in shape; his rates are reasonable and he's a wonderful person. A few friends have helped me with my training and we call our gatherings "Camp Herring."
I suggest coming a little early to the party on the 24th, so that you get a good seat. Miss Saturn (http://www.misssaturn.com/), the hoola-hoopist, will spin her rings in the ring, and Patrick Bucklew (http://www.themangina.com/) and his wife Valmonte Sprout will be the card girls. There will be an after-party at Rebar, 147 Front Street. If you want to come dressed in costume, I think that will add to the chaos and absurdity of the event.
To get to Gleason's, take the F train to York Street (first stop in Brooklyn) and then walk down the hill to Front Street and find your way to 77 Front Street. You can also take the A or C trains to High Street (also the first stop in Brooklyn) and walk down a different hill to Front Street.
I think that's everything . . . One more thing, here's a piece I wrote about my boxing career for McSweeney's: http://mcsweeneys.net/links/ames/boxing.html
all the best,
Jonathan Ames
PS Tale of the Tape:
Crippler
Height: 6'1. Weight: 162. Age: 31.
Herring
Heigh: 5'10 1/2. Weight: 156. Age: 43.
Thursday, June 14, 2007
Readings, News, and Performances
www.jonathanames.com
On Tuesday, June 19th at 8pm, I will be performing in Atlanta with www.themoth.org
Other storytellers that night will be:
Edgar Oliver and Jeffrey Rudell from New York City, and from Atlanta:
Baton Bob, a famous/beloved Atlanta street performer and Amber Kincaid, aka Roxy Razor of the Denim Demons, one of Atlanta's Roller Derby teams.
Where: 7 Stages (1105 Euclid Avenue)
Stories start at 8pm
$15 tickets on sale now at www.7stages.org
