Percival Everett Can’t Be Pinned Down

The latest in pop-culture news, recaps, and reviews, plus close reads, profiles, interviews, and more from Vulture.com. [Brand Logo]( books [Percival Everett Can’t Be Pinned Down]( His masterful new novel, James, cements his status as one of our most idiosyncratic writers. Illustration: Riccardo Vecchio In February 2023, the news broke that [Percival Everett]( would be publishing his 24th novel, [James](, a retelling of Adventures of Huckleberry Finn from enslaved Jim’s perspective, for an advance of more than $500,000. Some Everett devotees (myself included) wondered if, after years of inventive, philosophical, and absurdist work displaying a dizzying range — mute baby geniuses, nutty heist plots, post-westerns, and metacommentaries on race and publishing — he was finally selling out. After all, though Everett has increased in stature recently — he’s been a Pulitzer and Booker finalist for 2020’s [Telephone]( and 2021’s [The Trees](, respectively, and his breakout, 2001’s [Erasure](, an incendiary publishing-world satire, was recently adapted into the comparatively defanged Oscar-winning film [American Fiction]( — his books have not sold in great numbers. His subject matter can be eclectic. The cast of characters over his 35 books and counting includes an orphan named Not Sidney Poitier, a sociopathic rhino hunter who wants to turn the Grand Canyon into an amusement park, and, in multiple works, testy English professors named Percival Everett. [read more]( Devour pop culture with us. [Subscribe now]( to save over 40% on unlimited access to Vulture and everything New York. The Latest TV Recaps • Below Deck: [The Purge]( • The Bachelor: [The Bully Pulpit]( [Learn more about RevenueStripe...]( Stories We Think You’ll Like [How to Move on From Love Lies Bleeding With lots more lesbians in tank tops.]( By Zoe Papelis [3 Body Problem Is Not Afraid to Be TV An unadaptable novel invites a perfect attempt at adaptation — if not a perfect TV show.]( By Kathryn VanArendonk [What to See and What to Skip at the Whitney Biennial Jerry Saltz searches for the real thing at the museum’s latest survey of contemporary art.]( By Jerry Saltz [Meet Cowboy Carter “This ain’t a Country album. This is a ‘Beyoncé’ album,” Bey declared.]( By Bethy Squires [Anya Taylor-Joy Is Li’l Imperator Furiosa Starring alongside deranged villain Chris Hemsworth in the Mad Max: Fury Road prequel.]( By Jennifer Zhan [A Portrait of Frida Kahlo Like We’ve Never Seen Her Before Carla Gutierrez’s documentary uses the artist’s own words (and pictures) to tell her story.]( By Bilge Ebiri [Quiet on Set Shows the Darkest Side of Kids TV Every disturbing revelation about Nickelodeon and Dan Schneider from the docuseries.]( By Zoe Guy [Conan O’Brien to Defile the Globe in His New Max Series All four episodes of the host’s new show debut April 18 on Max.]( By Hershal Pandya [Interview With the Vampire Is Entering Its Emily in Paris Arc We’ve got a trailer, we’ve got a premiere date, and we’ve got … vampiric theater kids?]( By Rebecca Alter [Learn more about RevenueStripe...]( Vulture Games [Today’s Crossword]( 20-Across, Five Letters: What Kim Zolciak doesn’t want you to be Photo-Illustration: Vulture; Photos: Dan Smith/Getty Images, Todd Owyoung/NBC via Getty Images, Jaap Buittendijk/Warner Bros. [Today’s Cinematrix]( Can you name an Oscar-winning Kirsten Dunst movie? Photo-Illustration: Vulture; Maureen Donaldson/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images, Steve Granitz/FilmMagic A newsletter about the perpetual Hollywood awards race, for subscribers only. [Sign up]( to get it every week. [Get the Newsletter]( [logo]( [facebook logo]( [instagram logo]( [twitter logo]( [unsubscribe]( | [privacy notice]( | [update preferences]( This email was sent to {EMAIL}. Was this email forwarded to you? [Sign up now]( to get this newsletter in your inbox. [View this email in your browser.]( You received this email because you have a subscription to New York. Reach the right online audience with us For advertising information on email newsletters, please contact AdOps@nymag.com Vox Media, LLC 1701 Rhode Island Ave NW, Washington, DC 20036 Copyright © 2024, All rights reserved