We usually keep things pretty simple around here -- so if you want something a little more literary, there's a plethora of clever, quirky, cute, smart, and wonderful writing at McSweeney's Quarterly Concern and associated publications (books, The Believer, and DVD-based magazine, Wholphin). Seems that the McSweeney's crew has fallen on some hard times financially, and needs to raise a few bucks and quick.They're letting interested parties know that every single item in their store is on sale....

These are my top 12 favorite albums of 2005. That's right, I said "my" not "our." That's because once a year at SFist we get crazy and write a post in the first person (and also because my fellow SFist music writers probably have wildly different favorites of their own). Sufjan Stevens Illinois Young, ambitious, talented, and accomplished, Sufjan Stevens has topped the majority of 2005’s Best Of lists his own way, on tiny independent......

SFist interviews Andalee Newitz...

We first heard of Tayari Jones when we read her novel Leaving Atlanta, which details the coming-of-age experiences of three children under the shadow of the (recently reopened) Atlanta child murders. We've been reading reviews of her new book The Untelling, and it sounds like bracing stuff. Described on her site as a "portrait of a woman seeking to overcome the trauma of her past." The folks at The Believer (excerpt viewable by all,......

The June music issue of The Believer will come packaged with a CD compilation of pure indie rock gold. We hear that local do-gooder and author extraordinaire Dave Eggers is behind the compilation, proving his excellent taste and indubitable influence by convincing the persnickety indie rock elite to cover each other's songs. Local duo Two Gallants made the cut, as did Devendra Banhart, Vetiver and Joanna Newsom. The majority of the songs were recorded specifically......

SFist interviews Meredith Arthur, director of strategic development at CHOW magazine. ...

SFist is all about the free, which is why we love to reserve books at the San Francisco Public library. We're even scouting out the City for free copies of this book, so much are we fans of the free. However, if we can't find one of the copies stashed around EssEff, we'll pick up a copy at one of our fine local independent bookstores. SFist Rain reports: "Thanks to my birthday I got an......

SFist has proudly subscribed to Berkeley based ReadyMade since their first issue. If you haven't ever read it, definitely check it out, as it's chock full of great craft ideas and cool articles....