Martin Amis' Joystick (Not a Metaphor or Euphemism)

Though today's Slate article on Martin Amis' arrival in Brooklyn was thoroughly unnecessary, covering ground that had already been trampled by herds of Brooklyn blogs in the past several months, I am thankful to Troy Patterson for one piece of information in the story. I had no idea, and still can't quite believe, that Amis published a book on video game tactics. As in, how to get high scores on Asteroids and Space Invaders. Check it out - seeing the recognizable Amis style applied to the minutiae of old skool arcade gameplay is mind-bending.

Up In The Old Hotel, Fighting Zombies With A Chainsaw

I don't play video games and haven't for a long time, but perhaps that's only because I didn't know there was a video game featuring Joseph Mitchell as a character.  Unfortunately, it doesn't look like he gets to do anything cool, like battle his way out of a post-apocalyptic version of the New Yorker offices where all the editors have been turned into zombies, or take on the King of the Gypsies in a cherrystone clam-eating contest at McSorley's.

More info here. [via]