Monday, November 30, 2009
Girls Are Better at Arts & Crafts But Boys Are Better at Math & Sports
Amelia Gray has made a really sensible rebuttal to that whole WILLA thing where everyone got upset about Publishers Weekly not listing any women authors in the best books of 2009. It is here at The Huffington Post. I like her thoughtfulness about what constitutes sexism. She makes it clear how many of the knee-jerk reactions were themselves fundamentally biased.
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Friday, November 27, 2009
We Are Champion
I have three poems in We Are Champion, a new journal that saved space for some also-rans like Blake Butler, Mathias Svalina, Giancarlo DiTripano, Gary Lutz, Ally Harris, Chris Higgs, Rachel B. Glaser, Carl Annarummo, Jonathan Papas. Whoa whoa whoa, read that Glaser story and get pumped for summer, when PG will mail you her collection of stories.
Everyday Genius
Joseph Young's editorial stint for Everyday Genius ends on Monday. Let's have a round of applause for Joe and all the great writing and stuff that he featured this month. That Robert Bradley story was longer than the average thing read at EG, but man did it flow. The bit with the stone, it's like word surgery it's so exact. Did you notice the John Woods to Shellie Zachariah thing? Two falling moon pieces back to back. Kathy Fish's story blew me away, and so did Kuzhali Manickavel's. Thanks Joe, and everyone I just mentioned, and all the great writers I didn't mention, for contributing. Joe's last day is Monday and then Sasha Fletcher takes the helm for December.
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Neil Young does Fresh Prince theme
Hey, I celebrate good TV.
And while I don't watch videos at work, I listen to them. So not seeing this performance, it honestly took me a while to realize this wasn't actually Neil Young. Five stars.
(Thanks Adam Kotsko.)
And while I don't watch videos at work, I listen to them. So not seeing this performance, it honestly took me a while to realize this wasn't actually Neil Young. Five stars.
(Thanks Adam Kotsko.)
Monday, November 23, 2009
Easter Rabbit Reviewed at Ghost Factory **REVISED**
David Peak wrote a review of Easter Rabbit at his blog, Ghost Factory. The niceness begins,
Peak's contention is that some of the stories are incomprehensible in their abstraction. I would argue that in my reading, they are all too abstract to comprehend. Like, I keep going back to "Sine," the first story. What does that one mean? NOTHING.
Probably Joe is tired of me always referring to "Sine." Sorry Joe, but that's about as far as I've come in terms of really reading the book. (Well, that and "Occupation," which is like the other end of the spectrum. It's so plot heavy.)
What I mean to say is that no matter how many times I've read the book, or read several stories in a row (because I haven't read the book straight through more than once), I don't actually feel like I've read anything. It's a very strange experience. These stories call into question what it means to read. Do you read eye charts at the eye doctors? Do you read tarot cards? Do you read STOP signs? I think these are things you look at, and I have looked at most of Easter Rabbit more than I have read it.
Which isn't to say that I have read "Sine" enough times to get it, to approach it and see something that it means. In fact, that story had an immediate impact on me -- I read it and afterward I knew something that I hadn't known before.
Unfortunately, Fortunately, I cannot put a name to whatever it is that I learned. This isn't that sort of epistemology. It's art, man, and some sublimity cannot be named. Joe has said that he prefers the company of artists, and I think that might be because they can visualize (or otherwise present) their responses to phenomena in a way that is satisfied without the need to name. At the Easter Rabbit release party, Joe has asked several artists to respond to the stories, and I bet the pairings will create a new dawn.
To bear out the analogy from above: when new agers "read" tarot cards they look at them on the table and then apply a complicated system of interpretation that they have studied and internalized, and they make connections. This connectivity is still what's at play in our dialectical system -- thesis, antithesis, synthesis -- but what I love about Easter Rabbit is that it operates outside of that. The reading habits that we are so trained in rely on what we already know to give meaning. More to the point, these habits rely on what we know we know, and by grouping these fact sets, story emerges.
When drivers "read" STOP signs they see them and know what is meant. That is exactly the same thing as seeing a tree. The only people who read STOP signs are people who are just learning to read and find they have to sound out the word. This reading is actually quite close to the way I would read Easter Rabbit, if I could. I can immediately identify the words in each sentence, but I have to "sound out" the signification.
When patients "read" eye charts, the only thing being learned regards the person's ability to see. The actual "text" in question is irrelevant. If Joe's stories weren't so darn beautiful, I could actually make a case about a similiarity here. I am not entirely certain of how much the stories have to do with the implications of the book.
Socrates referred to himself as a midwife because his role was to give birth to the things his students already had inside them. I don't believe Joseph Young is playing in the same gymnasium as Socrates or Hegel.
***
In other news, it was a good weekend. Sweatpants played the "I Will Smash You" Baltimore premiere. Michael Kimball and I met yesterday morning to discuss Rachel Glaser's book of short stories that is coming out next summer. Michael is the editor. I like this arrangement because it makes me feel like the president of something.
I watched the Ravens almost lose, almost win, finally lose at the football match.
Stephanie Barber sent me a bunch of fantastic cover images for the Byrne book. Website for that book forthcoming, with much anticipation.
Joke: This string walks in and says to the Other Guy, “185 Teachers walk into a bar and the bartender says, ‘We don’t serve 185 Teachers here’ and 185 Teachers say, ‘That’s okay, we’re History’ and they leave.” The Other Guy refrains from laughing. He has a face like the scratchy part of a matchbook. He says, “We don’t server strings here,” and the string goes, “I know, but listen to this. A guy walks into a bar with a snapping turtle—” but before he can finish Ronnie at the end of the bar hollers, “Get that string out of here.” The Other Guy says, “I’m afraid not.” Baboom!
Joseph Young's debut collection of micro-fictions, Easter Rabbit, is a big book. Not big in its sense of ambition, or girth or bloat, but big in a personal way--in the way these little stories blow up inside your imagination, sometimes fitting their teeth against the cogs of your memories, other times sealing themselves tight inside glowing atmospheres of mystery, of pain, beauty and significance--these little stories are bigness."Fitting their teeth against the cogs of your memories" is, whoa, strangely lovely in spite of its gruesomeness. Peak does a close reading in his review, and I think it's the best kind of close reading -- one that names questions rather than answering them. But he does note some imperfections, and the one I want to address isn't because I feel defensive, but because it is in this objection that he hits on the one thing that makes me most excited about the book.
Peak's contention is that some of the stories are incomprehensible in their abstraction. I would argue that in my reading, they are all too abstract to comprehend. Like, I keep going back to "Sine," the first story. What does that one mean? NOTHING.
Probably Joe is tired of me always referring to "Sine." Sorry Joe, but that's about as far as I've come in terms of really reading the book. (Well, that and "Occupation," which is like the other end of the spectrum. It's so plot heavy.)
What I mean to say is that no matter how many times I've read the book, or read several stories in a row (because I haven't read the book straight through more than once), I don't actually feel like I've read anything. It's a very strange experience. These stories call into question what it means to read. Do you read eye charts at the eye doctors? Do you read tarot cards? Do you read STOP signs? I think these are things you look at, and I have looked at most of Easter Rabbit more than I have read it.
Which isn't to say that I have read "Sine" enough times to get it, to approach it and see something that it means. In fact, that story had an immediate impact on me -- I read it and afterward I knew something that I hadn't known before.
Unfortunately, Fortunately, I cannot put a name to whatever it is that I learned. This isn't that sort of epistemology. It's art, man, and some sublimity cannot be named. Joe has said that he prefers the company of artists, and I think that might be because they can visualize (or otherwise present) their responses to phenomena in a way that is satisfied without the need to name. At the Easter Rabbit release party, Joe has asked several artists to respond to the stories, and I bet the pairings will create a new dawn.
To bear out the analogy from above: when new agers "read" tarot cards they look at them on the table and then apply a complicated system of interpretation that they have studied and internalized, and they make connections. This connectivity is still what's at play in our dialectical system -- thesis, antithesis, synthesis -- but what I love about Easter Rabbit is that it operates outside of that. The reading habits that we are so trained in rely on what we already know to give meaning. More to the point, these habits rely on what we know we know, and by grouping these fact sets, story emerges.
When drivers "read" STOP signs they see them and know what is meant. That is exactly the same thing as seeing a tree. The only people who read STOP signs are people who are just learning to read and find they have to sound out the word. This reading is actually quite close to the way I would read Easter Rabbit, if I could. I can immediately identify the words in each sentence, but I have to "sound out" the signification.
When patients "read" eye charts, the only thing being learned regards the person's ability to see. The actual "text" in question is irrelevant. If Joe's stories weren't so darn beautiful, I could actually make a case about a similiarity here. I am not entirely certain of how much the stories have to do with the implications of the book.
Socrates referred to himself as a midwife because his role was to give birth to the things his students already had inside them. I don't believe Joseph Young is playing in the same gymnasium as Socrates or Hegel.
***
In other news, it was a good weekend. Sweatpants played the "I Will Smash You" Baltimore premiere. Michael Kimball and I met yesterday morning to discuss Rachel Glaser's book of short stories that is coming out next summer. Michael is the editor. I like this arrangement because it makes me feel like the president of something.
I watched the Ravens almost lose, almost win, finally lose at the football match.
Stephanie Barber sent me a bunch of fantastic cover images for the Byrne book. Website for that book forthcoming, with much anticipation.
Joke: This string walks in and says to the Other Guy, “185 Teachers walk into a bar and the bartender says, ‘We don’t serve 185 Teachers here’ and 185 Teachers say, ‘That’s okay, we’re History’ and they leave.” The Other Guy refrains from laughing. He has a face like the scratchy part of a matchbook. He says, “We don’t server strings here,” and the string goes, “I know, but listen to this. A guy walks into a bar with a snapping turtle—” but before he can finish Ronnie at the end of the bar hollers, “Get that string out of here.” The Other Guy says, “I’m afraid not.” Baboom!
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Easter Rabbit Reviews #1
Joe Young's book, Easter Rabbit, is already making waves. You can probably keep better track of everything at his blog, http://www.easterrabbit.blogspot.com/, but here are a few of the latests:
At Big Other, Greg Gerke said, "These micros refuse any sense of completion. They live in the actions of the characters, in the details of the river or forest, and in the Beckettian/Pinteresque bits of dialogue. They are story and poetry and they describe a universe in mourning for its own mysteries, a human race run down but capable of enchantment."
I'm interested in the commenter to that post who said, "I think I’ll buy this book if only to see what faint or largeblown taste lingers after reading. I wonder if these microfictions will clench my fists in frustration? I wonder if this form is capable of delivering the same sense of satisfaction that one can derive from a well-written and engaging novel."
There is a review at FlashFiction.net that I like a lot. In it, Jess Bouchard tries to explain microfiction to her 8-year-old daughter using the book.
At Big Other, Greg Gerke said, "These micros refuse any sense of completion. They live in the actions of the characters, in the details of the river or forest, and in the Beckettian/Pinteresque bits of dialogue. They are story and poetry and they describe a universe in mourning for its own mysteries, a human race run down but capable of enchantment."
I'm interested in the commenter to that post who said, "I think I’ll buy this book if only to see what faint or largeblown taste lingers after reading. I wonder if these microfictions will clench my fists in frustration? I wonder if this form is capable of delivering the same sense of satisfaction that one can derive from a well-written and engaging novel."
There is a review at FlashFiction.net that I like a lot. In it, Jess Bouchard tries to explain microfiction to her 8-year-old daughter using the book.
The 8-year-old likes “Girl” because she doesn’t know anything about the “girl.” We are given enough information. She says, “I know this piece is deep. I don’t know why. I just do.”There are a bunch of other links in that review to Joe's other work.
Sweatpants at Shattered Wig on FRIDAY
The movie I Will Smash You is also locally premiering at the show. I'm excited to see it on the biggish screen. Sweatpants is doing a song from the movie. Michael Kimball and Luca DiPierro made the movie.
Blaster Al Ackerman will read. The last couple times I saw him read I couldn't understand his words because he had a bar of soap in his mouth. Because of this, I thought it was a good reading.
Ingrid Burrington is going to do something. She really wowed me at the Transmodern Festival last year with her chapbook of 100 Questions. (One of them was, "Will you help me move on Thursday?") She did a bunch of diagrams for Michael Kimball's month of Everyday Genius (for example click heres). She has a chapbook forthcoming from Publishing Genius.
This is the bio for Sweatpants:
Sweatpants is a vigorous band that brings the rock led by Publishing Genius magnate Adam Robinson. After they opened for Springsteen in Munich a year ago Springsteen said he was too shaken to do his five minute monologue opening to "The River" and instead he told the band to leave and performed a short acoustic set.We are going to smash a pinata. In the pinata will be reticulated ventricles.
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Justin Sirois at Big Other
Speaking of that time at John and Ginny Woods's house as I was in the last post -- here at Big Other is a really, really interesting interview that Ginny did with Justin Sirois, who wrote MLKNG SCKLS. I think it's interesting because it's about Iraq. Justin knows a lot about this stuff.
Read the interview.
Read MLKNG SCKLS.
Read the interview.
Read MLKNG SCKLS.
Everyday Genius
Yesterday I returned from an amazing party outside Madison, WI. It was sort of a reunion of all my friends from college. 30 of us ate an amazing Thanksgiving dinner, played football, had a singalong around a campfire, then went for a walk as the sun rose over the chilly farmland.
There was no Internet, and I didn't mind. Friends are the real Internet.
But Everyday Genius is a good second-best. This week kicked off with a face-wowing thinger by Kuzhali Manickavel. From her bio, I learned that Kuzhali lives in a small, coastal town in South India and just released a book called, "Insects Are Just like You and Me except Some of Them Have Wings" (Goodreads). Her story has received a blogtastic amount of comments -- someone even called it "a fist-slammed-into-the-face of a story."
Just posted -- sorry it's late -- Blogger failed me -- is a colorful cartoon by John Dermot Woods. I like John Woods a lot. Recently he let me eat pizza at his really nice house, which is under construction. He happened to be wearing socks and shoes that match the cover of his brilliant book, The Complete Collection of People, Places and Things. Anyway, John's contribution to Everyday Genius is a cartoon about the moon falling. In it, there is a man or a boy with a top hat. There is a lot of action as the moon slowly descends.
Interestingly, Shellie Zacharia (who's book, Now Playing, I love) has a story about the moon falling that will come out in tomorrow's edition of Everyday Genius, so keep reading or whatnot.
There was no Internet, and I didn't mind. Friends are the real Internet.
But Everyday Genius is a good second-best. This week kicked off with a face-wowing thinger by Kuzhali Manickavel. From her bio, I learned that Kuzhali lives in a small, coastal town in South India and just released a book called, "Insects Are Just like You and Me except Some of Them Have Wings" (Goodreads). Her story has received a blogtastic amount of comments -- someone even called it "a fist-slammed-into-the-face of a story."
Just posted -- sorry it's late -- Blogger failed me -- is a colorful cartoon by John Dermot Woods. I like John Woods a lot. Recently he let me eat pizza at his really nice house, which is under construction. He happened to be wearing socks and shoes that match the cover of his brilliant book, The Complete Collection of People, Places and Things. Anyway, John's contribution to Everyday Genius is a cartoon about the moon falling. In it, there is a man or a boy with a top hat. There is a lot of action as the moon slowly descends.
Interestingly, Shellie Zacharia (who's book, Now Playing, I love) has a story about the moon falling that will come out in tomorrow's edition of Everyday Genius, so keep reading or whatnot.
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Adam Robinson, Amazing
I am proudest of my football skills. I display a natural fluency on the field. [video link]
Two more pics of me on the field:
Two more pics of me on the field:
Excited about my prowess/good looks? I can do more. Preorder my book here.
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Shellie Zacharia's NOW PLAYING
I just received Now Playing, by Shellie Zacharia, from Keyhole Books. I read the titles and enjoyed them immensely. I read the first story, "Uno!" and enjoyed it immensely. I mean, really, really a lot. It has a great tone, so smartly breezed and fluffed, and ends with a point that would seem saccharine if everything else in the story hadn't come together so well.
I'm looking forward to reading the other 180 pages in this book.
I'm looking forward to reading the other 180 pages in this book.
Monday, November 09, 2009
I think it would be really scary to ride a bike with my eyes closed -- probably I couldn't do it
Joseph Young was on NPR's The Signal on Friday. The Signal is a really great show out of Baltimore's station, WYPR. Joe reads some stories and talks with the host, Aaron Henkin, about how microfiction works -- and why.
When Aaron asks about the best way to read the stories, Joe mentions my money back guarantee: whoever reads the 3,000 words in one sitting, can email me for a full refund. My thinking is that the stories satiate after reading three or four, overwhelm after seven or eight. Buy the book here.
Joe's reading/interview is at about minute 25. Also on the program are: Chris Ferrera, my friend who does this really awesome letter writing campaign to Starbucks; Kathy Flann, my friend who hosts a reading series (last month she brought in Tao Lin and PG's own Rupert Wondolowski); and Matt Gilman, a blind mountain biker I've never met. Once again The Signal programs an hour well worth your ears.
When Aaron asks about the best way to read the stories, Joe mentions my money back guarantee: whoever reads the 3,000 words in one sitting, can email me for a full refund. My thinking is that the stories satiate after reading three or four, overwhelm after seven or eight. Buy the book here.
Joe's reading/interview is at about minute 25. Also on the program are: Chris Ferrera, my friend who does this really awesome letter writing campaign to Starbucks; Kathy Flann, my friend who hosts a reading series (last month she brought in Tao Lin and PG's own Rupert Wondolowski); and Matt Gilman, a blind mountain biker I've never met. Once again The Signal programs an hour well worth your ears.
Friday, November 06, 2009
Thursday, November 05, 2009
NYC Spelling Bee
Rozalia Jovanovic wrote a very funny account of a spelling bee. When I was in NYC last weekend I wished I went there more often. The fact that Rozalia's write up takes this cool event as if it were a commonplace sort of thing makes me wish I was there more often more.
Wednesday, November 04, 2009
Tuesday, November 03, 2009
Monday, November 02, 2009
Adam Robison Preorder special
In a comment at HTMLGIANT, Narrow House just announced an offer that the next five people to preorder ADAM ROBISON can have one other thing from the catalog of their choosing. I suppose after you order, they'll email you for your selection.
Narrow House has a good catalog, including work from Rod Smith, Anselm Berrigan and this massive collection of poems. I think my favorite thing is Ric Royer's piece, There Were One and It Was Two. If you want to be fully immersed in something mysterious and pleasantly disturbing, check this one out.
Act fast though. They're only offering five of these.
Total cost to preorder is $12, which includes shipping. Here is where you order.
Narrow House has a good catalog, including work from Rod Smith, Anselm Berrigan and this massive collection of poems. I think my favorite thing is Ric Royer's piece, There Were One and It Was Two. If you want to be fully immersed in something mysterious and pleasantly disturbing, check this one out.
Act fast though. They're only offering five of these.
Total cost to preorder is $12, which includes shipping. Here is where you order.
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