Learn the craft with William S. Burroughs
Now here’s a thought. Instead of forking over the bucks for that MFA at Iowa or Stanford, spend four hours or so listening to William S. Burroughs lecture on writing. … Continue reading
Yes, literature is elitist… thank God!
A while back, Salon’s Laura Miller asked the musical question, “Is the literary world elitist?” My short answer? Yes. Because it’s supposed to be. The word “literary” has a certain … Continue reading
Did the CIA infiltrate the Iowa Writers’ Workshop in the ’60s? (Uh…no.)
Psssst. Have you heard? The Iowa Writers’ Workshop was a CIA front in the ’50s and ‘60s. Oh, wait. No. The Iowa Writers’ Workshop was funded by the CIA. Sorry. … Continue reading
Which are you? MFA or NYC?
This looks like it’ll be an interesting book: a compilation of essays that look at the nature of the American literary scene. Chad Harbach (The Art of Fielding) has gotten … Continue reading
Craig Nova on the future of the novel
In July I did a brief post about the future of the novel, provoked by a quote I’d run across by novelist Craig Nova. Mr. Nova has recently chimed in … Continue reading
Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar: symbolism in fiction
So in 1963 some kid grew the cojones to ask a bunch of famous writers about symbolism in their work, i.e., did they think about it consciously and stick it … Continue reading
A new book recommendation site: Just One Book
Looks like it’s just getting off the ground, but Just One Book is a place where readers recommend — you guessed it: Just One Book. There are only twelve books … Continue reading
Block that extraneous, disposable, redundant, pointless adjective — unless it works
A quickie today, because I have Yesterday Road business to attend to. Here is a list of “exquisite” adjectives I came across this morning. It got my mind to … Continue reading
The world’s strangest book? Quite possibly!
(Click image to enlarge) Since The Codex Seraphinianus is written in an indecipherable language and is illustrated with bizarre images of impossible things, why, yes, it could be the … Continue reading
