‘The Writing Retreat’ by Julia Bartz – Book Review
The Writing Retreat could have been a decent little thriller, and there’s definitely glimmers in here of a better book under the overwhelming amount of baggage that comes packed in the 400 or so pages this one operates with. Between the angst-filled characters, the laborious pace, and the generous helping of the ludicrously incredulous, this […]
On the Yahara Writing Center connects people with nature, poetry and Mary Oliver
The Yahara Writing Center isn’t trying to turn anyone into the next Henry David Thoreau. Although if that happened, that would be okay too. Troy Hess, the center’s founder and guiding spirit, started leading small group classes on poetry, nature writing, and mindfulness almost six years ago as informal get-togethers in area coffee shops. “It […]
“It’s translating, not sex,” he said. “You can do it with more than one person.”
Tyler Cowen: “I’ve never been convinced that AI will rise up and destroy the world or turn us into paper clips.” Understatement as talisman When Clare Cavanagh was first invited by a mutual friend to translate the poems of Adam Zagajewski, who died two years ago this month, how did she respond? “I froze, answered […]
“Writing On The Edge” Is Anthology of Alaska Stories
David James, editor of the Alaskan literature anthology “Writing on the Edge,” during a signing at Title Wave Books on March 4. James will be at Barnes & Noble in Fairbanks this Saturday from 1 to 3. PHOTO BY Karen Jensen Alaska means different things to different people. A new anthology of 33 Alaska stories, […]
Ani Di Franco Calls Writing A Children’s Book ‘A Different Bag of Doughnuts’
Ani Di Franco has won a Grammy (and been nominated for eight others), released 22 albums on her own Righteous Babe Records, sold over five million copies, hit the New York Times bestseller list with her 2019 memoir, No Walls and the Recurring Dream: A Memoir, and has published volumes of poetry English and Italian. […]
TUCKER ON Writing Well
Over 30 years ago, I received my bachelor’s degree in communications from the University of Tennessee. Despite the passing of time, I still hold dear two items from my five-year educational journey: my framed diploma and a small book entitled “The Word: An Associated Press Guide to Good News Writing” by Rene J. Cappon. This […]
Richard Anobile, Chronicler of the Marx Brothers, Dies at 76
Richard Anobile, a prolific creator of film books whose friendly collaboration with the anarchic comedian Groucho Marx on a project called “The Marx Bros. Scrapbook” turned sour when Mr. Marx sued to stop its distribution after reading his unedited quoted remarks in print, died on Feb. 10 in Toronto. He was 76. His wife, Elizabeth […]
The Stasi Poetry Circle: The Creative Writing Class That Tried to Win the Cold War by Philip Oltermann
In the early 1960s, the East German secret police—commonly known as the Stasi—gathered some of its staff to compose and share their poetry. The group called themselves the Writing Circle of Chekists, borrowing the word “cheka” from their fellow spies in Russia, and they met once a month for almost three decades. But what exactly […]
‘Outlander’ Author Diana Gabaldon Drops an Excerpt From Her New Book — Even Though She Admits She Is Not ‘Actively’ Writing It
Outlander author Diana Gabaldon is busy writing the 10th and final book in her popular, long-running literary series. At the same time, she has other projects in the works — including a prequel about Jamie Fraser’s parents and a companion book titled What Frank Knew . Recently, Gabaldon dropped an excerpt from the Frank-focused story. […]
A Nun With Very Bad Habits
Sister Holiday, the protagonist of Margot Douaihy’s showstopper of a series debut SCORCHED GRACE (Gillian Flynn Books/Zando, 310 pp., $27.95) isn’t what you’d imagine a nun to be like, even in laissez-faire New Orleans. “Not that I knew what to make of a nun like me — gold tooth from a bar fight, black scarf […]