This page is for links to articles I have read and particularly liked. Though the content is important, I’m really going to focus on items I thought were particularly well-written or that discuss the writer’s (and the artist’s in general) craft. I’m learning that a literary life balances input and output, reading and writing, absorbing and releasing. Probably more people read than write. One of my goals for The Life Literary is to offer a plethora of suggestions for ways, small and big, easy and complex, to incorporate writing and other literary output into a person’s daily life. Along with that, however, I’m going to give suggestions for reading (like these articles) that may be especially useful input because they’re written well. Not that everything you read has to be some perfect literary creation. But it’s good to read at least some things that are wonderfully, artfully imagined and constructed.
The Articles
“Paradox of Modern Life: So Many Choices, So Little Joy”, Jim Sollisch in “The Christian Science Monitor,”
“What I Learned at School” Marie Myuung-ok lee (a writer’s reminiscence about how a teacher took extra effort to encourage a budding writer.)
“The Rise of Twitter Poetry” Randy Kennedy (About using Twitter for poetry and literature.)
Teaching to the Text Message Andy Selsberg (A brief NYT Op Ed about writing concisely.)
“History is on Japan’s Side” PETER FRETWELL and TAYLOR BALDWIN KILAND (I like this article because it talks about the process of working through trauma as a strengthening activity.)
“Marvel and Persistence” Verlyn Klinkenberg (A writer whose style – this article is a fine example – I greatly admire. I also envy anyone who can work full-time on a farm and also be a writer, one goal-scenario of mine.)
“My Love Affair With America” Jeffrey Goldberg (I said I wouldn’t bring politics into The Life Literary and I won’t. I only include this because of the clever word plays or rather his humorous use of particular images juxtaposed with particular words to make his point. I’m not commenting on whether I like or agree with it. I do think this piece is really clever.)Google Schools Its Algorithm, Steve Lohr (Discusses how Google recently changed its algorithm (how it conducts searches) to make the results more accurate or useful.)
Boston College Conservatory of Music Welcome Address, Karl Paulnack (A moving description of the vital role of music and art in the world. An important article.)
“Deadlines Can Give Life to Creative Writing,” by Robert McCrum. Robert McCrum On Books” is a blog written by a well-known British writer, editor. Always well-written with interesting bits of literary what-not.
“Why We Write About Grief,” by Joyce Carol Oates and Meghan O’Rourke
“I Feel it Coming Together”, by Judith Warner (Judith Warner’s tone and honesty are what sell me. Her prose is good; her heart, winsome.)
“What the Last Meal Taught Him,” by Kim Severson (Have Kleenex ready.)
“The Old Man and the Sea by Earnest Hemingway,” From The Writer’s Almanac, May 4, 2010. ( a poignant review of a moving, powerful story.)
