VIRTUAL EVENT: I'll be speaking with one of my favorite poets and people, Tom Sleigh, Thursday at 730 pm about the ethics of writing about war and atrocity, and what we can learn from both journalistic and poetic approaches to conflict. Fairfield U. MFA events.fairfield.edu/event/inspired…

'It was as though the music were a long-locked door to which I’d finally found a key—or, better, as if I contained a long-locked door, which the music had finally pried open.'

Justin Taylor on LOW; gorgeous words on a gorgeous band. newyorker.com/culture/person…

Almost forgot amid all the Renata Adler noise that I have the ultimate Renata Adler cover

On dark mornings he would simply watch the light seep into the sky.

- Deirdre Madden, Authenticity

Should be a great series.

A gorgeous review from Book Post | @bookpostusa.bsky.social, and much-deserved praise for Zito

During AWP 2024, I gave a talk on documentary poetry on a panel with Paisley Rekdal, Michael Leong, Joe Harrington, and Tara Ballard. The talk really became something of a poem. This is it: Dispatches from the Land of Erasure During a Genocide.

Oh you wanted NEW Helen Garner???? We got you. Pantheon Books

My piece on a very strong first book of poetry.

the part about how New York’s support for SUNY has gone down by half in 20 years when controlled for inflation

'I grabbed that Life Saver and rode it to the surface.'

- Annie Dillard, 'Total Eclipse'

In my next newsletter: an interview with Rachel Cohen, author of A Chance Meeting, now celebrating its 20th anniversary! We talked about process, not knowing if your book idea is real, and how to keep up your confidence as a writer. ruthfranklin.substack.com

We see no visions because we live in an age in which they are not permitted; but if we accepted the idea of them, who's to say what we wouldn't see?

- Deirdre Madden, Molly Fox's Birthday

The dogwood tree is blooming and we're getting ready to send out galleys of our (three!) fall books: Renee Gladman's MY LESBIAN NOVEL and TOAF, and Ariane Koch's OVERSTAYING (translated by Damion Searls)!

A joy listening to Vinson talk about criticism, the novel, and a lot else.

In the meantime, if you demand on the one hand, in
defiance of their opinion—
  the raw material of poetry in
     all its rawness, and
     that which is on the other hand,
         genuine, then you are interested in poetry.

- Marianne Moore, 'Poetry'

this convo w/ Anthony Domestico—enabled by Griffin Oleynick and the team at Commonweal Magazine, one of my favorite mags—was a rigorous joy. on narrative as theology, fiction as an Augustinian endeavor, criticism as a way of life, and much more. dig in! commonwealmagazine.org/podcast/critic…

Probably the coolest 30 minutes I've ever spent as a fly on a zoom call ... new Commonweal Magazine pod with Vinson Cunningham and Anthony Domestico

commonwealmagazine.org/podcast/critic…