A Wild Ride Through the Night

If you've never read A Wild Ride Through the Night by Walter Moers, go do it now. I mean it. Right now. It's giants and wicked naked damsels and dragons and forests of ghosts and the time pig and philosophy and death. Moers wove the tail using twenty-one amazing woodcuts by Gustave Dore.

A teaser: 'What!' Gustave cried. 'You mean you're servants of Death?'

The bird raised its beaker in salute. A few other forest demons followed suit. 'Aren't we all?' they chorused.

Mini Post: The Book

The New Republic just launched a new online book review, The Book. Want to know why? Click here--it's too long to repeat. The real question is, will it be any good? My guess is yes--mostly because I usually like TNR articles--but also because I'm currently enjoying the poetry review by Rosanna Warren of Louis Glück's new book, The Expanse. Not only will TNR review books of such wonderful subjects as poetry, but they also have non-conventional "book" reviews, like Tom Bissell's review of Playboy magazine--"The Bunny Revolution". 

Some Words from Wilde

A few Oscar Wilde quotes to ponder on a lazy Sunday:

"The true critic is he who bears within himself the dreams and ideas and feelings of myriad generations, and to whom no form of thought is alien, no emotional impulse obscure." (from Mr. Pater's Last Volume)

"It is absurd to divide people into good or bad. People are either charming or tedious."

"I was working on the proof of one of my poems all the morning, and took out a comma. In the afternoon I put it back again."

"Consistency is the last refuge of the unimaginative."

Tuesday; An Art Project

Since my brain hasn't fully recovered from vacation I thought I'd just give a shout out to one of my favorite literary mags: Tuesday; An Art Project--a highly thoughtful and well crafted publication that consists of poetry, photographs, and prints. Tuesday letterpresses (oh, and what a fine letter press!) their poems and prints onto postcard sized (and thick) paper, allowing you to rearrange the contents at will or send off a piece to a friend (hence postcard sized). On top of all this, I just really like their selections.

Poor Claudia, a relatively new Portland literary mag, did something similar with their most recent publication. Yay unconventional printing!

This Just In: People Still Buy Poetry (thank god)

Ooo, just found this on HTMLGiant: Small Press Distribution's Top-Selling Poetry of 2009. I wonder how many books you have to sell to be considered a small press top seller in poetry... And no fair Sherman and Suheir, share some of the love.

More All-encompassing Reading

As you delve into the holidays and ever-closer new year, make sure to check out "A Year in Reading 2009" from The Millions. They've compiled 49 different reading lists (or the "anti-list" as they've deemed it) from various contributers, including Jon Raymond (recent Oregon Book Award Winner). They're fun, short essay-lists with various accounts of reading in 2009 (though not necessarily books that were published in 2009)--even Harold and the Purple Crayon finally got some recognition. 

Indie Lit Secret Santa Gift Exchange

Today's your last chance to sign up for HTMLGIANT's second annual indie lit Secret Santa gift exchange! You can spend between $10- $20 on your favorite book or chapbook from a small/indie press, or send a subscription to a literary magazine. HTMLGIANT will email you the name and address of your recipient, and make sure to add your address as well--it's kind of essential to the whole "exchange" part. Spread the (indie) literary love.