The Once Over Ivar Ivask John Ciardi, Giuseppe Ungaretti, Luciano Rebay, and Ivar Ivask after presentation of the award certificate, Norman, Oklahoma, March 14, 1970 / Photo by Jim Lucas Today (June 1) marks the fiftieth anniversary of the death of Giuseppe Ungaretti (1888–1970), the legendary Italian poet who traveled to the University of Oklahoma in March 1970 to be fêted as the very first laureate of what would come to be known as the Neustadt Prize. The following recap by Ivar Ivask, then-editor of Books Abroad and the visionary behind the prize, will be reprinted in Dispatches from the Republic of Letters: Fifty Years of the Neustadt International Prize for Literature, forthcoming from Deep Vellum Publishing in October. The anthology, edited by WLT’s current editor in chief, Daniel Simon, gathers the acceptance speeches by the first twenty-five laureates of the prize along with tributes by the jurors who nominated them. Balugina da un faroVerso cui va tranquilloIl vecchio capitano. G.U. Vacationing amidst the solitary Finnish woods and lakes, I am trying to order my impressions of the dramatic events that occurred in connection with Giuseppe Ungaretti between 7 February and 4 June of this year [1970], and in which I was to a certain degree involved. True, I had very briefly met the Italian poet on 17 April 1969 after his highly successful reading at the Poetry Center in New York, where he was presented by Professor Luciano... Continue reading at 'World Literature Today'
[ World Literature Today | 2020-06-01 15:51:20 UTC ]
As COVID cases surge to record numbers and Republicans flirt with a paper coup the future of the nation’s bookstores remains perilous. Yes, we all have a lot to worry about—but if you care about that unwieldy, amorphous thing called literary culture, please spare a moment (or a dollar) to... Continue reading at Literrary Hub
[ Literrary Hub | 2020-11-10 16:14:32 UTC ]
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CNN’s election-count coverage ended as it began: with Wolf Blitzer all excited. “After four long, tense days, we’ve reached a historic moment in this election,” he said. “We can now project the winner of the presidential race.” One thrumming musical interlude later, the network reported that... Continue reading at Columbia Journalism Review
[ Columbia Journalism Review | 2020-11-09 12:59:12 UTC ]
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We're examining the eligibility requirements of five major literary awards, specifically looking at their positions on citizenship. Continue reading at Book Riot
[ Book Riot | 2020-11-02 11:33:00 UTC ]
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Dujiangyan Zhongshuge is the latest bookstore designed by X+Living, and it’s stunning. The very best books transport you to another world, and the most magical bookstores help make that a reality. Chinese bookseller Zhongshuge is renowned for its stunning bookstores, and its latest outpost, in... Continue reading at Fast Company
[ Fast Company | 2020-11-02 08:00:34 UTC ]
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Welcome to the virtual book launch of Tiny Nightmares: Very Short Tales of Horror, brought to you by The Antibody Reading Series in collaboration with WORD Bookstore (buy from the bookstore here). Tonight’s guests include editors Lincoln Michel and Nadxieli Nieto, along with contributors Meg... Continue reading at Literrary Hub
[ Literrary Hub | 2020-10-29 23:30:17 UTC ]
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As Europe goes back into pandemic lockdown French bookstores are making the case to remain open, despite the fact bars and restaurants will be closing. Citing fears of increasing “cultural isolation” bookstore associations are joining with publishers to demand classification as essential... Continue reading at Literrary Hub
[ Literrary Hub | 2020-10-29 16:15:27 UTC ]
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With Halloween fast-approaching, I feel the need (along with every other person on the book internet) to remind you that one of the scariest things imaginable might happen: your local indie bookstore might close. Their fate is in your hands. Go on and pick up one (or two or three) of these new... Continue reading at Literrary Hub
[ Literrary Hub | 2020-10-27 13:16:05 UTC ]
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Jimmy Fallon, local authors and devoted regulars are rallying to help Once Upon a Time in Montrose — the country's oldest kids' bookstore — survive the pandemic that has destroyed so many small businesses. Continue reading at Los Angeles Times
[ Los Angeles Times | 2020-10-27 12:00:02 UTC ]
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When Czesław Miłosz (1911–2004) visited the University of Oklahoma in April 1978 to be honored as the fifth laureate of the Neustadt International Prize for Literature, he marveled over the improbability of it all: “The Neustadt literary prize belongs too, in my opinion, to those things which... Continue reading at Literrary Hub
[ Literrary Hub | 2020-10-21 08:48:17 UTC ]
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In this David-versus-Goliath battle, mom-and-pop bookstores wrapped themselves in Amazon's familiar brown cardboard as a protest against the retail giant and a plea to shop local. The Instagram-ready stunt, with Amazon lookalike boxes covered in sick literary burns and topical quips, came... Continue reading at AdWeek
[ AdWeek | 2020-10-19 20:06:41 UTC ]
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How does one browse in a dark bookstore? Picture row upon row of faced-out books lit like tiny billboards floating in an inky black room, small candle lit café tables as little islands of light between hundreds of glowing covers… That’s basically the scene at Wuguan Bookstore in Kaohsiung,... Continue reading at Literrary Hub
[ Literrary Hub | 2020-10-19 15:08:32 UTC ]
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Independent booksellers are desperate for customers to return, and not just for an online reading. Continue reading at The New York Times
[ The New York Times | 2020-10-15 09:00:28 UTC ]
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Books Beneath the Bridge: Greenlight Poetry Salon Monday, October 12, 7pm EDT For the eighth season of Books Beneath the Bridge, a literature series hosted by the Brooklyn Bridge Park, Greenlight Bookstore will be hosting a virtual edition of their quarterly Poetry Salon, hosted and curated by... Continue reading at Literrary Hub
[ Literrary Hub | 2020-10-12 10:00:38 UTC ]
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W.W. Norton's Liveright imprint publicity director Peter Miller moonlights as a bookstore owner in Brooklyn—and he's working with Books Through Bars to get books into the hands of the imprisoned. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2020-10-09 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Vroman's Bookstore is just one of many independent bookstores in danger of closing as a result of the pandemic. It's not too late to save them. Continue reading at Los Angeles Times
[ Los Angeles Times | 2020-10-05 10:00:03 UTC ]
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Book Club, an indie on Manhattan's Lower East Side, was only open for a few months before the pandemic hit. Since then, its owners have gotten creative, and are raising the store’s profile. Here's how. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2020-10-02 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Well, beautiful might not exactly be the word—perhaps disquietingly arresting? Chinese architecture firm x+living seems to be channeling the synaptic afterimages of Borges’s brain in their dizzying design for a bookstore in the city of Dujiangyan, in the southwest of China. The almost manic use... Continue reading at Literrary Hub
[ Literrary Hub | 2020-09-23 13:51:18 UTC ]
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Take a tour of an independent bookstore and community hub, Book Revue, the largest independent bookstore on Long Island. Continue reading at Book Riot
[ Book Riot | 2020-09-23 10:38:00 UTC ]
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Last but certainly not least: it’s the time for fiction! The National Book Foundation has announced the ten books contending for this year’s National Book Award for Fiction. The award, created in 1950, is the most prestigious literary prize in the United States, rewarding bold and cogent... Continue reading at Literrary Hub
[ Literrary Hub | 2020-09-18 14:15:26 UTC ]
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Today, the National Book Foundation announced the longlist for the 2020 National Book Award for Nonfiction. The National Book Awards, created in 1950, is the most prestigious literary prize in the United States, rewarding quality and cogent writing. This year’s longlist features a mix of debut... Continue reading at Literrary Hub
[ Literrary Hub | 2020-09-17 19:15:43 UTC ]
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