Cultural Cross Sections Alizah Holstein I stepped out of Keflavík airport at 4:30 a.m. Far off in the dimly lit parking lot was the bus to Reykjavík—parked, empty, still off-duty. Winds buffeted me from above, the cold air curling its way up my wrists and down my neck. The landscape around me was shrouded in night. I could see nothing but desolate airport roads unfurling like tendrils out into the void. I made my way to the unlit bus, pulled my jacket tighter around me, and waited. I had come to Reykjavík for a new beginning. This September day marked the official start of my master’s program in creative writing and literary translation—Vermont College of Fine Arts’ new “International MFA”—a program dedicated to literature with a global perspective. And Iceland, a nation with one of the world’s deepest and most abiding literary traditions, would be the site of our first weeklong residency. But really, what on earth I was doing? I already had a PhD in medieval Italian history, a degree that had gifted me many things—Italian, Rome, lifelong friends, a life of the mind—but not, alas, a tenure-track job. After deciding not to accept adjunct positions, I left academia to try entrepreneurship. I had sewn a fleece vest for my infant son that other parents had wanted. Before long, I had a business designing and manufacturing outerwear. As an entrepreneur, I was inspired by all there was to discover. If the past is a foreign country to... Continue reading at 'World Literature Today'
[ World Literature Today | 2019-12-03 17:31:19 UTC ]
The just-concluded New Voices New Rooms joint virtual gathering of the New Atlantic and Southern Independent Booksellers Associations delved into such issues as book banning, de-escalating confrontations, and ways to generate additional revenue. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2022-08-11 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Yep, you guessed it: “Barefoot Bookseller,” the greatest job in the literary world, is once again accepting applications. Would you like to run a bookstore on a desert island in the Maldives for a year? What if I told you that you weren’t allowed to wear shoes . . . or read the news? I […] Continue reading at Literrary Hub
[ Literrary Hub | 2022-08-01 13:04:38 UTC ]
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On this special Member Exclusive episode of Ursa Short Fiction, authors Deesha Philyaw (The Secret Lives of Church Ladies) and Dawnie Walton (The Final Revival of Opal & Nev) offer a comprehensive guide to the business of publishing—from submitting short stories to literary magazines, to... Continue reading at Literrary Hub
[ Literrary Hub | 2022-08-01 08:51:28 UTC ]
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I was 13 years old in a suburban mall Barnes & Noble, holding a copy of Please Don’t Kill the Freshman by Zoe Trope. The cover—featuring the silhouette of a young cheerleader whose stance seems sarcastic, her pom-poms flopping against gashes of blue and red—was young, angry, and awesome. I... Continue reading at Literrary Hub
[ Literrary Hub | 2022-07-19 14:56:41 UTC ]
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In his grouchy, funny memoir, “A Factotum in the Book Trade,” Marius Kociejowski writes about what a good bookstore should feel like, famous customers he’s served and more. Continue reading at The New York Times
[ The New York Times | 2022-07-18 18:02:04 UTC ]
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The New Orleans bookstore is a shop with a mission—to eliminate mass incarceration through the promotion of literacy. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2022-07-15 04:00:00 UTC ]
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In the back of my favorite bookstore in Brooklyn, there’s a wall covered in all the random things the employees have found in the used books they sell: photos, newspaper clippings, notes, receipts, pressed flowers, etc. It’s a fascinating little archive, both meaningless and somehow magical,... Continue reading at Literrary Hub
[ Literrary Hub | 2022-07-11 14:16:40 UTC ]
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The owners of Franklin Fixtures, which supplies retail displays to bookstores, are opening a new independent bookstore and café named Plenty on Spring in Cookeville. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2022-07-01 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Alta Journal just released a map for the Western bookstore road trip of my dreams: it’s a guide to indie bookstores on the West coast (with a few options from the desert and other non-coastal spots thrown in, because why not). A lot of the picks, as to be expected, are clustered around cities... Continue reading at Literrary Hub
[ Literrary Hub | 2022-06-29 16:46:35 UTC ]
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A bookstore in New Mexico fosters a community of Native artists, writers, and fans of the flourishing Indigenous comic book genre. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor
[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2022-06-27 14:59:00 UTC ]
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The year 2021 saw a substantial increase in the number of independent bookstores in the United States. And a growing proportion of these stores is owned by individuals from diverse ethnic and racial backgrounds. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor
[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2022-06-17 15:44:11 UTC ]
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On Friday night, P&T Knitwear opened its doors on the Lower East Side to celebrate its grand opening. Any new indie bookstore/cafe is cause for applause, but this one in particular has a few fun bells and whistles worth mentioning! When you first walk in, what’s probably most noticeable is... Continue reading at Literrary Hub
[ Literrary Hub | 2022-06-06 15:01:31 UTC ]
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The Eastern European country Belarus has banned the sale of 1984, and two booksellers and publishers have been detained for carrying it. Continue reading at Book Riot
[ Book Riot | 2022-05-30 17:22:36 UTC ]
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After a decade of enjoying his presence, an Ohio bookstore is hosting a party to celebrate Otis the Cat's retirement. Continue reading at Book Riot
[ Book Riot | 2022-05-25 15:44:02 UTC ]
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The Raven Bookstore in Lawrence, Kans., was named 'PW' Bookstore of the Year in a virtual awards ceremony held during the U.S. Book Show. Commission rep Kurtis Lowe of Book Travelers West is 'PW' Sales Rep of the Year. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2022-05-24 04:00:00 UTC ]
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In very 1984 news, Belarus has banned the sale of 1984. Belarusian weekly newspaper, Nasha Niva, reported that security forces detained Andrei Yanushkevich, publisher and bookstore owner, and confiscated 200 books, with a focus on 1984. Nasha Niva also reported that they had obtained a copy of... Continue reading at Literrary Hub
[ Literrary Hub | 2022-05-20 14:23:20 UTC ]
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His Common Concerns bookstore in Washington became a left-wing community resource in the 1980s. Continue reading at The Washington Post
[ The Washington Post | 2022-05-13 18:04:58 UTC ]
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A worthy cause for you this Thursday: a bookstore owner’s petition to make Harriet Tubman Day a federal holiday (and the first federal holiday named for an American woman) is at nearly 8,000 signatures, and you can add your name here. The petition was created by Jeannine Cook, owner of Harriet’s... Continue reading at Literrary Hub
[ Literrary Hub | 2022-05-05 16:26:12 UTC ]
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In today’s “why do we have to share a country with these jackasses” news, the board of the public library of Enid and Garfield County in Enid, Oklahoma, voted 3-2 to ban “book displays and library programs that focus on sexual content”—which resulted in the library cancelling not only an adult... Continue reading at Literrary Hub
[ Literrary Hub | 2022-04-20 17:26:39 UTC ]
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Some sad news coming out of the Boston area today: the Children’s Book Shop in Brookline Village, Mass., will close its doors after 45 years. Dear Customers: We are sad to report that The Children’s Book Shop will close its doors on April 30, 2022. We have provided good books, great service and... Continue reading at Literrary Hub
[ Literrary Hub | 2022-04-18 16:28:49 UTC ]
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