One Week in Reykjavík, by Alizah Holstein

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 ]
News tagged with: #public library #historical societies #literary magazines #competing desires #bookstore

Other Publishing stories related to: 'One Week in Reykjavík, by Alizah Holstein'


PW Picks: Books of the Week, November 21, 2022

The pick of our favorite books coming out this week include new titles by E.J. Copperman, Allie Rowbottom, and Tony Tetro and Giampiero Ambrosi. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2022-11-18 05:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


This Week's Bestsellers: November 21, 2022

Tracy Wolff lands at #3 on our children’s fiction list with 'Charm,' her latest YA vampire romance. Plus Lysa TerKeurst sets 'Good Boundaries and Goodbyes,' and BookTok anoints a new bestseller. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2022-11-18 05:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #fiction list #good boundaries


Crikey’s Peter Fray apologises over Walkley outburst as speculation surrounds Chris Dore’s News Corp exit | Weekly Beast

Crikey editor told to pipe down after ‘unacceptable’ heckling of ABC winners. Plus: faint praise from the Australian for its departing editor-in-chiefCrikey’s Peter Fray heckled the Gold Walkley winners during their acceptance speech at Thursday night’s gala journalism awards ceremony, but it... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2022-11-18 02:09:22 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #thursday night #acceptance speech #news corp


Another Bad Week for Print Book Sales

Unit sales of print books fell 17.1% last week compared to the week ended November 13, 2021, at outlets that report to NPD BookScan. It was the third consecutive week that sales fell by double digits compared to 2021. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2022-11-17 05:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #week compared #consecutive week #sales fell #print book


12 new books to look forward to this week.

Another Tuesday, another round of new releases. This week sees the publication of new Patti Smith, an anthology edited by Eileen Myles, the five-year-anniversary edition of Hanif Abdurraqib, and more. * Patti Smith, A Book of Days (Random House) “A powerful melding of image and text inspired by... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2022-11-15 09:55:27 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #week sees #patti smith #anthology edited #hanif abdurraqib #anthology


University Press Week: A Total 158 Campus Publishing Companies

The 11th iteration of University Press Week highlights 'pressing social conversations' and 'vital scholarship,' among other things. The post University Press Week: A Total 158 Campus Publishing Companies appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2022-11-14 20:15:56 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #publishing companies


This Week's Bestsellers: November 14, 2022

New book club picks include Katy Hays's debut novel, 'The Cloisters,' and a 10th anniversary edition of Cheryl Strayed's 'Tiny Beautiful Things.' Plus Matthew Perry and Bono release memoirs, and Boby Dylan and Quentin Tarantino contemplate the greats in their respective fields. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2022-11-11 05:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #cheryl strayed #matthew perry #respective fields #book club


PW Picks: Books of the Week, November 14, 2022

The books we love coming out this week include new titles by Steve Martin, Kennedy Ryan, and Emma Smith. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2022-11-11 05:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #steve martin


B&N to Open 16th New Store Next Week

Barnes & Noble is set to open a new store on November 16 in the Old Orchard Shopping Center in Skokie, Ill. It will be the 16th new outlet that B&N has opened this year. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2022-11-09 05:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #barnes noble


Lit Hub Weekly: October 31-November 4, 2022

Emily Temple rounds up the 60 greatest academic satires, campus novels, and boarding school bildungsromans of the last 100 years. | Lit Hub Reading Lists Lynn Caponera considers the wild and wonderful legacy of Maurice Sendak’s creations (and his rigorous work routine). | Lit Hub Art &... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2022-11-05 10:30:11 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #campus novels #maurice sendak #short stories


This Week's Bestsellers: November 7, 2022

Cormac McCarthy has the #8 book in the country with 'The Passenger,' first in a two-volume work. Plus Siddhartha Mukherjee plays 'The Song of the Cell,' and cookbooks by Food Network stars Ina Garten and Kardea Brown debut on our lists. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2022-11-04 05:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #cormac mccarthy ##8 book


PW Picks: Books of the Week, November 4, 2022

The books we love coming out this week include new titles by Luigi Musolino, Virginia Heath, and Maya C. Popa. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2022-11-04 04:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


Book Deals: Week of November 07, 2022

Kai Bird sells a book about Roy Cohn to Scribner; Little, Brown Spark buys a posthumous memoir from Hannah Pick-Goslar; and more. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2022-11-04 04:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #book deals #posthumous memoir #memoir


Print Book Sales Dropped 14.2% Last Week

Despite three books posting sales of more than 100,000 copies last week, unit sales of print books fell 14.2% compared to the week ended October 30, 2021 at outlets that report to NPD BookScan. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2022-11-03 04:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #2% compared


This Week's Bestsellers: October 31, 2022

Colleen Hoover has the #1 book in the country – and so much more – with 'It Starts with Us.' Plus new celeb memoirs include two by Harry Potter movie alums, and Jen Hatmaker and Phil Rosenthal each feed readers' need for new cookbooks. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2022-10-28 04:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #colleen hoover #jen hatmaker #feed readers #harry potter


PW Picks: Books of the Week, October 31, 2022

The books we love coming out this week include new titles by Ausma Zehanat Khan, Jennifer Homans, and Hayao Miyazaki. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2022-10-28 04:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #hayao miyazaki


Book Deals: Week of October 31, 2022

William Morrow bets on a debut novel from Victoria Benton Frank, Harlan Coben re-ups at Grand Central, and more. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2022-10-28 04:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #book deals #grand central #debut novel


Hoover Can't Stop Weekly Sales Slide

Blockbuster first-week sales of Colleen Hoover’s 'It Starts with Us' was not enough to prevent unit sales of print books from falling 9.1% last week compared to the week ended October 23, 2021. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2022-10-27 04:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #colleen hoover #print books #week compared


This Week's Bestsellers: October 24, 2022

Jimmy Fallon and Jennifer Lopez serve up a picture book 'Con Pollo,' #9 on our children's picture book list. Plus neuroscientist Friederike Fabritius advocates for 'The Brain-Friendly Workplace,' and clinical psychologists John and Julie Schwartz Gottman write 'The Love Prescription.' Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2022-10-21 04:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #jimmy fallon #brain-friendly workplace #picture book


Publishers Weekly Announces 2022 Star Watch Honorees

This year's honorees come from all parts of the publishing industry and will be saluted at an event set for November 15 in New York City. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2022-10-19 04:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #publishing industry