“Imaginary Oklahoma” writes Oklahoman writer James McGirk, “is an anthology of forty-six writers’ attempts to envision Oklahoma without ever having visited America’s forty-sixth state.” You can get a taste for the pieces over at The Paris Review, or you can check out the book trailer and attempt to envision The Paris Review‘s write-up without actually reading it.
Imaginary Oklahoma
The Power of Social Media (And Sexts)
Poet Elisa Gabbert recaps the warm-your-heart generosity of poet (and “Poet Laureate of Twitter”) Patricia Lockwood’s Twitter followers.
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I Doubt The Authors Would’ve Been Thrilled With This
Deep South Magazine's Hunter Murphy compiled a list of "The Greatest Bromances in Southern Literature."
The Voices Who Confided
Head over to The Literary Hub and take a look at this excerpt from Svetlana Alexievich's newest book, Second-Hand Time, which has been called a "history of emotions" chronicling the demise of Soviet communism. While you're at it, take a look at this Millions profile/interview with Alexievich from earlier this summer.
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Jesse Ball in Guernica Magazine
Guernica is running Pieter Emily, Jesse Ball's newest work, in three installments over the next six weeks. The first installment is now available.
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Dry Eyes
“My daughter spent some of this summer performing a dance, which she learned at summer camp, to a certain song by Shakira, called “Waka Waka.” It was earnest, funny, beautiful dance; however, I am, it seems, unable to watch my daughter perform her Shakira dance, to a song I don’t very much care for, without sobbing. There is no explanation for this excessive reaction—the dance is homely and human and not at all out of this world—but that the reaction is about beauty, and joy, and potential, and not sorrow. And this, it seems, is one aspect of what crying celebrates: the sublime.” Here is Rick Moody, life coach, from The Literary Hub. Here’s a recent Millions interview with Moody.
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Live Long
When your father shows you The Wrath of Khan at a young age, you develop an appreciation for the late Leonard Nimoy, whose death scene as Spock in that film is among his most famous performances. For Jen Girdish, that appreciation led to this essay, which reflects on Nimoy, her father’s own death and the onetime ubiquity of VHS tapes.