Independence Mine (photo by Mike Criss) I lost my way on Raspberry Road, driving without good directions on a recent stay in Anchorage and turned into a side road to make a U turn. In the August sun, the bright glint of metal caught my eye as a man in shorts and a faded teeshirt […]
Celebrate the Unexpected – Welcoming the Poetry of Place: A Guest Post by Wendy Erd Read More »
Our initial elation at Monday’s news that the months-long prioritization process at UAA has determined that the university should invest more resources in arts, languages, and humanities was quickly overshadowed by their conclusion that the Alaska Quarterly Review is one of the non-academic programs needing “further review, consideration for reduction or phase out.” Say it
Linda: 49 Writers Weekly Roundup Read More »
On April 21 and 22, the Alaska Chamber Singers will premiere Alaska Spring, a brand new choral work by Grammy-winning composer Libby Larsen. Scored for four-part choir and string quartet, Alaska Spring is Larsen’s setting of five poems by Tom Sexton, drawn from his 2009 collection, For the Sake of the Light (University of Alaska
Alaska Spring: Lorelei Costa Interviews Tom Sexton Read More »
“The darkness of winter is a great backdrop for the inner landscape of the imagination.” Zack Rogow “It’s that permission to go into the interior that winter–at its best–is about.” Mike Burwell “A mindfulness happens in deep cold. We have to pay attention or we can be in deep trouble. That kind of urgency and
Online Poetry Discussion Today, 1:00 to 5:00 PM Read More »
Need a break from the holiday madness? Treat yourself to an evening at Café Felix, adjacent to Metro Books, where on Thursday, December 8 from 7-8:30 pm, our own Don Rearden will be featured in an informal talk on our collective literary obsession. Rearden, whose films have aired on TMC and Showtime, will share how
Ela: 49 Writers Weekly Round-up Read More »
In late May, the New York Times reviewed former Alaska poet laureate Tom Sexton’s twelfth book I Think Again of Those Ancient Chinese Poets. In the article, writer Dana Jennings describes Sexton as “another modern monk seeking refuge in Asian poems.” Honoring his years in Alaska, his life in Maine, where he spends every other
Liz Meredith interviews Tom Sexton: I Think Again of Those Ancient Chinese Poets Read More »
It’s happened again: 49 Writers director Deb Vanasse has been asked to speak on the subject of humor. This time it’s at the North Words Writers Symposium in Skagway, in session this week, and she’s better prepared than the first time, when she had to address a national conference as a newly minted author with
Ela: 49 Writers Weekly Round-up Read More »
Thanks to Mike E. for leaving a comment alerting us to the inclusion of Tom Sexton in a glowing New York Times roundup of top new collections by five midcareer poets. The Times reviewer described Sexton, whose latest book is called I Think Again of Those Ancient Chinese Poets (University of Alaska Press) as a
Andromeda: Sexton's latest collection earns NYT kudos Read More »
A big thanks to John Morgan and Kelsea Habecker (pictured above) for a wonderful evening of poetry at our April 16 Synergies/Still North Reading and Performance event. Kudos to volunteer coordinator Jeremy Pataky for all the arrangements, including the John Haines documentary-in-progress that was shown during the event. Writers statewide are mourning the loss of
Ela: 49 Writers Weekly Round-up Read More »
I met John Haines for the first time in 1968 when he visited a class I was taking for my English degree. He had come with his then wife Jo to talk about his first book, Winter News. I remember that he had little to say and seemed uncomfortable talking about himself. Little did we
How I Met John Haines: A Guest Post by Tom Sexton Read More »
