Swagger & Ink
Topics
- Academia 1
- Ageism 1
- Aging 2
- Aging Angry 2
- Amanda Moments 2
- America 10
- Anger 2
- Chavela 1
- Cruelty 1
- Death 2
- Essay 2
- Family 7
- Inspiration 6
- Interview 10
- LGBTQ 1
- Marriage 1
- Narrative Inquiry 7
- Nature 4
- New Zealand 15
- News 1
- Poetry 22
- Presentation 1
- Publication 3
- Punctuation 1
- Recipe 4
- Review 25
- Short Story 5
- Signs 1
- Social Policy 1
- Teaching 1
- Teaching and Learning 1
- War 2
- Women 3
- Words 3
- Work 1
- Writing 3
Gad Beck’s Memoir: A breath of fresh air in these cynical times
As a gay Jewish man, Beck was the target of persecution; yet he worked tirelessly to save lives and help Jews escape Nazi Berlin.
What We Fed to the Manticore (for the animal in us all)
Talia Lakshmi Kolluri transports the reader into the lives of beasts ranging from donkey to vulture, from wolf to whale in her astonishing debut collection of short stories published by Tin House.
Between Monks and Monkeys: A Joyful Read
With great compassion and a charming sense of humor, the work explores Gill’s adventures as an English teacher with Tibet Charity in Dharamshala, India.
Excursions – by Ceridwen Hall
Ceridwen Hall breaks new ground in Excursions, her second collection of poetry. These poems seem to relish the freedom afforded by white space.
Skin Elegies, by Lance Olsen
Olsen's prose never ceases to astonish me. Skin Elegies is no exception. Review and Interview inside.
“Processed Meats” Essays on food, flesh, and navigating disaster. By Nicole Walker
Immersed in Walker’s latest collection of essays, I found myself laughing, crying, and scratching my head.
For Work / For TV by Fee Griffin
After a long and proud history as a “nucleaus of literary arts and experimentation in Amsterdam” and the completion of twelve gorgeous issues of their print journal, Versal is moving into books.
Automotive by Ceridwen Hall
Ceridwen Hall loves turning experience into poems. She likes to take things slowly, registering the details that reveal what's underneath.
Now in Color, by Jackie Balderrama
Jackie's voice is so inviting! She engages social justice issues (race, language, family, immigration) with deep awareness and empathy and yet the book twirls with joy at every turn.
Ready for a Nuclear Thriller?
Nuclear Option is Dorothy Van Soest’s fourth novel and from page one, I knew I was in good hands. The work explores the tension between passion and restraint in crisp, resonant prose.
A Paean to My Red Heaven, by Lance Olsen
So many "ah ha" moments as we spot familiar figures in these pages. There's Hitler before he was Hitler and Billy Wilder before he wrote Some Like it Hot.
Nectar and Small
These pages sing in a voice that is nuanced and authentic. Contemplating the sandhill crane's millions of years on earth Balderrama asks, "Will we ever be allowed this kind of being?"
Hungry Ghost Theater by Sarah Stone (WTAW Press)
Hungry Ghost Theater takes us from Zanzibar to Santa Cruz through the trials and adventures of a truly complicated three-generation family.
Another Wild Old Lady!
"All were veteran activists," she said, and "all had energy to spare."
The Virgin and the Whale (a delightful read!)
Carl Nixon writes with a deft touch and he blends post-modern and archaic elements in a mix that would land with a clunk if rendered by a less dextrous hand.
Tremulous Hinge
I can't let go of Adam Giannelli's luminous poetry debut. Tremulous Hinge doesn't rest on the bed stand …
Melanie's new book!
Last week Melanie (my writing teacher) read from her new book, Silence & Song.
Sisterhood
Sometimes, when I'm lonesome, I wonder whether I would have called her . . .
Buy this book
Gregory Norminton calls climate change "a failure of the imagination," and these stories will stoke yours with visions of life after the tipping point.
The Ugliest Woman in the World?
The ugliest woman in the world, Julia Pastrana, was buried this month, her life revealing hideous aspects of the feminine experience.