Monday, November 14, 2011
Super Sad True Love Story
Has anyone else found that book prophetic in light of the Occupy Movement? A little too close for comfort...
Checking In
Hey Guys and Gals,
Welcome to Monday! Just a couple of things:
I know the tasks list hasn't been posted (please post ASAP), but please make contact with your groups before Thursday to have an idea of what needs to be done (i.e.- creative concepts in Design&Formatting group, reviews and press releases in Marketing&Publicity group, etc.) so we can have another productive meeting this week.
I realize we're all busy with papers and due dates, but at minimum have a clear idea of what your e-book submission will be before this Thursday. I believe Caroline (Past/Present), Nick (Future) and Madeleine (Past/Present) are in charge of the sections, so check in with your corresponding editor to cement your ideas. *NOTE TO EDITORS- please post your emails/phone numbers/something for us to contact you by. In light of Thanksgiving and the fast-approaching end of the semester, ROUGH/FIRST DRAFTS ARE DUE NEXT TUESDAY NOVEMBER 22ND. Don't freak out! Just have something/anything prepared before we leave for Thanksgiving Break.
Also, if you're taking a Netflix break, I recommend watching Obscene. It's a film about Barney Rosset, who guest speaker Carl Bromley mentioned. The commentary's great and the soundtrack is kick ass.
Email me or Catie (cmlangill@usfca.edu) if you have questions.
Hearts, stars and unicorns,
Ariel (email: alstenek@usfca.edu, phone: (808) 227-5614)
Welcome to Monday! Just a couple of things:
I know the tasks list hasn't been posted (please post ASAP), but please make contact with your groups before Thursday to have an idea of what needs to be done (i.e.- creative concepts in Design&Formatting group, reviews and press releases in Marketing&Publicity group, etc.) so we can have another productive meeting this week.
I realize we're all busy with papers and due dates, but at minimum have a clear idea of what your e-book submission will be before this Thursday. I believe Caroline (Past/Present), Nick (Future) and Madeleine (Past/Present) are in charge of the sections, so check in with your corresponding editor to cement your ideas. *NOTE TO EDITORS- please post your emails/phone numbers/something for us to contact you by. In light of Thanksgiving and the fast-approaching end of the semester, ROUGH/FIRST DRAFTS ARE DUE NEXT TUESDAY NOVEMBER 22ND. Don't freak out! Just have something/anything prepared before we leave for Thanksgiving Break.
Also, if you're taking a Netflix break, I recommend watching Obscene. It's a film about Barney Rosset, who guest speaker Carl Bromley mentioned. The commentary's great and the soundtrack is kick ass.
Email me or Catie (cmlangill@usfca.edu) if you have questions.
Hearts, stars and unicorns,
Ariel (email: alstenek@usfca.edu, phone: (808) 227-5614)
Saturday, October 22, 2011
Monday, October 17, 2011
Monday, October 10, 2011
A Fantastic Exploration of the Written Word
Sunday, October 9, 2011
Thursday, October 6, 2011
A response to Kindle and eBooks: Bio-Optically Organized Knowledge
The video is in Spanish because my Ecuadorian host mother sent it to me on Day of the Book which is celebrated more in her home country of Spain by the exchange of books between couples and family members.
Monday, October 3, 2011
Kindle and the future of reading | The New Yorker
http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2009/08/03/090803fa_fact_baker
A really interesting article on the impact of Kindle on reading.
“I’ve always been creeped out by library books and used books,” one visitor, Christine Ring, wrote on the Amazon Web site. “You never know where they’ve been!” “It has reinvigorated my interest in reading,” another reviewer said. “I’m hooked,” another said. “If I dropped my kindle down a sewer, I would buy another one immediately.”
Posted by Charmian
A really interesting article on the impact of Kindle on reading.
“I’ve always been creeped out by library books and used books,” one visitor, Christine Ring, wrote on the Amazon Web site. “You never know where they’ve been!” “It has reinvigorated my interest in reading,” another reviewer said. “I’m hooked,” another said. “If I dropped my kindle down a sewer, I would buy another one immediately.”
Posted by Charmian
Sunday, October 2, 2011
What makes a Writer? Readings for Next Thursday
I trust you are having fun writing your paper on writers and readers in popular culture. Once again, what I would like to see in this assignment is a broader consideration of what our culture is telling us about those who write books, and those who read them. Why do certain images or ideas prevail over others? With what consequence? Remember, you do not have to focus on any one author, nor do you have to focus on fictional depictions of writers or readers alone. You have a fair degree of flexibility in how you want to "people" your essay. Hopefully, Augusten's own life and work will give you some ideas as well.
I will look for three broad qualities when I read your papers: insightfulness, style, and professionalism (the last one simply means grammar and spelling, so please copy-edit before you submit!)
In our next class, we will discuss more about what it means to write books (before we get into what it means to publish books in the following weeks). We will consider the broader social and political implications of literacy and the distribution of cultural capital, writing as a popular aspiration, as well as some specific questions about the role of creative writing programs. We will also learn first-hand about a very unique writing support program, 826 Valencia, from its CEO.
Please take a look at the following articles listed on the side-bar of this blog for next Thursday's class: "MFA v NYC," "We ten million," "The first how-to book for fiction," "Stop writing them," and the excellent video clip about 826 posted earlier on the blog by Caroline.
I will look for three broad qualities when I read your papers: insightfulness, style, and professionalism (the last one simply means grammar and spelling, so please copy-edit before you submit!)
In our next class, we will discuss more about what it means to write books (before we get into what it means to publish books in the following weeks). We will consider the broader social and political implications of literacy and the distribution of cultural capital, writing as a popular aspiration, as well as some specific questions about the role of creative writing programs. We will also learn first-hand about a very unique writing support program, 826 Valencia, from its CEO.
Please take a look at the following articles listed on the side-bar of this blog for next Thursday's class: "MFA v NYC," "We ten million," "The first how-to book for fiction," "Stop writing them," and the excellent video clip about 826 posted earlier on the blog by Caroline.
Friday, September 30, 2011
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
EbookFling
I know we discussed whether or not it was becoming possible to share kindle books and rent books. Well I was scouring through Yahoo! News and ran across an article about successful entrepreneurs and one was about this website.
Check it out. Its really interesting and may be the start to something new in the industry. Its works like Netflix for books!
Monday, September 26, 2011
Gary Shteyngart on No Reservations with Anthony Bourdain
No super sad story to be found in Brighton Beach when it's all borsht, rabbit, and vodka. Find Gary at 3:26.
Friday, September 23, 2011
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
Super Sad True Love Story Reviews
Saturday, September 17, 2011
Google Doodles India's "Father of Comics"
Check out Google India today for a tribute to Anant Pai, the creator of the comic book series I showed you in class a few weeks ago. Also check out the essay I wrote about him when he passed away earlier this year. Some ideas for you perhaps for your next short paper on the public image of the author!
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Davies, meet 826 Valencia
A little preview before our class in a few weeks; this is Dave Eggers's explanation of the history of this wonderful organization. An insightful introduction that points out some of the ways that 826 connects to American Book Culture.
Monday, September 12, 2011
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
Bookshelves of the Future
This week, we host our first guest speaker in the Davies Forum: Nathan Bransford, author, blogger, and former literary agent. Check out his blog on the list of useful links on the side of this page.
In fact, that link should get its own box as not just a useful link, but as the most supremely useful link for aspiring writers, publishing industry watchers (or watchers and waiters, as they may more aptly be), and book people in general.
Since Nathan will be talking about what new technologies mean for the future of books and authors, take a look at some of his posts about the possibilities of self-publishing in particular.
Another interesting essay for you to read in the light of last week's presentations/tomorrow's papers (book memoirs): this piece from the Wall Street Journal gives us a nice sense of what books mean to us in the context of our everyday lives and spaces. Also see the website Library Thing listed on the links on the side for ideas.
If you had all the books you ever had in one place (I am assuming you don't, since I don't either, separated as mine are by one bay, one ocean, insufficient Ikea shelves and the like), what would it say about you? Or what would it say to you about the world?
Addendum: a nice, brief essay on the form of the book in NYT, here.
In fact, that link should get its own box as not just a useful link, but as the most supremely useful link for aspiring writers, publishing industry watchers (or watchers and waiters, as they may more aptly be), and book people in general.
Since Nathan will be talking about what new technologies mean for the future of books and authors, take a look at some of his posts about the possibilities of self-publishing in particular.
Another interesting essay for you to read in the light of last week's presentations/tomorrow's papers (book memoirs): this piece from the Wall Street Journal gives us a nice sense of what books mean to us in the context of our everyday lives and spaces. Also see the website Library Thing listed on the links on the side for ideas.
If you had all the books you ever had in one place (I am assuming you don't, since I don't either, separated as mine are by one bay, one ocean, insufficient Ikea shelves and the like), what would it say about you? Or what would it say to you about the world?
Addendum: a nice, brief essay on the form of the book in NYT, here.
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