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Joseph Salvatore

Joseph Salvatore

Category Archives: Blog

Rosie Perez in The Brooklyn Rail & New York Times Sunday Book Review, Sunday, May 18, 2014

17 Saturday May 2014

Posted by Joseph Salvatore in Blog, The Brooklyn Rail

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and Still Came Out Smiling (With Great Hair) Random House by Rosie Perez, audiobooks, Do The Right Thing, HANDBOOK FOR AN UNPREDICTABLE LIFE: How I Survived Sister Renata and My Crazy Mother, Rosie Perez, Spike Lee, The New York Times Sunday Book Review

This weekend’s NY Times Sunday Book Review covers the debut by Brooklyn’s favorite daughter Rosie Perez, HANDBOOK FOR AN UNPREDICTABLE LIFE, calling it “a careering ride, crowded with family struggles and reconciliation and therapy-inflected observations…an uplifting and enjoyable debut.” The Brooklyn Rail‘s Books section was delighted to speak to Ms. PerezRosiePerezBook, in February, on the occasion of her book’s release:

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H.I.P. Lit Reading Series: The End of the World Edition, Friday, May 16th, 2014

10 Saturday May 2014

Posted by Joseph Salvatore in Blog, Uncategorized

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Among Savages, Brittney Canty, Demon Camp, Erin Harris, H.I.P. Lit, Jen Percy, Jennifer Percy, Kim Perel, The Paperbox in Brooklyn

As NYC-area reading events go, this is one of my favorites. The H.I.P. Reading Series is one of the slyest, wittiest, campiest, and most talented reading events I’ve ever experienced. And “experienced” rather than merely “attended” is the distinction to be made here: The three women who conceive and curate each themed reading event are equal parts Peggy Guggenheim, Bill Graham, and P.T. Barnum; and each event is a singular happening never to be experienced again. And what’s more: They showcase some of the best writers around. I’ll be in attendance this Friday, May 16th, for their End of The World edition, which Erin Harris, Brittney Canty, and Kim Perel promise will be “a strange paradise,” complete with a brooding volcano and lingering fog and a food truck–La Troca del Sabor. There’s even going to be a for-real L.A. rock band playing that night, Among Savages. Be there and be able to say you were.Image

Review of Jaime Clarke & Charles Bock in conversation at The Center for Fiction, Weds, 4/30

01 Thursday May 2014

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American Psycho, Beautiful Children, Bret Easton Ellis, Charles Bock, Charles McGrath, Less Than Zero, The Brooklyn Rail, The Center for Fiction, Vernon Downs, Weston Cutter

Great time last night at the Center for Fiction. Thanks to Jaime Clarke and Charles Bock, who made a bunch of rain-soaked New Yorkers glad they had braved the elements. The two writers discussed Clarke’s new novel VERNON DOWNS, which I thought was such an important new work of fiction that I assigned it to my fiction students for their final craft analysis, and assigned it, as well, for review at The Brooklyn Rail. Bock asked Clarke exactly the kinds of questions my students have been asking in class, and he did so with humor, generosity, and grace. Clarke discussed not only the novel, but also his time in college and grad school, his memories of being a young writer in NYC during the 90s, his recollections of the writer Bret Ellis, the growing importance of Ellis’s AMERICAN PSYCHO and LESS THAN ZERO, and all the work that went into writing the new book. Afterward, Jaime Clarke generously chatted alone with my class, answering their questions and responding to comments. They loved him. And I also got to meet a hero of mine, Charles Bock, whose novel BEAUTIFUL CHILDREN has been a favorite of mine since it came out. A really special night. Thanks to Jaime and Charles, and to The Center for Fiction for their warm welcome.

Class Trip to The Center for Fiction: Jaime Clarke in conversation with Charles Bock, Weds., 4/30

29 Tuesday Apr 2014

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Charles Bock, Jaime Clarke, Roundabout Press, The Center for Fiction, Vernon Downs

This semester, my Fiction: Craft and Theory class has been studying all the elements of the genre, each week applying one of those discreet elements to individual short stories: point of view; characterization; time and pacing; mood and setting; narrative style, etc. And then at the end of each semester, we apply all of those elements to a recent novel. This year, I assigned a novel that blew me away when I read it in galleys: VERNON DOWNS, by Jaime Clarke, just out from Roundabout Press. Tomorrow night (Weds, 4/30), my class will take a field trip to the national treasure that is The Center for Fiction, located in midtown Manhattan, where, at 7 PM, Jaime Clarke will be in conversation with Charles BockClarke-cover. Please join me. There’s a great Irish bar across the street, to which, after the event, attendees might repair. 

April 2014 issue of The Brooklyn Rail is here!

03 Thursday Apr 2014

Posted by Joseph Salvatore in Blog, The Brooklyn Rail

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Adam Wilson, Benjamin Percy, Daniel Levine, Erin Harris, H.I.P. Reading Series, HYDE, Matt Bell, Pamela Erens, The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

The April issue of The Brooklyn Rail is here. More pieces will be coming along soon; and over the next couple of weeks I’ll be posting highlights. I’m so proud of the Rail’s In Conversation series. And so excited to announce that Matt Bell will be our regular monthly Books contributor to this long-standing interview series. As those who know him will attest, Matt is a tireless supporter of the literary community and a friend to all writers. We couldn’t prouder to have him on board. In addition to Matt’s feature, this month’s In Conversation series has some wonderful contributors:Benjamin Percy talks with Daniel Levine about Dan’s debut HYDE. And Ben Pfeiffer chats with Adam Wilson about Adam’s new story collection WHAT’S IMPORTANT IS FEELING. Upcoming contributors will feature John Domini, Lance Olsen, Scott Cheshire, David Burr Gerrard, Elzabeth Trundle, and Pamela Erens. Stay tuned.

Special thanks to the indomitable Sara Roffino, Books editor-extrodinaire Katie Rolnick, and the brilliant and generous Erin Harris.

Check out the new Books section here.

 

Sentences in the News! For writers, readers, teachers, and curious students all over this daily planet.

30 Sunday Mar 2014

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Often, once the semester gets along, my students start asking me questions about grammar and style, not for their grades, but for their own writing. A big one is, “Can you have a single sentence stand alone as a single paragraph?” When I am able, and when classroom technology permits, I’ll pull up on a projected screen a sentence from some article I read that day that might serve as an example. I had mentioned this classroom practice to a group of incredibly inspiring writing teachers at the NCTE/CCCC conference last week, and I got some validating responses. Here’s an example: In today’s NY Times, I saw a sentence in an article about new electoral restrictions on registering and voting that go beyond the voter identification requirements. The first three sentences of the piece are stand-alone grafs. I particularly like the second one, about which there is so much to say. We could discuss the sneaky way the writers packs the sentence’s complete subject to get in as much info as possible before the verb; we could discuss the choice to omit the serial comma — does it add or detract from clarity?; we could discuss the choice to use the right-branching parallel compound structure that concludes the graf. Sometimes, when I’m really on my game, I can bring the entire lesson plan into such impromptu discussions. Lucky to have such curious students. Here’s the news-making sentence:

“The bills, laws and administrative rules — some of them tried before — shake up fundamental components of state election systems, including the days and times polls are open and the locations where people vote.”

Find the article here.

Surprise guest attends my panel at the NCTE/CCCC March 2014

27 Thursday Mar 2014

Posted by Joseph Salvatore in Blog, News & Appearances, Press

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CCCC 2014, grammar, Indianapolis, NCTE/CCCC, Peter Elbow, Punctuation, Usage, Writing Pedagogy

Not sure how to explain what happened last week at the NCTE/CCCC panel I chaired on “Progressive Approaches to Grammar, Punctuation, and Usage.” Not only was it a well-attended, lively session, but a superstar, nay, a ROCK star in the field of writing pedagogy attended and participated in my workshop. He was sitting in the back of the room. I had seen him come in and quietly take a seat (and fairly freaked out), but no one else knew he was there until I had them introduce themselves. And he said, “My name is Peter Elbow and I’ve been teaching writing for over 30 years, have written a few books on the subject; and I am quite interested in progressive approaches to grammar.” The entire room turned around, and I kid you not, audible gasps and whispers and even some exclamations erupted. An awesome Writing Center Administrator, a young professor named Tom, stood up and said, “No way!” But by the end of the workshop, Elbow had become just one of the group, albeit a very wise and experienced and generous member, but a member nonetheless. Some folks asked if they could take an “Oscar selfie” with him. He graciously agreed. One of those students sent me this photo. I can’t adequately describe what an experience it was to share my insights about language and writing with a group that included Peter Elbow. One of the true highlights of my teaching career.

http://center.uoregon.edu/NCTE/2014CCCC/program/speaker_info.php?speakerid=1748803Elbow

AWP 2014: The Art of the Book Review, Friday, February 28, 2014, 1:30 pm to 2:45 pm

21 Friday Feb 2014

Posted by Joseph Salvatore in Blog, New York Times Book Review, News & Appearances, The Brooklyn Rail

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Association of Writers and Writing Programs Conference 2014, awp, awp 2014, Craig Teicher, Darcey Steinke, Michael Klein, Seattle, Tony Leuzzi, Washington State

Dear friends attending AWP next week, let me invite you to the panel I’ll be participating on, “The Art of the Book Review.” I would be attending this one even if I weren’t a panelist, just to hear what Darcey Steinke, Michael Klein,Craig Teicher have to say on the subject. Thanks to the brilliant Tony Leuzzifor organizing and moderating the event. Honored to be included in such smart company. Please join us!

F217: The Art of the Book Review
Room 607, Washington State Convention Center, Level 6
Friday, February 28, 2014
1:30 pm to 2:45 pm

Thousands of books are published each year. We are lead to many of them by engaging, knowing reviews. A well-written review will investigate the mysteries deep reading affords, and it will please as well as inform, because it has style. The five widely published writers/critics on this panel will discuss the review as a genre in its own right, a unique artistic form that contributes to the formation of taste, raises the level of public discourse, and establishes critical reputation.

Sunday, Dec 8, 2013, 3:00pm – 4:30pm: BEYOND BACKDROP: FICTION IN THE WAKE OF HISTORY, sponsored by The Brooklyn Rail’s Books section

07 Saturday Dec 2013

Posted by Joseph Salvatore in Blog, News & Appearances, The Brooklyn Rail

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Alex Gilvarry, Beast of The Southern Wild, Beyond Backdrop: Fiction in the Wake of History, Brooklyn, Come Together, From the Memoirs of Non-Enemy Combatant, Hurricane Sandy, Industry City, Joseph O'Neill, lucy alibar, Netherland, The Brooklyn Rail

Tomorrow, Sunday, Dec 8, 2013, 3:00pm – 4:30pm, at Industry City, 220 36th St., Brooklyn, I’ll be hosting the first literary event sponsored by the Books section of The Brooklyn Rail The event, beasts-of-the-southern-wildBEYOND BACKDROP: FICTION IN THE WAKE OF HISTORY, will gather fiction writers who have used notable historical moments as the impetus for their works. The panelists will be Joseph O’Neill, author of NETHERLAND and winner of the 2009 PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction. Lucy Alibar, author, playwright, and screenwriter of the film BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD. And Alex Gilvarry, author of FROM THE MEMOIRS OF A NON-ENEMY COMBATANT, and founding editor of the Tottenville Review.

There will be short readings, discussion, and audience Q&A. Please join us!

http://cometogethersandy.com/events/sandy-as-historical-fiction

New review for the New York Times Sunday Book Review, Dec. 3rd, 2013

03 Tuesday Dec 2013

Posted by Joseph Salvatore in Blog, Essays & Criticism, New York Times Book Review

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Adam Gopnik, Ben Percy, Benjamin Percy, Damien Echols, Emma Straub, Glenn O'Brien, Joyce Maynard, Kate Bernheimer, L.O.L., Library of America, Norman Mailer, Peter Straub, Richard Price, The Moth, The Moth Anthology, The White Negro, West Memphis 3, West Memphis Three, XO Orpheus

A huge thanks to the editors at the New York Times Book Review for this assignment, which ran in Sunday’s paper. Lots of reading, true . . . but isn’t that the fun part? Anthologies make great gifts — especially when purchased from independent booksellers. Shop local, read global.#indiesfirst

Cover_xo_Orpheus

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