Christopher Barzak

Month: February 2008

  • Are you up to it?

    If you haven’t read it, go out now and purchase the new issue of Harpers magazine. Ursula K. Le Guin has the most perspicacious (not to mention a bit angry) essay on the state of reading, and the book, and the social bonding capacity of books, and their capacity to house cultural information and memory,…

  • Cruddy

    Our hometown middleweight champion of the world Kelly Pavlik goes back to the ring this Saturday to defend the belt he won this past autumn. In an article in the LA Times about him, he refers to Youngstown as “cruddy,” but as the reporter contextualizes, with Pavlik that’s a sign of honesty and affection. Which…

  • You ain’t see nothing yet

    YouTube is amazing.  (Thanks to Jeremy for sharing!).

  • Got lit?

    If you’re in the mood for an evening of poetry, fiction and creative non-fiction, you should definitely check out next Tuesday’s readings that YSU’s Poetry Center has arranged.  It’s a great line-up.  I’ll be there for sure.  Hope to see some of you locals, as well. On Tuesday, February 19, 2008 at 7:00 PM in…

  • Wow (now with links)

    It has been brought to my attention that my novelette “The Language of Moths” has been honored with a Spectrum Award (in a three-way tie) in the category of short fiction. I’m surprised that people are still reading that story, but also really happy. At some point in the near-ish future, “The Language of Moths”…

  • Frozen Grand Central

    It’s been making the rounds in the internet, but just in case you’ve missed it, check out this very cool experiment. (Thanks for the link Maureen!)

  • Smart-asses, welcome

    Jenn Reese has an interesting and fun entry in her journal today that revolves around playing a certain kind of game.  Here’s how it works at Jenn’s place: Post something positive about a presidential candidate for whom you *do not* intend to vote. -Giving credit to Clinton for being female or Obama for being black…

  • Singularity’s Ring

    I read part of this debut novel of Paul Melko’s at the Blue Heaven Novel Writing Workshop several years ago, and loved it then, lots and lots. If you like hard science fiction with lots of humor and heart, Melko’s Singularity’s Ring is where it’s at. I can’t wait till my copy of the final,…

  • Highbrow/Lowbrow

    If you haven’t read the article by Charles McGrath in the Times about highbrow/lowbrow distinctions in literature in the wake of the author in England who won a settlement in court by claiming that fumes from a shoe factory near her house caused her to write a thriller, which she claimed was a fall from…

  • I’m kind of getting my hopes up