Current Book

This is the second time I'm reading this book. Bram Stoker (1847-1912)was a brilliant and creative writer, on a par with Edgar Allan Poe in terms of subject matter and suspense. Stoker is an underrated but important author whom students should get to know. I would recommend it in MFA courses.

Stoker is most known for the classic Dracula which overshadows his excellence as a short story writer. My personal favorites are The Judge's House and The Secret of the Growing Gold.   

WORDS OF WISDOM

Much of our education is borne through experience, some hard knocks, and a clearer idea of where we need to go. 

Janis Joplin

Last week, I watched a documentary on the life of Janis Joplin (1943-1970). She was reared in Port Arthur, Texas. Joplin was a misfit who went against convention in a conservative town. She started singing her teens and rose to fame during the turbulent 1960s.

What piqued my interest was that she was the only female rock icon in a male dominated area. She, along with Jimi Hendrix and Jim Morrison of the Doors were three of the most popular icons of that time. Janis could really sing and she poured her heart out during her performances. Her bluesy-folk sound was appealing and women flocked to her.

Janis was also plagued by drug and alcohol problems. She was adored by fans but was lonely. All her life she looked for someone to love her for who she was. Her parents really didn't understand her and she ended her association with her hometown. Joplin died alone in an LA motel of a drug overdose.

Janis Joplin was misunderstood by her family and society. She was a feeling and loving person who wanted to accepted.  Joplin was a creative and energetic performer who could really sang.     

WORDS OF WISDOM

Poetry is nearer to vital truth than history.

       ~Plato

Poetry and Prose

Always be a poet, even in prose.

                                                  ~Charles Baudelaire

I have taken these words to heart. When I began writing poems in earnest a couple of years back, I realized that much poetry does not rhyme. Perhaps that might be the reason there's some angst in reading and writing poetry in schools. There's this misconception that poems have to rhyme.

Prose is spoken every day. It is speaking to others in normal everyday language. Writing it may be easier but the same time and effort to complete a quality piece is just the same as poetry or any form of writing. Many famous authors have written prose and poetry. With the former it has helped me to comprehend what they are speaking in the latter. You can say that poetry and prose can go hand in hand.

I've gone over my prose and poetry and find that my voice in both is strong and clear. Prose is more detailed while poetry more concise.  I'm always looking for ways to say things better. This should be the goal of every writer. 

Strand Books

I stopped by Strands a couple of days ago. This place flies under the radar but there's so many books here that it r  ivals some of the libraries I go to. There's new, used, and rare books, volumes of classics, arts, theatre, history, and loads of fiction and non-fiction.

You can purchase books below the retail price. For example,  you can get a 20 dollar book for 13 dollars. I have purchased book still in the wrapper for a low price. Strand literally has miles of books. One can easily lose themselves here. There are events featuring speakers, artists, and other literari and artistic persons. Some of the speakers hosted have been James Franco, David Sedaris, artist Alex Katz, Teju Cole, and Pete Hamill to mention a few.  

Strand is located on Broadway and East 12th Street, just below Union Square. For store hours and directions go to:


 www.strandbooks.com

Aldous Huxley

I will be doing research on Aldous Huxley but can anyone share with me what they know about him?

WORDS OF WISDOM

You can't suppress creativity, you can't suppress innovation.

~James Daly, actor (1918-1978)

Langston Hughes

James Langston Hughes (1902-1967) was one of the major players in the Harlem Renaissance of the 1920s. His writings about life in Harlem during that time made me feel like I was there. In the 125th Street subway station there are large portraits of life in this black mecca during the 1920s and 1930s.

Hughes' work took in the whole breadth of life. Poems such as Dreams and Montage of a Dream Deferred reflect this. Paul Laurence Dunbar was one of his influences (mine too). Hughes is one of my top five influences.


www.poets.org  
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TODAY'S WORD

JEJUNE

adj. empty of food; hungry.


dull, lacking interest or significance.

Read At Open Mic

Last night my wife and I read at an open mic. She read a horror story while I read a couple of poems. It was my first time this year and it felt good. We both received compliments about our work. It's wonderful that there's a place like Word Up Bookstore where local artists can read, sing, and dance and present their work to the community.


www.wordupbooks.com