Devin Kelly’s “Pilgrims” and the Joy of Annotation

Pilgrims

I have always highlighted and underlined sentences I like in books. Another writer once told me they loved reading after me because when they turned the page and saw something highlighted, it excited them. They knew a good sentence was coming. I don’t know if anyone would want to read my copy of Pilgrims by Devin Kelly, however. A little squiggle or star or swipe of yellow here and there isn’t a nuisance. But when damn near every sentence is marked up and circled with a yes! next to it, it becomes less charming and more like vandalism. 

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Memory, Art, and Evocation: On Lucy Sante’s “My Heart & I Agree”

My Heart and I Agree

There are five poems at the beginning of Lucy Sante’s third collection of short pieces. I knew she started out as a poet but had never read one. I saw references to chapbooks online that were long out of print. When I asked her if there would be a poetry book forthcoming, she said these were the only good ones. I don’t know if I believe that. Sante has always been a writer of musical sentences and in these five small pieces we get to hear that music untethered from narrative. It’s an unexpected treat, like a bit of dessert before the main course.

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Brad Neely on “Creased Comics” and the World of Absurdism

Creased Comics

Brad Neely’s body of work encompasses everything from absurdist comic books to a revisionist take on a certain early president; he’s also written about the life of Ulysses S. Grant. His latest book, Creased Comics, encompasses decades of his work; in the pages within, readers will find everything from feral leprecauns to an especially enthusiastic shark. I spoke with Neely about a range of topics, from Arkansas punk to his fondness for history.

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