Bachelard on the Miniature

From Gaston Bachelard’s The Poetics of Space:

Psychologists–and more especially philosophers–pay little attention to the play of miniature frequently introduced into fairy tales. In the eyes of the psychologist, the writer is merely amusing himself when he creates houses that can be set on a pea. But this is a basic absurdity that places the tale on a level with the merest fantasy. And fantasy precludes the writer from entering, really, into the domain of the fantastic. Indeed he himself, when he develops his facile inventions, often quite ponderously, would appear not to believe in a psychological reality that corresponds to these miniature features. He lacks that little particle of dream which could be handed on from writer to reader. To make others believe, we must believe ourselves. Is it worthwhile, then, for a philosopher to raise a phenomenological problem with regard to these literary “miniatures,” these objects that are so easily made smaller through literary means? Is it possible for the conscious–of both writer and reader–to play a sincere role in the very origin of images of this kind?

Random / 1 Comment
February 12th, 2011 / 4:02 pm

big press for a small press

What do Forbes Magazine and a super cool indie press have in common?

If a 21st Century equivalent of the Lost Generation’s Paris exists — a hotpoint where the novel is undergoing radical transformation to reflect its time — it seems to be lost in its own right. Maybe it doesn’t exist on a map, or maybe a site map.

[Warning: This is self-promotional, sure, but it’s also a pretty great interview.]

Go ahead. Agree. Disagree. Enjoy.

Presses / 3 Comments
February 12th, 2011 / 1:29 pm

The Funeral of Shelley

Author News / 3 Comments
February 12th, 2011 / 3:07 am

Tyler the Creator’s “Yonkers”

Shit’s spreading across the net like something else but too good not to post again here.

Music / 25 Comments
February 11th, 2011 / 7:39 pm

It is Friday: Go Write Ahead.

Brood, I do, on myself naked

She handed me a full glass and said, “This is the last drink you will ever take”

Are you equally unspectacular?

If you love me, as I love you

We’ll both be friendly and untrue

When you go. Go TV spots and skywriting. I mean it

I am surprised and pleased at the recent abundance of the nearly naked

I am not even going to drink. Only beer or brandy

We have reason to be afraid. This is a terrible place

Our friend the owl

Something has been said for sobriety but very little

Smears brandy on the trampling boot

Up to the bar on a donkey!

Blessings on thee, little man

Barefoot boy, with cheek of tan

But helicopters

Author Spotlight & Random / 2 Comments
February 11th, 2011 / 7:26 pm

This is so fucking ridiculous. There’s no deferens between men and women.

Web Hype / 9 Comments
February 11th, 2011 / 7:21 pm

The BBC did an End Notes feature on the legacy of David Foster Wallace, which you can stream at their site here, or can download as an mp3 here [w/ thanks to my pal Eric].

Raskolnikov’s inbox

[Best if read bottom up for chronological order.]

Behind the Scenes / 32 Comments
February 11th, 2011 / 2:17 pm

Towlie, Towle & Bean Spasms

It often happens that I return to the same books I want that are like really expensive. Like the Notebooks of Paul Valéry. Anyway I want a copy of this slick little book so bad it makes me think it a stupid thing to want a book so bad, like I should be wanting things like sex drugs and money so bad, but I just want this little book so bad, with a nice simple cover by Joe Brainard. The cheapest I have seen so far is $300. It is collected in Ted Berrigan’s Collected Poems.

READ MORE >

Web Hype / 4 Comments
February 11th, 2011 / 2:02 pm