December 14th, 2009 / 12:21 am
Snippets
Snippets
Blake Butler—
What was the most memorable or personally affective reading you’ve been to?
-
Archives
- January 2023
- February 2022
- September 2021
- February 2021
- January 2021
- December 2020
- November 2020
- October 2020
- September 2020
- August 2020
- August 2017
- July 2017
- May 2017
- April 2017
- March 2017
- February 2017
- January 2017
- December 2016
- November 2016
- October 2016
- October 2014
- September 2014
- August 2014
- July 2014
- June 2014
- May 2014
- April 2014
- March 2014
- February 2014
- January 2014
- December 2013
- November 2013
- October 2013
- September 2013
- August 2013
- July 2013
- June 2013
- May 2013
- April 2013
- March 2013
- February 2013
- January 2013
- December 2012
- November 2012
- October 2012
- September 2012
- August 2012
- July 2012
- June 2012
- May 2012
- April 2012
- March 2012
- February 2012
- January 2012
- December 2011
- November 2011
- October 2011
- September 2011
- August 2011
- July 2011
- June 2011
- May 2011
- April 2011
- March 2011
- February 2011
- January 2011
- December 2010
- November 2010
- October 2010
- September 2010
- August 2010
- July 2010
- June 2010
- May 2010
- April 2010
- March 2010
- February 2010
- January 2010
- December 2009
- November 2009
- October 2009
- September 2009
- August 2009
- July 2009
- June 2009
- May 2009
- April 2009
- March 2009
- February 2009
- January 2009
- December 2008
- November 2008
- October 2008
- September 2008
-
Meta
Michael Kimball reading from DEAR EVERYBODY at MOCAD in Detroit was pretty stunning. It was the first reading I’ve ever been to that went beyond a mere “great performance” into something that felt more singular and noteworthy, adding to the text in a way I’d never really felt before. He’s an amazing reader, and I’ve yet to see him matched, despite the dozens of readings I’ve seen in the last year.
a reading at Arches National Park celebrating Edward Abbey’s life.
Michael Kimball reading from DEAR EVERYBODY at MOCAD in Detroit was pretty stunning. It was the first reading I’ve ever been to that went beyond a mere “great performance” into something that felt more singular and noteworthy, adding to the text in a way I’d never really felt before. He’s an amazing reader, and I’ve yet to see him matched, despite the dozens of readings I’ve seen in the last year.
a reading at Arches National Park celebrating Edward Abbey’s life.
tao lin and brandon scott gorrell reading the final gchat from ‘the brandon book crisis’ (as a dialogue) at space space in bushwick early july this year
tao lin and brandon scott gorrell reading the final gchat from ‘the brandon book crisis’ (as a dialogue) at space space in bushwick early july this year
seeing my professor read, as an undergraduate. it’s a little sappy i guess. it was the atmosphere too that made it so memorable – i showed up late, and high, and it took place in this classy room in the alumni center where the school wines and dines people. the heaters blew the curtains around slightly in this mystical kind of way, i swear. and we sit at round dinner tables, so you turn your chair sort of towards the podium, but when we get into the reading if you can’t stare at the guy reading comfortably, you stare at your own corner of space and daydream. so there’s the potential for awkward tension. most of us are there for the grade, and zone out easily. usually i had a hard time taking this professor seriously, but i felt so in his reading. the whole room seemed into it together, in our private corners of space, daydreaming. i’d never been able to feel the emotion of the room changing before. maybe “collective daydream” is the best definition of a good reading, but that’s almost the only time I’ve felt that connected
seeing my professor read, as an undergraduate. it’s a little sappy i guess. it was the atmosphere too that made it so memorable – i showed up late, and high, and it took place in this classy room in the alumni center where the school wines and dines people. the heaters blew the curtains around slightly in this mystical kind of way, i swear. and we sit at round dinner tables, so you turn your chair sort of towards the podium, but when we get into the reading if you can’t stare at the guy reading comfortably, you stare at your own corner of space and daydream. so there’s the potential for awkward tension. most of us are there for the grade, and zone out easily. usually i had a hard time taking this professor seriously, but i felt so in his reading. the whole room seemed into it together, in our private corners of space, daydreaming. i’d never been able to feel the emotion of the room changing before. maybe “collective daydream” is the best definition of a good reading, but that’s almost the only time I’ve felt that connected
I can think of a couple.
Sharon Doubiago was by far the most personal affecting. She kinda stunned everybody in the room.
Jane Hirschfield was great- cool, calm and very Zen.
Robert Hass was memorable ‘cuz he was trying out some new stuff he was working on, and he was very warm, personable and charming. Very “boyish”.
Missed Tao Lin, dang it! when he was in SF and Berkeley this fall. Just didn’t work out, dang it.
And when I was just a kid my Grams took me to hear Joseph Campbell in SF. I don’t remember what he said, but I remember liking his voice and kinda “knowing” he was cool and important. The “experience” has stayed with me.
I can think of a couple.
Sharon Doubiago was by far the most personal affecting. She kinda stunned everybody in the room.
Jane Hirschfield was great- cool, calm and very Zen.
Robert Hass was memorable ‘cuz he was trying out some new stuff he was working on, and he was very warm, personable and charming. Very “boyish”.
Missed Tao Lin, dang it! when he was in SF and Berkeley this fall. Just didn’t work out, dang it.
And when I was just a kid my Grams took me to hear Joseph Campbell in SF. I don’t remember what he said, but I remember liking his voice and kinda “knowing” he was cool and important. The “experience” has stayed with me.
Saw Tomaz Salamun just recently and it blew me away. Before I saw this, the readings I went to were pretty much what I expected: a person reading poetry. I guess the difference for me with Salamun was that I really knew Salamun had written what he was reading. Not that I doubted the honesty of other readers, but with them it could just as easily have been anyone in the audience reading someone’s writing. Salamun _possessed_ his words.
Saw Tomaz Salamun just recently and it blew me away. Before I saw this, the readings I went to were pretty much what I expected: a person reading poetry. I guess the difference for me with Salamun was that I really knew Salamun had written what he was reading. Not that I doubted the honesty of other readers, but with them it could just as easily have been anyone in the audience reading someone’s writing. Salamun _possessed_ his words.
James Salter reading from Last Night at Happy Ending in I think 2005, the year I moved to New York. That man has fucking gravitas.
James Salter reading from Last Night at Happy Ending in I think 2005, the year I moved to New York. That man has fucking gravitas.
saw him read recently too. it was pretty great. most memorable reading i’ve witnessed was probably christian bok in boulder earlier this fall.
saw him read recently too. it was pretty great. most memorable reading i’ve witnessed was probably christian bok in boulder earlier this fall.
Lawrence Weschler, reading from Vermeer in Bosnia, in the Wexner Center, Columbus, Ohio, 2006.
Lawrence Weschler, reading from Vermeer in Bosnia, in the Wexner Center, Columbus, Ohio, 2006.
Jim Harrison reading in Iowa City, sometime in the 90s. He was so casual, without any pretense. He read from a new collection of his poetry — he’s one of our great novelist/poets — which seemed to distress many of the prose writers in the audience, but I found this choice very exciting. Harrison began one long poem, only to stop about half-way through, and declare, “That’s enough of that one!” He treated his own poetry as if it had no special status whatsoever, as if it were just another gathering of words on a page, which might or might be good but that in the end it wasn’t up to him to decide or even care that much about. I remember he talked about food and wine, and I left feeling hungry and thirsty, which is perhaps the greatest feeling one can have after a poetry reading.
Jim Harrison reading in Iowa City, sometime in the 90s. He was so casual, without any pretense. He read from a new collection of his poetry — he’s one of our great novelist/poets — which seemed to distress many of the prose writers in the audience, but I found this choice very exciting. Harrison began one long poem, only to stop about half-way through, and declare, “That’s enough of that one!” He treated his own poetry as if it had no special status whatsoever, as if it were just another gathering of words on a page, which might or might be good but that in the end it wasn’t up to him to decide or even care that much about. I remember he talked about food and wine, and I left feeling hungry and thirsty, which is perhaps the greatest feeling one can have after a poetry reading.
MK reading at the Baltimore City Lit Festival earlier this year. Profoundly impacted me.
MK reading at the Baltimore City Lit Festival earlier this year. Profoundly impacted me.
Kate Greenstreet at dancing girl press’s studio in Chicago in March 2008. It was a reading/lecture, a combo I’d like to see more of.
Kate Greenstreet at dancing girl press’s studio in Chicago in March 2008. It was a reading/lecture, a combo I’d like to see more of.
Last week I would have said the El reading at AWP 2009 (specifically, the moment when Sam Pink started to fall over and someone [Dan Bailey? Aaron Burch?] grabbed his shirt and held him up). But on Saturday I got to see two actors portray 12 or so stories from Easter Rabbit and I can honestly say it was the most moving literature I’ve ever seen at a reading-type thing.
Last week I would have said the El reading at AWP 2009 (specifically, the moment when Sam Pink started to fall over and someone [Dan Bailey? Aaron Burch?] grabbed his shirt and held him up). But on Saturday I got to see two actors portray 12 or so stories from Easter Rabbit and I can honestly say it was the most moving literature I’ve ever seen at a reading-type thing.
Harrison is a hero.
Harrison is a hero.
great, as if i didn’t feel shitty enough about being in jersey this weekend. while you were doing that i was watching the jersey shore and preparing for the ufc. good stuff.
great, as if i didn’t feel shitty enough about being in jersey this weekend. while you were doing that i was watching the jersey shore and preparing for the ufc. good stuff.
Anthony McCann, Joshua Beckman, and Noelle Kocot reading at The New School, Spring 2006. This was the season that Wave put out their books (respectively) Moongarden, Shake, and Poem For The End of Time and Other Poems. Jeremy Schmall and I were both at this reading, which we each regarded as a kind of watershed moment, for ourselves as well as for poetry. It felt like the next, best thing in poetry emerging before the world and declaring itself. I hasten to add that JS and I barely knew one another at this time. Our friendship was forged at least in part over our similar reactions to this experience, and I think it’s not unreasonable to view this reading as the starting point of a trajectory that would lead to his founding The Agriculture Reader, and to my eventually joining him in editing it.
Anthony McCann, Joshua Beckman, and Noelle Kocot reading at The New School, Spring 2006. This was the season that Wave put out their books (respectively) Moongarden, Shake, and Poem For The End of Time and Other Poems. Jeremy Schmall and I were both at this reading, which we each regarded as a kind of watershed moment, for ourselves as well as for poetry. It felt like the next, best thing in poetry emerging before the world and declaring itself. I hasten to add that JS and I barely knew one another at this time. Our friendship was forged at least in part over our similar reactions to this experience, and I think it’s not unreasonable to view this reading as the starting point of a trajectory that would lead to his founding The Agriculture Reader, and to my eventually joining him in editing it.
Hunter S. Thompson’s widow. That is all I can say. I generally hate readings.
Hunter S. Thompson’s widow. That is all I can say. I generally hate readings.
Judith Butler reading the day before the war in Iraq began, about Levinas, subject formation, etc. William Gass on ‘Baroque’ prose. Robin Blaser in Vancouver. Dennis Cooper reading ‘The Weaklings’ in NY.
Judith Butler reading the day before the war in Iraq began, about Levinas, subject formation, etc. William Gass on ‘Baroque’ prose. Robin Blaser in Vancouver. Dennis Cooper reading ‘The Weaklings’ in NY.
Peter Markus at Bookbeat – had no idea who he was at the time – had gone to see another reader.
Tyehimba Jess in Detroit – many, if not all, of his poems in Leadbelly are first person driven – and he completely inhabits the narrator when he reads.
Peter Markus at Bookbeat – had no idea who he was at the time – had gone to see another reader.
Tyehimba Jess in Detroit – many, if not all, of his poems in Leadbelly are first person driven – and he completely inhabits the narrator when he reads.
David Byrne at the Free Library of Philadelphia, reading and PowerPointing about The New Sins.
Chris Abani at the Illini Union Bookstore. He puts on a show.
David Byrne at the Free Library of Philadelphia, reading and PowerPointing about The New Sins.
Chris Abani at the Illini Union Bookstore. He puts on a show.
Ginsberg at Bard College in early 1970s (also saw/heard Zukofsky and Merrill there). Donald Hall at UNC-Charlotte in the early eighties — he was very funny. Robert Bly at U-M in he mid-eighties (at one point he donned a primitive mask to read).
Ginsberg at Bard College in early 1970s (also saw/heard Zukofsky and Merrill there). Donald Hall at UNC-Charlotte in the early eighties — he was very funny. Robert Bly at U-M in he mid-eighties (at one point he donned a primitive mask to read).
Toss-up: T.M. McNally reading a story at Seattle’s Hugo House that he wrote in 72 hours for the 72 Hours Challenge. Left me shook. In three days he produced one of the most masterful stories I’ve heard in years. God, that man can write.
Every single time Kevin McIlvoy read during my time at Warren Wilson. McIlvoy should get an Oscar or the Nobel Peace Prize or be named Pope or something. He’s a genius.
Toss-up: T.M. McNally reading a story at Seattle’s Hugo House that he wrote in 72 hours for the 72 Hours Challenge. Left me shook. In three days he produced one of the most masterful stories I’ve heard in years. God, that man can write.
Every single time Kevin McIlvoy read during my time at Warren Wilson. McIlvoy should get an Oscar or the Nobel Peace Prize or be named Pope or something. He’s a genius.
I forget her name but this woman who stuttered and made us all uncomfortable and later that evening she handed out all this lorcet and was like, Well…and so that taught me people can change within hours and don’t be so superficial. I took that lesson with me.
I forget her name but this woman who stuttered and made us all uncomfortable and later that evening she handed out all this lorcet and was like, Well…and so that taught me people can change within hours and don’t be so superficial. I took that lesson with me.
There’s a bar in Chicago called Weeds that hosts an open mic on Monday nights. Usually no more than 10 people, some of them might be crazy (like the guy who reads his black helicopter fliers and then makes sure everyone in attendance has a copy), and the rest generally aren’t very good. But everyone there has some kind of love for poetry, and everyone that reads is made to feel as comfortable and welcome as possible. Whenever someone wanders in and reads for the first time, they chant, “What do we do to virgin poets? We fuck em! What do we do to virgin poets? We fuck em! What do we do to virgin poets? We fuck em!” Kind of like if “Cheers” was cast with a bunch of has- and never-been poets. And was on HBO.
Also the guy that organizes and mcs, Gregorio, recites this kind of prayer about Chicago at the end of the night, while the bartender turns all of the neon signs out and encourages people to leave.
It’s nice to have a place that will slough away all the unfortunate pretense that can accumulate at other readings, whenever a good sloughing is in order, for either myself or writing-blocked friend.
There’s a bar in Chicago called Weeds that hosts an open mic on Monday nights. Usually no more than 10 people, some of them might be crazy (like the guy who reads his black helicopter fliers and then makes sure everyone in attendance has a copy), and the rest generally aren’t very good. But everyone there has some kind of love for poetry, and everyone that reads is made to feel as comfortable and welcome as possible. Whenever someone wanders in and reads for the first time, they chant, “What do we do to virgin poets? We fuck em! What do we do to virgin poets? We fuck em! What do we do to virgin poets? We fuck em!” Kind of like if “Cheers” was cast with a bunch of has- and never-been poets. And was on HBO.
Also the guy that organizes and mcs, Gregorio, recites this kind of prayer about Chicago at the end of the night, while the bartender turns all of the neon signs out and encourages people to leave.
It’s nice to have a place that will slough away all the unfortunate pretense that can accumulate at other readings, whenever a good sloughing is in order, for either myself or writing-blocked friend.
hands down, kate braverman.
hands down, kate braverman.
You NEED to tell the whole story on that one!
You NEED to tell the whole story on that one!
there was also a moment when i was falling over and ryan call held my up by the back of my jacket.
there was also a moment when i was falling over and ryan call held my up by the back of my jacket.
in one of my classes as an undergrad. this guy who was probably in his thirties showed wasted, told our professor that he loved her, and then read, with the slurriest, most earnest delivery i’ve ever heard, a story about his dad beating the shit out of him.
in one of my classes as an undergrad. this guy who was probably in his thirties showed wasted, told our professor that he loved her, and then read, with the slurriest, most earnest delivery i’ve ever heard, a story about his dad beating the shit out of him.
Lorrie Moore reading A Gate At The Stairs at Brookline Booksmith. While deep into her reading, a poster fell off from the podium she was standing behind. The poster was for Dan Brown’s new book. Lorrie Moore said Dan Brown was always ruining things for her. Later, during the Q&A, she said she didn’t consider herself a writer. Then I fell in love with Lorrie Moore again.
Lorrie Moore reading A Gate At The Stairs at Brookline Booksmith. While deep into her reading, a poster fell off from the podium she was standing behind. The poster was for Dan Brown’s new book. Lorrie Moore said Dan Brown was always ruining things for her. Later, during the Q&A, she said she didn’t consider herself a writer. Then I fell in love with Lorrie Moore again.
Weeds on Weed St??? I didn’t know they had an open mic. Went there a lot when I used to work at Crate & Barrel.
Weeds on Weed St??? I didn’t know they had an open mic. Went there a lot when I used to work at Crate & Barrel.