Plains Song Review Online

Awards for Lincoln Artists and Writers

2011-02-19T21:32:00.002-06:00

Hey writers and artists in Lincoln! Here's a great opportunity for you!

The Lincoln Arts Council, in cooperation with the Kimmel Foundation and the Kimmel Harding Nelson Center for the Arts, is pleased to offer two special Mayor's Arts Awards to emerging artists and writers working in Lincoln, Nebraska. Begun in 2009, the Lincoln Mayor's Kimmel Foundation Award includes a two-week residency at the Kimmel Harding Nelson Center for the Arts and a $1000 stipend. The awards will go to one emerging visual artist and one emerging writer. Only artists working in Lincoln, Nebraska, through year-end 2011 will be considered for this year's award. Award winners will be choosen by the KHN staff and KHN current artists-in-residence.

Application including an application form and support materials must be mailed to Kimmel Harding Nelson Center for the Arts, 801 3rd Corso, Nebraska City, NE, 68410 by March 1, 2011. There is no application fee to apply. Award winners will be notified by the Lincoln Arts Council and recognized at the Lincoln Mayors Arts Awards on June 8, 2011.

Cultiva Coffee hosts Great Plains Barista Jam

2011-02-05T19:26:00.002-06:00

Speaking from personal experience, I think most writers have considered taking on a part-time job as a barista to stay afloat and support their writing. Coffee and writing have an intimate relationship, and coffee houses are great places to get jazzed up and energized for writing--there's something about that atmosphere that gets the creative juices flowing, in my opinion.

This March, Lincoln's Cultiva Coffee is hosting the Great Plains Barista Jam. This will involve classes on Roasting, Cupping, Basic Barista Skills, Tea and Espresso Equipment Maintenance, a beer tasting with Modern Monks Brewery and a Latte Art Throwdown. This'll be taking place March 11-13th. There are fees to attend classes--but hey, maybe this will get you a job at a hip java joint, and you can make enough tips to move ahead with your first novel!

Now, go grab a cup of joe from your favorite coffee place and get going on next season's PSR submissions!

Place-Identity and the Great Plains

2010-12-13T11:05:00.003-06:00

Hello PSR contributors and readers! I am writing to you shortly after our interview with conservationist photographer, Michael Forsberg, who will be featured in this years edition of the magazine. We had a really great talk with him, and I am excited for you all to read what had to say about his work. When I was preparing my questions for Forsberg, I was reminded of a Literature in Nature class I took over the summer a few years ago, and the kind of Great Plains writing I was introduced to.

The book on our reading list dedicated to the Great Plains was John Price's Not Just Any Land, which explores a sense of place on the plains. As a native Nebraskan who has lived here his entire life, I was especially interested in the contents of this book. One of the concepts I hear floating around all the time as an English major at UNL is this abstract idea of "Place," capital P. As a younger student, I had incorporated this turn-of-phrase into my lexicon of English major humor, as a way to laugh at the absurdities of the field. This book, however, helped me seriously consider and actualize what the idea of "place," lower-case p.

The standard questions of "what is place?" and "where is home?" aside, Price's book helps readers understand how an identity centered in the location one makes one's home and the reasons behind the home-making can motivate an individual to learn and conserve the physical realm in which they reside. It sounds abstract and intangible, yes; but rest assured Price writes with an accessible and thoughtful style, patiently and honestly revealing his journey through the plains and his encounters with those who have written about them.

I've been all over the United States during my life time. I've spent a great deal of time on the East Coast, explored the forests in Alaska, wandered the San Antonio River Walk, crossed the Golden Gate Bridge, and hiked through Colorado. But I've also ridden my bike across the state of Nebraska five times, and I've spent much of my life getting personal with the land. Many of my strongest memories of my childhood are ingrained in the prairie. As I read through Price's considerations of how writers operate and interact with the land, I found a lot that resonated with me. Issues of regional writers, writers who write outside the region they are interested in, and writers who seem to have it tough because the Midwest lacks the big-name publishing companies held up in New York: as a writer who has found identity in classical literature and local, modern poetry (among other writings), I am increasingly interested in place-identities.

If you also feel a draw to a certain place, feel it characterizes the way you live your live, give this book a read. Not Just Any Land delivers a great commentary on these concepts and also speaks to the power and worth of the Great Plains as a place to protect and admire. Michael Forsberg's photography is a fantastic look into the merits Price bring to light in his book.

I will leave you with some questions:
If you are a native to the Great Plains, how is your perception of home shaped by the landscape?
If you are reading us from outside the region, how does writing from the Great Plains shape how you perceive it? How does it inform your own perception of home in your region?

Give Price's book a read if you want to learn more:
http://www.johntprice.com/

And check out Michael Forsberg's work!
http://www.michaelforsberg.com/

Have a safe Holiday season! Look out for more updates as we near submission deadlines!

-Neal Gebhard

MFA vs. NYC. Which side are you on?

2010-11-29T13:43:00.004-06:00

There's an interesting piece by Chad Harbach on Slate right now that argues that there are two distinct cultures in American writing right now. The first school is the MFA, the university-sponsored writing culture that is spread across the nation in college towns . The second is the New York culture; people like Philip Roth, Jonathan Safran Foer, Nicole Krauss, etc.

The article makes a lot of intriguing points about how each culture produces different writing. The MFA writer focuses on the short story form more than the New York writer. The MFA writer is also better-funded than the New York writer. If you teach writing, you don't have to make money from it. On the other hand, the MFA writer is pressured to publish frequently to beef up job credentials.

What camp do you fall into? And what about the people who aren't in either camp. If I'm neither a New Yorker, nor an MFA, do I even have a chance?

Ammo for Fighting Writer's Block

2010-11-10T22:04:00.011-06:00

ThisRecording.com has an on-going four-part series filled with useful advice for the writing process from numerous famous authors such as Kurt Vonnegut Jr., Thomas Pynchon, Vladimir Nabokov, and Toni Morrison. There is much to be gleaned here about crafting poetry, short stories, or fiction. Here are two excerpts:

Sometimes I would sit at the machine for hours without writing a line. Fired by an idea, often an irrelevant one, my thoughts would come too fast to be transcribed. I would be dragged along at a gallop, like a stricken warrior tied to his chariot.

--Henry Miller

My method is one of continuous revision. While writing a long novel, every day I loop back to earlier sections to rewrite, in order to maintain a consistent, fluid voice. When I write the final two or three chapters of a novel, I write them simultaneously with the rewriting of the opening, so that, ideally at least, the novel is like a river uniformly flowing, each passage concurrent with all the others.

-- Joyce Carol Oates

Part One "Why and How To Write"

Part Two "How and Why To Write"

Part Three "Why, How to Write"

Part Four (to be published)

I Am A Man

2010-10-24T17:14:00.006-05:00

Last week the UNL Bookstore featured a book club discussion in Joe Starita's "I Am A Man", which was chosen as the One Book One Lincoln book of the year. Here's a summary from www.goodreads.com:

"In 1877, Chief Standing Bear's Ponca Indian tribe was forcibly removed from their Nebraska homeland and marched to what was then known as Indian Territory (now Oklahoma) in what became the tribe's own Trail of Tears." "I Am a Man" chronicles what happened when Standing Bear set off on a six-hundred-mile walk to return the body of his only son to the Ponca's traditional burial ground. Along the way, it examines the complex relationship between the United States government and this small, peaceful tribe. It looks at the legal consequences of land swaps and broken treaties, while never losing sight of the heartbreaking journey the Ponca endured."

The reviews on this page were very interesting: everyone seems to agree on the historical significance of the story, but find it less riveting than other forms of literature. This gets me thinking: how much creative liberty are we allowed to take to make a historical story more interesting to our readership? How faithful should we be to the story? Are there instances where embellishment might actually do justice to the message of the story? Can we even have objectivity when it comes to relating an historical event?

Obviously "I Am A Man" has had a powerful impact upon Lincoln, Nebraska. I think the best way to answer these sorts of questions would be to read the book for yourself!

Sheldon Fall on Campus Contest

2010-10-20T11:38:00.003-05:00

The Sheldon Art Museum is having a contest where students take pictures on campus that show what fall means to them. The winner is chosen by Sheldon employees, and receives a $25 gift certificate to the museum gift shop, and a Sheldon Photography coffee table book. Details on their website.

This sounds like a great idea! Fall is such a great season in Nebraska, I'm sure there will be a ton of beautiful photos.

(P.S. You know where else you can send photos of fall on campus? Plains Song Review!)

PSR now accepting submissions!

2010-10-08T11:55:00.004-05:00

In case you didn't already hear, Plains Song Review is now accepting submissions for our 13th volume! Submissions are due January 19th, and the magazine will come out in April.

We take:
fiction
poetry
essays
artwork
photography
comics

Send us:
A hard copy
A electronic copy
The Permission to Print form

Check out the submission guidelines for more information!
Questions? Email Kaitlin Ek at plainssongreview@gmail.com

Michael Forsberg to Speak at CGPS Sept. 8

2010-09-07T19:29:00.004-05:00

On Wednesday, September 8th (tomorrow), the Center for Great Plains Studies is hosting a seminar by Michael Forsberg, the conservation photographer. The seminar is part of the Paul A. Olson Seminars in Great Plains Studies series. It will be from 3:30-5:00 at the Great Plains Art Museum (1155 Q St in Lincoln).

Michael Forsberg is the photographer behind Great Plains: America's Lingering Wild, which PSR blogged about way back last October as part of the Plains Song Review Book Club!

He was a guest speaker in one of my friend's English classes, and my friend said he was really cool, and a great speaker, so this is definitely worth going to!

Art of the Plains at CGPS

2010-09-03T15:33:00.002-05:00

Today is the first day of the Great Plains Art Museum's new exhibit: "Art of the Plains 2010." I walked through it earlier this week, and it's an even cooler exhibit than usual! There's a ton of art on the walls, and it's for sale. So if you have some money to spare (as in, a few thousand dollars), or if you just want to look at the art, you should check it out!

The Great Plains Art Museum is located at:
1155 Q Street, P.O. Box 880214
Lincoln, NE 68588-0214

It's open Tuesday through Saturday, 10:00 to 5:00, and Sunday from 1:30 to 5:00.
Free and open to the public

Photos from the Nebraska State Fair

2010-08-30T18:55:00.002-05:00

My first experience with the Nebraska State Fair was two years ago. I was simultaneously fascinated and horrified by the "Beef Sundae" stand. Ew. However, I did like the pigs and the funnel cakes! And those geese that wear clothes!

The Journal Star's got a decent photo gallery of State Fair pictures.

Americana doesn't get any more American-y than this. Did you go to the State Fair, friends of PSR? Did you take pictures? Most importantly, are they good pictures, and will you submit them to PSR?

Trains on the Plains

2010-08-26T14:23:00.001-05:00

The Railroad Museum in Council Bluffs, Iowa, is my friend Blair's favorite museum. And who can blame him? This article in the Journal Star makes the Railroad Museum look like a lot of fun!

Curved walls flash archival photos from eight video projectors while audio tracks pipe the sounds of train bells, steam hissing from locomotives and random calls of "All aboard!"

Visitors can sit in period train seats installed in a simulated coach car. They can check out the UP-branded glassware used by railroad bartenders in lounge cars. And they can see real menus listing four-star meals prepared by the original iron chefs.

I wish trains were still like in the old days, like in Strangers on a Train, or in those murder mysteries you always see on AMC. Amtrak is somewhat less romantic.

Art matters at the Bemis Center in Omaha

2010-08-23T18:50:00.004-05:00

There's a good article up on the Star City Blog about the Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts in Omaha. It sounds like they're doing a great job of supporting the arts up there!

An excerpt:

Bemis curator Hesse McGraw, who’s worked at galleries in New York City and Kansas City, Mo., said, “What distinguishes the Bemis Center from other arts institutions is that what drives it is the activity of artists and the work they're doing right now. We really try to think of it as a laboratory for artists. The residency program is focused on supporting an open process.”

McGraw, who curates shows in the center’s three main galleries, said, “The exhibition program tries to carry that sensibility through to the presentation of the work.” He said the Bemis encourages artists to do what they couldn't do in a different context or setting. “We really try to find ways of supporting them, whether curatorially, logistically, financially, to build-out projects significant in their career and in their practice.”

Check out the full article here. (P.S., the Star City Blog is one to watch if you want to keep an eye on the arts/literature scene in the Lincoln/Omaha area.)

Willa Cather's home at risk?

2010-08-19T14:17:00.004-05:00

According to Slate magazine, many historical sites across the United States are at risk because of the small amount of government support they receive. This means the childhood homes of literary greats like Edith Wharton and Willa Cather could be shut down if they don't pull in enough. Slate tells you how to help here.

Do you ever go visit historical sites? Reading this article makes me want to take a trip to Red Cloud! (Plus, our 2010 interviewee Timothy Schaffert is working on a book about a writer-obsessed town like Red Cloud!)

Are you obsessed with the weather?

2010-08-16T18:20:00.004-05:00

I have this theory that everyone in the Midwest is obsessed with the weather. After having lived in Nebraska for a few years, I have joined their number. It's just that weather here is so dramatic! It's either boiling hot or frigidly cold for a lot of the year. For Midwesterners, talking about the weather isn't a form of bland small talk; it's a life or death situation!

I check weather websites several times a day to keep track of the forecast. But lately I've been inspired to take my weather obsession to greater heights, by learning to forecast it myself! Okay, so I don't have the fancy schooling and stuff that real meteorologists have, but I do have this handy infograph that tells you how to predict the weather without gadgets!

So tell me, am I the only one who loves talking about the weather on the Great Plains?

Better Book Titles

2010-08-13T15:02:00.003-05:00

Here's a chuckle for you this Friday afternoon: a new blog that makes up better titles for classic books. Here's the "improved" version of Infinite Jest:

Hee hee. What book titles do you think need improving? What would your "better book title" be for Plains Song Review? What about Great Plains favorites like O Pioneers?

Looking for inspiration? Try looking up!

2010-08-11T19:46:00.002-05:00

You've been sitting at your desk all day, trying to come up with an idea for a great poem you can submit to the next Plains Song Review, but your mind is drawing a blank! You can't seem to find any inspiration!

Does this sound like you? If so, I would like to direct your attention to the Perseid Meteor Showers, going on now! They're going to be at their peak from tonight to the 13th. The best time to view them is just before dawn. Pack some bug spray, a thermos, and your notebook, and use the night sky as your muse!

Oddly, PSR doesn't get many poems or stories that deal with the night sky. People tend to focus more on grasses and flowers than anything else. Why do you suppose that is?

PSR Blog is Back!

2010-08-06T17:46:00.003-05:00

Hello friends of Plains Song Review! It's been a while! I know I said I would post pictures of the reading way back in June, but clearly I lied. What a terrible blogger I am. Anyway, the PSR blog is officially back from it's summer vacation, and to celebrate our glorious return, I'm going to put up some pictures of our April reading! You can check the full album out here.

I'll be back next week with more exciting blog posts!

PSR Blog on Hiatus

2010-04-28T15:44:00.001-05:00

Hello friends of PSR! I just wanted to let you know that the Plains Song Review blog is going on a brief hiatus while we all finish up papers and finals. We'll be back soon to post some pictures of the reading.

The Future of E-Books

2010-04-23T13:52:00.004-05:00

New Yorker has a new article about the future of the e-book. It seems that Amazon's Kindle is going through some strife, but the iPad is poised to swoop in. I'm not a huge fan of the whole e-book idea, I must admit. Did you know Amazon can take back your e-book any time they want? And I love browsing at the bookstore. However, this comment made me think:

According to Grandinetti, publishers are asking the wrong questions. “The real competition here is not, in our view, between the hardcover book and the e-book,” he says. “TV, movies, Web browsing, video games are all competing for people’s valuable time. And if the book doesn’t compete we think that over time the industry will suffer. "

What do you think? Is the e-book the only way for publishing to survive?

PSR Reading TONIGHT!

2010-04-21T12:35:00.002-05:00

R-Day is upon us, friends of PSR! That's right, today is the day of our annual reading and reception! I hope you're all getting excited! Can't come? That's awfully sad, but we'll be sure to tell you all about it later on the blog.

Plains Song Review XII Reading and Reception
Wednesday, April 21st, 2010
7:00 PM

Great Plains Art Gallery
Center for Great Plains Studies
1155 Q St.
Lincoln, NE

PSR in the news!

2010-04-19T15:55:00.003-05:00

Plains Song Review was in the Daily Nebraskan today! The story is all about our upcoming release of PSR XII and the reading and reception on Wednesday, April 21st. Check it out here.

However, I'm afraid the article says the reading is on Tuesday. It is not! It's on Wednesday!

Are the books you read at age 12 the most important?

2010-04-16T17:13:00.003-05:00

This writer thinks that the books you read as a child are the most influential and life-changing books you'll ever read. He says:

We love these books, dearly and uncritically, the way we love the smell of our first girlfriend's perfume, no matter how cheap or tacky it might have been. Let's be honest: We all know that Ulysses and A la recherché du temps perdu are "better" books than The Velveteen Rabbit or The Little Prince, but come on--which would you take with you on a spaceship to salvage from the dying Earth?

It's an interesting point. I think people often overlook the greatness of "young adult" literature. However, I feel like if a book can't change your life when you're an adult, you must be reading it wrong.

What were your favorite books as a kid? Have you read any really life-changing ones recently?

PSR XII is printed!

2010-04-14T16:46:00.003-05:00

Hello friends of PSR! I just wanted to tell you all that the twelfth volume of Plains Song Review has come back from the printers. They will be available at the reading on April 21st, and after that on our website.

A few highlights:

An interview with Timothy Schaffert, author of Devils in the Sugar Shop, The Singing and Dancing Daughters of God, and The Phantom Limbs of the Rollow Sisters.

Work by: Marge Barrett, Alicia Bones, Faye Tanner Cool, Suzanne Dawson, Marilyn Dorf, Tom Hansen, Twyla Hansen, Leah H. Hebner, G. Thompson Higgins, Janet Kamnikar, Mallory Kerns, Mary Logan, Judy Lorenzen, J.J. McKenna, Madeline Moore, Molly O'Dell, Andrew Oerman, Frances Patterson, Christina Petroski, Amy Plettner, Claudia Reinhardt, Dee Ritter, Natalie Schwarz, Red Shuttleworth, Don Thackrey, Jessica Vetter, Rex Walton, Deb Walz, Marydorsey Wanless, and Don Welch.

Cover photo by G. Thompson Higgins

How Paperback Novels Changed Everything

2010-04-12T16:22:00.002-05:00

Did you know that paperback novels weren't invented until 1935, with the advent of Penguin Books? One journalist explains how this great idea changed everything about the way we read. At the end of the article, he compares it to the current shift in form, the switch from print books to e-books. As much as I like the idea of saving paper, I think the print book is destined to survive, don't you?

Poets Ranked by Beard Weight

2010-04-09T15:19:00.004-05:00

Writers and artists always seem to have really impressive facial hair, don't they? I mean, think of Hemingway and Nietzsche! But have you ever wondered, "Which poets have the very best facial hair?" If yes, (and of course you answered yes) you're in luck! The blog Journey Round My Skull has recently uncovered a curious Edwardian book called Poets Ranked by Beard Weight.

Its author, Underwood (whose previous works include Whiskers of the World), proposes that

"that there is a direct correlation between personal appearance and artistic proficiency and integrity, or what, in the case of the bewhiskered brethren of the literary fraternity, he elsewhere calls "poetic gravity" or beard weight. It might be said, in short, that Underwood's motto is the beard makes the bard."

What about it, poets? Do your whiskers keep up with your writing skills? I'm afraid I have no beard and mustache at all!

Amazon reviewers think this masterpiece sucks

2010-04-07T22:21:00.004-05:00

Funny article from Salon about finding one-star reviews of classic books on Amazon. They look at the reviews who criticize great books like Jane Eyre, To Kill a Mockingbird, and even The Diary of Anne Frank.

Everyone's entitled to their own opinion, I suppose, but I certainly wouldn't want to associate with someone who one-starred Anne Frank. (True story: I judge people by the books they like. But really, who doesn't?)

I decided to do a little Great Plains version of the Salon story and looked up one-star reviews of My Antonia. Here's one:

This book is the worst piece of "literature" that I have ever had the misfortune of turning my nose up to. I fell asleep, 2 pages into the book. The next time, I managed a 3 page chapter, and fell asleep again. It took me several tries to read, and everytime I read this book, I felt a feeling of incredible tiredness and depression settle upon me. I hated every page of this book, and think that any good reviews given to it came from the worst lying scum to ever deface this planet we call Earth. I suggest not buying it. It isn't even worthy of the 1 star that I gave it.

Sad! I love My Antonia!

Announcing PSR's Annual Reading and Reception

2010-04-05T16:13:00.002-05:00

We are pleased to announce that on Wednesday, April 21st at 7:00 PM, Plains Song Review will be holding its annual reading and reception. Come see our contributors read from their work, view contributor photography, and have refreshments! In addition, copies of PSR will be on sale for only $5.00!

The reading and reception will be held at:
Great Plains Art Gallery
Center for Great Plains Studies.
1155 Q Street
Lincoln NE

The reading is free and open to the public. Hope to see you all there!

Literary Critics Turn to Science

2010-04-02T14:57:00.003-05:00

The New York Times has a truly fascinating article today about how English scholars are beginning to look at cognitive science in relation to literature. They think our preference for fiction might arise out of certain survival traits that we've evolved. The article even explains why we love Jane Austen so deeply, and why so many find Virginia Woolf to be so complex.

An excerpt:

"They say they’re convinced science not only offers unexpected insights into individual texts, but that it may help to answer fundamental questions about literature’s very existence: Why do we read fiction? Why do we care so passionately about nonexistent characters? What underlying mental processes are activated when we read?"

If anyone from the UNL English Department is reading the blog today, you should definitely make a class about this!

How to Write for TV

2010-03-31T18:54:00.002-05:00

A memo has surfaced by David Mamet, the executive producer of TV show The Unit, in which instructs his writing staff how to write better episodes. It's pretty hardcore (written in all-caps!), but there's actually some decent advice, even for non-TV writers.

My favorite part:

SO: WE, THE WRITERS, MUST ASK OURSELVES OF EVERY SCENE THESE THREE QUESTIONS.

1) WHO WANTS WHAT?
2) WHAT HAPPENS IF THEY DON’T GET IT?
3) WHY NOW?

THE ANSWERS TO THESE QUESTIONS ARE LITMUS PAPER. APPLY THEM, AND THEIR ANSWER WILL TELL YOU IF THE SCENE IS DRAMATIC OR NOT

Cranes still offer "an extra special show"

2010-03-29T13:41:00.002-05:00

There's a neat article in the Journal Star about how people from across the nation, and even the world, are flocking to Nebraska to see the cranes (pun intended!).

From the article:

But inside Rowe's Iain Nicolson Audubon Center, they keep a map on the wall so crane tourists can mark their hometowns with stick pins. This season alone, visitors have come from nearly every state and perhaps two dozen international locations, including Bermuda, Venezuela, Spain, Poland, Latvia, Turkey, India, China and East Timor.

Need Inspiration? Ask a Toddler!

2010-03-26T13:41:00.002-05:00

Tiny Art Director is the name of a blog about a father who asks his toddler daughter what to paint, and then paints it! Her requests are pretty hilarious ("a dinosaur eating a baby!"). He also includes her critique and commentary with every piece ("He's just going to be nice to that baby he's got in his mouth"). The artist is coming out with a book as well, with more of the same.

I'm tempted to ask my neighbor's little toddler what I should write my next story about!

Moving a House to Save it

2010-03-24T17:55:00.004-05:00

Did you guys hear about the century-old historic Dial House over near 16th and South? Some businesspeople wanted to tear it down and build a CVS pharmacy there. So, in order to save it, the planning commission decided to move it! Crazy! In order to do so, they had to designate an empty lot as a historic landmark, before transporting the house to it. The Dial House's new home will be at 29th and Washington.

From the Journal Star:

Ed Zimmer, the city's historic preservation planner, acknowledged that was an unusual move but, "we're attempting to create an opportunity to save this building."

Peter Katt, an attorney speaking on behalf of B&J Partnership, said his client would rather move the house than tear it down.

"We believe that the best outcome for this property is to be saved rather than demolished," Katt said.

Sounds like everyone wins!

Czech Memories Photography Exhibit

2010-03-22T17:55:00.002-05:00

Photographer Jean Lewis's exhibit "Czech Memories: Ethnicity and History Preserved in the Built Environment" is up at the Great Plains Art Museum (1155 Q St, Lincoln, NE). Much of the exhibit focuses on Czech cemeteries, which are particularly well cared for.

From the Journal Star article:

Amber Mohr, museum administrator and curator of the Great Plains Art Museum, said the reason the cemeteries are typically exclusively Czech is a matter of the historical record.

"About 50 percent of Czechs who immigrated (to America) had no religious affiliation," she said. "They were agnostic and called themselves ‘free thinkers.' Because of this, Catholics and Protestants refused to bury them in their cemeteries. So the Czechs had their own.

The exhibit runs until April 18th at the Great Plains Art Museum, 1155 Q St., Lincoln NE. Go here for hours and directions.

What Makes American Music American

2010-03-19T14:15:00.002-05:00

From boingboing.net, this video: Bernstein on What Makes American Music American:

"In this clip, Bernstein sums up how America's melting pot of cultures distilled many different kinds of music into quintessentially "American" music. Too often we try to ignore cultural differences and pretend they don't exist. Pointing out the things that are particular to a group of people is seen as "impolite". I prefer to celebrate all of the ethnic cultures around me here in Hollywood- Hispanic, Asian, Black, Middle Eastern- it's all more interesting to me than the plain old white bread people I grew up around. As a cartoonist, the differences between all of us are much more interesting than the similarities. Viva la difference!"

Obviously, PSR doesn't deal with music at all, but I think some of this applies to American art and literature as well. Plus, aren't all the arts are deeply interconnected anyway?

Marc Smith, Founder of Slam Poetry, in Omaha

2010-03-17T14:01:00.001-05:00

If you've ever been to a poetry slam, you've probably heard the introductory spiel that explains what a poetry slam is. When they talk about how poetry slams began, they tell you about a guy named Marc Smith, who came up with the idea when he wanted to spice up open mic night. After they say Marc Smith's name, everyone is supposed to yell "So what!" It's very exciting.

Anyway, the famous Marc Smith (So what!) will be in Omaha March 23rd to read some poems. The event will take place at the Omaha Healing Arts Center, on 13th and Howard. There is a suggested $7 donations at the door.

For more information, check out the event page at the Nebraska Writers Collective site.

Toy Camera Photography

2010-03-15T16:17:00.002-05:00

Some photographers from photo agency Magnesium created a gallery of photographs taken with toy cameras. The images are kind of eerie and pretty. (I predict a new hipster trend!) They also included an essay about toy cameras:

Ahh, toys. Ask most people when they started to fall in love with photography and many, if not most will hark back to the golden days of their childhood, when life was simpler, the sun shone brighter and film was, as the only option available, still cheap. Most photographers of today who were raised in the odd limbo generation of the 70s and 80s grew up on one or more of the futuristic Polaroid instant cameras kicking around the house. Or maybe you had the cartridge-based 110 film and disc cameras, invented by Kodak and popularized with the Kodacolor VR, or any number of short-lived point and shoot cameras, that weren’t toy cameras per se, but today can be found lining the discount bins of used camera resellers and garage sales alike, the world over.

How to Design a Book Cover in 1:55

2010-03-12T14:02:00.003-06:00

A creative director made a time-lapse video of herself designing a book cover for what appears to be a steampunk romance novel. We see her revise, photoshop, and do all sorts of other things to make the cover.

Here's what the designer had to say about the process:
"The author, Gail Carriger, had done some research on her own (I love a design-minded author) and found a photo of Donna Ricci, the “goth supermodel”, in an awesome victorian kind of steampunk outfit, and sent it to us. The image was a near perfect starting point, so we just decided to see if we could use that very image. Donna was very happy to be our Alexia, so after a little Photoshop magic to make her look a little less punk and a little more proper Victorian, we were off to a pretty good start. The foggy London backdrop was a no brainer for the story and feel. As you can see from the in-progress image, we initially went very Victorian, very steampunk-feeling. I even designed a medal that I was going to use on the back (the octopus is drawn from the story)...but ultimately it was too old-timey, a little too dark."

Illinois, My Apologies

2010-03-10T16:10:00.004-06:00

Justin Hamm, a PSR XI contributor, contacted us the other day to tell us about the collection of poems he's put together. The title of the collection, Illinois, My Apologies, comes from the very poem that we published last year in the magazine!

Mr. Hamm has been making audio recordings of his poems to prep for open mics, and he sent along this video version of "Illinois, My Apologies." And now we're sharing it with you, to listen and enjoy!

Originally from the flatlands of central Illinois, Justin Hamm now lives and writes in Missouri. His work has appeared or is forthcoming in New York Quarterly, Cream City Review, Spoon River Poetry Review, Red Rock Review, The Brooklyn Review, and numerous other publications. More about Justin and his work can be found at http://noiseforitsownsake.blogspot.com.

Native Daughters Photography Exhibit

2010-03-08T15:53:00.003-06:00

Native Daughters is an exhibit of photography featuring Native American women. It will run from March 8th (today!) to March 12th in the Nebraska Union Rotunda Gallery. The exhibit is the culmination of a two-semester class in the NU J-school focusing on Native American women. The exhibit is in honor of Women's Week.

One of the participants said in a story in the Scarlet,

“It has been very humbling to talk to these women who are disadvantaged,” she said. “I have gained respect for people who have overcome trials and tribulations. It’s not always easy to talk about post-traumatic stress disorder and injuries. Their strength has touched me the most.”

Garrison Keillor on the month of March

2010-03-05T13:37:00.002-06:00

Exactly one week after we posted about Willa Cather Winters, and the weather is starting to warm up! It was almost as if we switched from winter to spring in the course of a day! And then last fall, we had all of that nice weather until a few days into December, when the weather abruptly became bitterly cold.

I heard something great about the month of March the other day. Garrison Keillor of Prairie Home Companion fame said

"God designed the month of March to show people who don't drink what a hangover feels like."

How true! Are you all doing anything fun to celebrate the return of above-forty temperatures? I'm finally going to go see what all the fuss is over these Sandhill cranes.

Obscura Day 2010

2010-03-03T18:01:00.002-06:00

Back in October, we blogged about Atlas Obscura, a collection of strange and interesting places that bills itself as a "compendium of the world's wonders, curiosities, and esoterica."

The folks over at Atlas Obscura decided that we need a special holiday to celebrate those crazy and interesting spots all over the globe, so they founded Obscura Day. It's going to be a "day of expeditions, back-room tours, and hidden treasures in your own hometown." On March 20, 2010, cities and towns across the globe are hosting celebrations. RSVP now to guarantee your spot!

It looks like there are a lot of Great Plains towns represented. None in Nebraska, though, which is too bad. They say that you can organize an Obscura Day celebration in your town, though. Anyone up for the challenge?

Nice Writing

2010-03-01T13:39:00.003-06:00

This article is over ten years old, but it made me think. The bulk of "Sweet and Low" is a critique of Barbara Kingsolver, whom the author claims is a "Nice Writer," meaning someone who writes shallowly on social themes. No one can criticize "nice writing" because it seems so virtuous.

I am not talking about hypocrisy. I am talking about the mere appearance of goodness as a substitute for honest art. The trend is everywhere. It is to be found, for example, in Lorrie Moore's short stories, especially "People Like That Are the Only People Here," the longest tale in Birds of America, her acclaimed new collection. The story is about a newborn baby dying of cancer. That is, the story's emotional register begins, from the very first paragraph, far beyond the reader's capacity to develop his or her own response to it. The effect is to place the supremely empathetic author in a protected niche, far beyond the reader's capacity to criticize. In this way Nice Writing fosters Nice Criticism. Anyone who writes nice writes with impunity.

Full disclosure: I really liked the Poisonwood Bible. But I see what the author is saying too. What do you think?

A Willa Cather Winter

2010-02-26T12:43:00.002-06:00

It seems like winter will never end, doesn't it? It's been by far the coldest, snowiest, windiest winter I can remember. (And I'm from Colorado!)

So far, Lincoln has broken its record for most consecutive days with at least a foot of snow on the ground. We also broke the record for fewest days that reach above 40 degrees between December and February. If you click through to the articles, you can see that there are several more records we're on the verge of breaking.

All of this winter business puts me in mind of Willa Cather, who wrote quite a bit about terrible Nebraska winters. One of my professors told us that the years Willa Cather lived in Nebraska were unusually cold and snowy, like this year, so maybe that's why. She wrote in My Antonia:"Winter lies too long in country towns; hangs on until it is stale and shabby, old and sullen." Oh, Willa Cather, I really know how you feel.

Rules for Writing Fiction

2010-02-24T14:44:00.002-06:00

I love advice, particularly advice that pertains to writing. Here, inspired by Elmore Leonard's 10 Rules of Writing, the Guardian compiled a list of fiction-writing rules from a bunch of different authors, including Margaret Atwood and Neil Gaiman.

My favorite advice is from Anne Enright, of whom I've never heard.

2 The way to write a book is to actually write a book. A pen is useful, typing is also good. Keep putting words on the page.
3 Only bad writers think that their work is really good.
4 Description is hard. Remember that all description is an opinion about the world. Find a place to stand.
5 Write whatever way you like. Fiction is made of words on a page; reality is made of something else. It doesn't matter how "real" your story is, or how "made up": what matters is its necessity.
6 Try to be accurate about stuff.

Worst advice? I think Will Self's advice is pretty bad. He advises writers to stop reading fiction and to write about characters watching television. I want to do neither of those things. What's your favorite writing advice?

Book Cover Archive

2010-02-22T15:15:00.003-06:00

I know they say not to judge a book by its cover, but book covers have come a long way since that axiom was introduced! Okay, maybe a good cover won't necessarily mean that there's a good book inside. However, a good book cover can really complement and enhance a good book.

The Book Cover Archive is an Internet compendium of book design and book covers. You can search by author, publisher, designer, and even typeface. Some of the covers really are amazing. (By the way, I'm pretty sure that you're all going to be super-amazed by PSR XII's cover).

Are you sure you're a procrastinator?

2010-02-19T13:15:00.002-06:00

There's an article in CNN that argues that some people who think that they're procrastinators, are actually something much better, called "incubators." Basically, the distinction is that procrastinators put off work because they're not interested in it or motivated to do it. Incubators, on the other hand, put off work because they're busy subconsciously working on it while doing other things. When an incubator finally does write that paper, it will be wonderful, because they've been actually been working on it the whole time without knowing it.

Are you an incubator or procrastinator? (I'm leaving out the possibility that you are in fact neither, and that you do all of your work on schedule. Does anyone really do that?) I feel like "incubator" mostly functions as a term to describe procrastinators who are good at it. Also, it's a great comeback for when someone reminds you of the homework you should be doing instead of socializing ("But I'm incubating while I'm dancing!")

Birds of a Feather Symposium

2010-02-17T16:14:00.002-06:00

There's a fun event going on next week at the Dudley Bailey Library in Andrews Hall at University of Nebraska-Lincoln! It's called: “BIRDS OF A FEATHER (or: A FOWL UNDERTAKING?)” It's basically a colloquium that's all about birds, place-based, and eco-critical exploration. (I once wrote a paper about birds in The Crane Wife by The Decemberists. I am all over this scholarly approach to birds thing.)

The symposium will take place at the Bailey Library, February 26, 2010, 2:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Some speakers, (from the email they sent out):

Dr. Jeffrey Karnicky, Assistant Professor of English at Drake University and author of Contemporary Fiction and the Ethics of Modern Culture, will present from his work-in-progress, “Scarlet Experiment: Human-Bird Interactions in America,” which makes a wide swath from Audubon, Thoreau, and Dickinson to Roger Tory Peterson and Ken Kaufmann. His talk explores the limits of a system of ethical thought that seeks to engage birds as cognitive beings.

Dr. Thomas Gannon, Associate Professor of English and Ethnic Studies at UNL, will read from his recently published book, Skylark Meets Meadowlark: Reimagining the Bird in British Romantic and Contemporary Native American Literature, in which he perceives a recent egalitarian, even familial, re-connection with other species that transcends the oh-so-human poetic projections of centuries, as evidenced in the work of recent Native American poets.

Andrea Comiskey Lawse, 3rd-year Ph.D. candidate in English at UNL, brings an interest in dietary theory and criticisms of taste to the table, exploring, for instance, whether the discourse of a Western “Culture of Taste” has helped establish an informal ornithological taxonomy of songbird versus fowl, of noble bird of prey versus despised carrion-eater.

What Chickens Can Teach Us About People

2010-02-15T13:48:00.003-06:00

So, ever since I found out that one can legally keep chickens in Lincoln, I've been a little bit fixated by the idea. Peter Lennox keeps chickens, and he writes that they taught him a lot about human nature! His essay connects chicken behavior to human behavior.

An excerpt:

Sometimes, if there's no cockerel, a bossier hen will assume the role, even being the first to leap to the defence of the brood at great personal risk. If a cockerel is subsequently introduced, a period of adjustment to the pecking order follows. A good cockerel enjoys droit de seigneur (frequently) but is a fierce and brave protector of the flock, putting himself between the threat and the hens, defending to the death if necessary. When tasty food is served he waits courteously for the hens to have their fill. A diffident cockerel is cold-shouldered by the hens.

It would be so fun (and clearly enlightening) to have chickens in the city! They remind me tiny T-Rexes!

Explore Lincoln of the Gilded Age

2010-02-12T13:52:00.004-06:00

Do you ever find yourself walking around downtown Lincoln, Nebraska, wondering what it would have been like to live here in the late 1800s? Well, you can, no time machine required!

The Gilded Age Plains City is a digital project headed by the CGPS's Plains Humanities Alliance. The project "explores the development of towns and cities on the Great Plains through the lens of a murder case in the 1890s that evolved into a fascinating story that drew the attention of nearly everyone in town and people from across the region and country."

What's neat about this site is that it has both an interactive map and a searchable archive of images and documents that show you what Lincoln was like back in the Gilded Age. This picture is only a block away from CGPS!

(Word of advice: the interactive map does not appear to work in Firefox. Painful though it may be, you must use Internet Explorer.)

Should English Get Rid of "To Be?"

2010-02-10T08:00:00.000-06:00

In his latest column, Oliver Burkeman takes a look at David Bourland's controversial idea to get rid of the verb "to be." Apparently, some forty-five years ago, Bourland proposed a language called "E-Prime," which would eliminate "to be" in all its incarnations. This would eliminate, Bourland claimed, the inexact way in which we use "to be." For example, when we say "he is stupid," we are implying objectivity, which our statement may not justify. Burkeman cites the potential benefits of making these distinctions:

All this might seem maniacally pointless pedantry. But as cognitive therapists note, thoughts trigger emotions, and "finalistic, absolutistic" thoughts trigger stressful emotions. "I am a failure" feels permanent, all-encompassing, hopeless. Restating it in E-Prime – "I feel like a failure" or "I have failed at this task" – makes it limited, temporary, addressable.

I'm guessing this won't catch on any time soon. However, it reminds me a lot of the French subjunctive, where you have to use a special "mood" just to show that you are speaking subjectively. I never did understand why the French insisted on using the subjunctive, but I guess after reading this article I can kind of get it!

Scenery as Natural Resource

2010-02-08T13:39:00.002-06:00

On Friday, February 12th at 2:00 PM, Professor Richard Sutton will be giving a talk on Scenery as a Natural Resource. The talk will be held in room 228 of Hardin Hall on UNL's East Campus. I think it sounds quite interesting! Exploiting scenery as a natural resource can be both economical and eco-friendly. I mean, think of Alaska, or Norway.

Punctuation is fun--part two!

2010-02-05T15:58:00.002-06:00

As a follow-up to Wednesday's post, here's a comic that effectively demonstrates the importance and appropriate use of commas.

Punctuation is fun!

2010-02-03T15:32:00.003-06:00

A lot of people seem to have difficulty with punctuation. (Hint: "you're" and "your" are not interchangeable!) I guess it was too hard to pay attention during those boring high school classes where they taught such things. Anyway, if you want to make up for all those daydreaming hours, you can now learn punctuation in a fun way: comics!
How to use an apostrophe

And for a bonus, here is a comic about the neglected semicolon (my favorite punctuation mark!).
How to use a semicolon

Is There an Ecological Unconscious?

2010-02-01T14:54:00.003-06:00

NYTimes has a pretty fascinating article about the relationship between our environments and our mental well-being. I don't know if "ecotherapy" is going to catch on any time soon, but I definitely think environment has an impact on one's mind. And it explains why Wal-Mart is so terribly depressing. I was particularly interested in the notion of "solastalgia."

In a 2004 essay, [Albrecht] coined a term to describe it: “solastalgia,” a combination of the Latin word solacium (comfort) and the Greek root –algia (pain), which he defined as “the pain experienced when there is recognition that the place where one resides and that one loves is under immediate assault . . . a form of homesickness one gets when one is still at ‘home.’ ”

I think that "solastalgia" is one of those things everyone has experienced, but for which we just didn't have a word, until now. The rest of the article is just as interesting; I've been thinking about how it might apply to the Great Plains. Any ideas?

Neil Gaiman's Fantasies

2010-01-29T08:00:00.001-06:00

You may remember from way back in September when we featured Neil Gaiman's American Gods on PSR Book Club. The New Yorker has just come out with a fascinating article about Gaiman. He's one of those authors who has both amazing writing and an interesting persona.

An excerpt:

Of course, he wants to become a character,” Stephin Merritt, who is the lead singer of the Magnetic Fields and a friend of Gaiman, says. “He’s not Salvador Dali, but he’s not far off. There’s no hard line between his persona and his private life.” Jon Levin, Gaiman’s film agent, says he recognized his client’s popularity only when he took him to a meeting at Warner Bros. and all the secretaries got up from their desks to ask for autographs. Someone said, “That never happens when Tom Cruise is here.”

Crane-watching!

2010-01-27T08:00:00.000-06:00

It's almost time for Sandhill Crane migration season! As a relative newcomer to Nebraska, I've never seen the cranes before, but I'm definitely going on a mini-road trip this year to see them. The Journal Star says that cranes bring $10.33 MILLION to Nebraska from bird watchers. Who knew?

If you want to join these bird watchers (and help pump millions into Nebraska's economy), you can register online for crane tours.

Bibliotourism

2010-01-25T08:00:00.001-06:00

Here at PSR, we think about "place" a lot, and what "place" means in literature and art. So, when I saw this slideshow of literary homes I got kind of excited. The slideshow includes the homes of children's authors such as Louisa May Alcott and Laura Ingalls Wilder.

The article mentions that some Very Literary People think that this kind of biblio-tourism is a bit low-brow. Granted, it's hard to say that an author's real-life home inspired the fictional dwellings in their works. However, I still think it's interesting to see what kind of places an author was in, and how it influenced their writing. It's kind of like how knowing an author's biography can give you insight into their work, even if the work itself is not autobiographical. Thoughts?

P.S. The article uses the term "literary tourism," but I think "bibliotourism" has a better ring to it, don't you?

Buildings Reclaimed by Nature

2010-01-22T08:00:00.001-06:00

Slate recently posted this amazing photo essay of American ruins, buildings that are beginning to be "reclaimed by nature."

I love ghost towns and urban ruins. There's something so evocative about the falling-down farmhouses and churches on the side of county roads. They're like physical reminders of the transience of human endeavors.

Ernest Hemingway's Advice on Productivity

2010-01-20T08:00:00.000-06:00

Ahh, the start of the new semester... After almost a month of winter break relaxation and laziness, I suddenly find myself with hundreds of pages of reading, some French grammar to learn, and brand new papers to write (not to mention all the PSR submissions to read and think about!). How will I get everything done?! Luckily, Ernest Hemingway is here with advice.

One piece of advice from Mr. Hemingway:

Always stop while you are going good and don’t think about it or worry about it until you start to write the next day. That way your subconscious will work on it all the time. But if you think about it consciously or worry about it you will kill it and your brain will be tired before you start.

He's talking about writing, but his advice can be applied to other tasks too. (For instance, this advice could be applied to the task of sending in one's (slightly late) PSR submission.) (Also: is it okay to use parentheses within parentheses?!)

Do you all have any good advice on boosting productivity?

Little House Comes to Omaha

2010-01-15T08:00:00.001-06:00

I remember when I was little and I was obsessed with being a pioneer just like Laura in the Little House on the Prairie books. Later, my little stepsister became quite taken with the television version. Now, Little House has branched out to yet another genre: the musical! And it's coming to Omaha. Beloved childhood prairie lit and jazzy musical numbers? Sign me up!

The musical version of Little House on the Prairie is running in Omaha through Sunday, January 17th at the Orpheum Theater.

More info here.

P.S. Submissions due January 19th! You know you want to.

Submission Deadline in One Week!

2010-01-12T23:14:00.002-06:00

Hello Friends of PSR!

This is your official reminder that you still have a week to submit to Plains Song Review! One week is just the right amount of time to finish up that final draft/develop your photographs/finish shading your comic so you can stick it in the mail! Why wouldn't you submit?

In case you forgot, Submission Guidelines are HERE.

P.S. Also remember that NU undergraduate submitters are eligible for PRIZE MONEY!

Books That Make You Dumb

2010-01-11T18:21:00.002-06:00

Books are supposed to make you smarter, right? But it would appear that some books are less useful than others for this purpose. Virgil Griffith created a neat chart using Facebook that compares the favorite books of certain users with the average SAT score of their school. Apparently, really smart people like Lolita! (Correlation or causation?!)

Daily Routines

2010-01-08T15:03:00.003-06:00

When it comes to writing, it's all about how you do it. Some people prefer to get up at dawn to write when their minds are still fresh. Some prefer the depths of midnight. Some people write four pages every single day. Some people wait for inspiration to strike, and write in a short burst of activity. The blog Daily Routines catalogs some of the different routines of famous writers and artists.

I like the writing routine of Emily Post (why can't I have household help in my apartment?).

Post worked on “Etiquette” for nearly two years. Claridge describes her daily routine as follows: she woke at 6:30 A.M., ate breakfast in bed, and began to write. Midmorning, she took a break to give instructions to the household help; then, still in bed, she continued to write until noon.

What's your daily routine like?

A Cow is Too Much Trouble in Los Angeles

2010-01-06T08:00:00.000-06:00

The AbeBooks' Weird Book Room is a lovely listing of all the strangest books you could imagine. My favorite titles:

The English: Are They Human?
50 Ways to Use Feminine Hygiene Products in a Manly Manner
A Cow is Too Much Trouble in Los Angeles

P.S. If you haven't yet, it is submission-sending time! The deadline is January 19th!

The Future of Photography According to 1944

2010-01-04T08:00:00.000-06:00

In the 1944 issue of Popular Photography, nine experts gave their opinions on the future of photography. How accurate were their predictions? Find out here!

This part certainly seems accurate:

It is possible to perfect the camera to the point where it will become an automatic instrument which will focus, expose and process the film by the mere push of a button. In this way we will be able to realize a medium possessing an immediacy between seeing and recording unachieved by any other art.

P.S. You have fifteen days to send in your submissions! Do it!

Elements of Urban Agriculture

2010-01-01T08:00:00.000-06:00

Today is January 1st! You know what that means? It means you have eighteen days to get your PSR submissions in the mail! Make submitting to PSR your New Year's Resolution!!! (It's way better and cooler than "exercising more").

January 1st also means that we're right in the middle of a long, cold winter. So let's pretend that it's springtime, and that we're getting ready to plant our crops/gardens. You remember when we talked about city chickens and urban farms? The blog landscape+urbanism has a piece up called Elements of Urban Agriculture. They discuss guerilla gardening, backyard gardening, community gardens, school gardens, rooftop gardens, and vertical farming, among other topics.

I think guerilla gardening sounds kind of hilarious. Doesn't it seem like the most grandmotherly anarchist activity ever?

via boingboing.net

Best of the Decade

2009-12-30T15:35:00.002-06:00

Tomorrow at midnight, the aughts, the decade Time Magazine says was the worst ever, will come to a close. (The 2000's didn't seem so bad to me, but I guess I only remember part of the nineties, so I don't have much to compare it to.) Anyway, my favorite part of decade ending: the Best/Worst of the Decade Lists. Kottke.org has taken on the monumental task of curating them, in a massive list organized by category they call The Noughtie List.

My Best of the Noughtie-List List:

The Decade that Shrank the Mega-Novel

The Best Fiction of the Millennium (Pros Versus Readers)

When TV Became Art

Top Horror Films of the Decade

Ten Most Significant Visual Artists

Best Book Covers of the Decade

Best Comics of the Decade

The Decade in Poetry

The Decade in Words

5 Life Lessons Learned from Ladies of 00's Teen Films

Searching for the Real Nebraska

2009-12-28T15:05:00.002-06:00

You might remember that back in November, we blogged about the photography exhibit Searching for the Real Nebraska: A Photo Essay on the Great Recession. On January 5, the second part of that exhibit will go up at the Center for Great Plains Studies. The Journal Star has an article about the exhibit with an interview with the photographers.

My favorite part of the interview:

Journal Star: Describe some of the lessons that you learned from different people, maybe even just beyond the lessons of the recession's impact, kind of life lessons, I guess.

Bruggeman: A lot of these small towns, they don't have big movie theaters, art houses, Broadway plays, all the things that people in big cities depend on to entertain themselves after they get off of work. They find happiness in the smaller things in life. I really learned from that that it's more than just the entertainment values of the latest craze of the Internet that make people happy. Sometimes it's family, friends, the home you live in and the dogs you raise, to even crops, just being a farmer and having land that you raised by your hands is something that makes them happy and that's what they live by.

Center for Great Plains Studies
1155 Q Street,
Lincoln, NE 68588-0214.
The gallery is free and open to the public

Happy Holidays!

2009-12-25T14:15:00.002-06:00

Hope you're all having nice holidays!

Love,
Plains Song Review

Stereotyping by Author

2009-12-23T01:25:00.005-06:00

Hello PSR readers! After a finals-related hiatus, we are back and blogging. Today we have a wonderfully funny, kind-of-mean list that stereotypes readers based on their favorite authors.

For example:

Vladimir Nabokov: Men who use words like ‘dubious’ and ‘tenacity’.

Friedrich Nietzsche: Sommeliers.

Cormac McCarthy: Men who don’t eat cream cheese.

Which one are you? (I tried stereotyping myself, but I couldn't pick my favorite from the list!)

Link

A Wonderful Photo

2009-12-04T08:00:00.002-06:00

Posts have been a little bit writing-centric lately, so I thought I'd balance it with a photography post! This lovely photograph was taken by flickr user Janusfinder. I love how it captures that exact anxious feeling as the baby-sitter is about to arrive.

via joannagoddard.blogspot.com

P.S. The PSR blog is going to go on hiatus for the next two weeks, so we can deal with tests and papers. We'll return after finals are over (when I've stopped having nightmares about Chaucer and the French subjunctive).

No Name Reading Series

2009-12-02T10:36:00.002-06:00

Have you ever been to a No Name reading? Every other Friday at 4 PM, grad students from the UNL English department head over to Sur Tango at 12th and P to read their very best work. This Friday is Alan Yates! Sounds like a lovely way to spend a Friday afternoon, right?

City Chicken, Country Chicken

2009-11-30T10:46:00.007-06:00

Did you know that it's legal to keep chickens in the city of Lincoln? There are certain limitations regarding permits and numbers, but you could actually have a little flock of hens in the capital city.

The reason I mention this is because I recently happened upon The Urban Homestead, a book about living self-sufficiently in a city by doing things like growing your own food.

I've always wanted to live in the country with animals and fresh vegetables from the garden, but I also like living in close proximity to things like bookstores and coffee shops. Could urban homesteading be the perfect compromise? Plus, with concerns about the economy and environment at an all-time high, the idea of self-sufficiency is an intriguing one. At the same time, I have my doubts that anyone with a full time job could really manage gardening and converting to solar power in their free time.

What do you think? Is urban homesteading the city life of the future? Or is it just environmentalist hipsterism? Do you know anyone with urban chickens?

Edit: For those who are curious, here are Lincoln's chicken laws.

UNL Adds Online Comic Database

2009-11-25T08:00:00.001-06:00

Last Spring, UNL librarian Richard Graham finished an online database of more than 180 comics (and growing). The collection includes standard comic books, as well as related source material about comics.

I think it's wonderful that UNL is creating this resource. Comics are a pretty important part of American culture, and they have been throughout history, so they're definitely worth some scholarly investigation. I wonder when UNL will add a course in comic books to the Schedule of Classes!

Link to the Daily Nebraskan story

Interview with Cormac McCarthy

2009-11-23T08:00:00.001-06:00

The Wall Street Journal has a pretty interesting interview with Cormac McCarthy. He talks about the new film version of The Road, fatherhood, his writing process, upcoming work, and all kinds of other things.

An excerpt:

WSJ: Do you feel like you're trying to address the same big questions in all your work, but just in different ways?

CM: Creative work is often driven by pain. It may be that if you don't have something in the back of your head driving you nuts, you may not do anything. It's not a good arrangement. If I were God, I wouldn't have done it that way. Things I've written about are no longer of any interest to me, but they were certainly of interest before I wrote about them. So there's something about writing about it that flattens them. You've used them up. I tell people I've never read one of my books, and that's true. They think I'm pulling their leg.

Lincoln is the Second-Strangest City

2009-11-20T08:00:00.000-06:00

Guess what! Lincoln has been named the second-strangest city in the country, losing out only to New York. Apparently, they analyzed a bunch of "Strange News" stories from the AP, and controlled for population. Lincoln ended up with the second-most number of "strange" news stories.

I'm torn between embarrassment and pride.

Link

Gar's Tips on Sucks-Less Writing

2009-11-18T08:00:00.000-06:00

For whatever reason, I've been on a writing advice kick lately. Sometimes you just need some wise words to bolster you up, right? One of my favorite new finds is Gar's Tips on Sucks-Less Writing.

An excerpt:

* Writers Write!
Mike Gunderloy, editor of the zine review guide Factsheet Five, used to say that, even if you aren't a writer to begin with, after cranking out a million words or so, you're a writer! Gunderloy himself was a prime example. He wasn't much of one when he started F5, his "zine of zines," but he sure as hell was by the time he called it quits many millions of words later. By then, he had truly mastered the art of short-form, concise and spunky media criticism.

Vonnegut on Writing

2009-11-16T10:52:00.002-06:00

Kurt Vonnegut is, I think, one of everyone's favorite writers. In addition to his wonderful fiction, he wrote some really nice essays, a few of which discuss the art of writing. Really, who better to take advice from? For your reading pleasure:

How to Write with Style
and
Eight Rules for Writing a Short Story (from his book Bagombo Snuff Box)

via kottke.org

Writer's Block? A tool for you!

2009-11-13T08:00:00.002-06:00

So, you're sitting down at your desk, blank pages in front of you and pen poised to begin writing your submission for Plains Song Review XII. You want to write something amazing, but, alas! You have writer's block! How on earth will you think of something to write before the January deadline?

It's okay! We're here to help! Write or Die is a neat little Internet gadget that forces you to write. From the website:

Write or Die is a web application that encourages writing by punishing the tendency to avoid writing. Start typing in the box. As long as you keep typing, you're fine, but once you stop typing, you have a grace period of a certain number of seconds and then there are consequences.

In my experience, the best way to beat writer's block is just to write something, anything on the page. It doesn't have to be good, it just has to be something to get you going and kickstart your creativity. So this little application could be quite helpful for desperate situations!

PSR to Begin Accepting Graphic Literature Submissions!

2009-11-11T08:00:00.002-06:00

Today, we have some very exciting news at PSR! Beginning this issue, we will be reviewing submissions of graphic literature!

It all started when Van Jensen (whose graphic novel was featured on PSR Book Club) asked if we'd ever considered publishing comics in Plains Song Review. Well, we hadn't, but it certainly seemed like an interesting idea! After thinking about it and talking about it for awhile, we decided to give it a try.

I know what you're thinking. Graphic literature? Isn't that just a fancy-pants name for comics? Yes indeed! But comics have gotten pretty literary and high-brow in recent years. For instance, last year in an English class, we read the graphic novel MAUS, a memoir of the Holocaust that won a Pulitzer. Other notable comics include Persepolis and Skyscrapers of the Midwest. Literary magazines are starting to take comics more seriously too. Virginia Quarterly Review regularly publishes them, and McSweeney's devoted an entire issue just to comics!

I really think comics could be a good fit at PSR. They're such a uniquely American art form, which makes sense for a publication like ours. Furthermore, graphic novels are uniquely well-equipped to explore "place," as they are able to both depict place both through words and through images.

Of course, PSR's publishing standards will remain the same as ever. We will only accept submissions that explore the Great Plains, and we will only accept submissions that we feel are high quality. If we don't get any good comic submissions this year, we simply won't publish any comics. That said, I'm hoping that we get some really good stuff to show you when Issue XII comes out.

Graphic Literature Submission Guidelines can be found at http://www.unl.edu/plains/publications/PSR/psr.shtml.

New Photography Exhibit

2009-11-09T10:35:00.002-06:00

The Center for Great Plains Studies just opened its new exhibits:

Searching for the Real Nebraska: A Photo Essay on the Great Recession. The exhibit features photographers Bruce Thorson, Patrick Breen, Kyle Bruggeman, and Clay Lomneth, and it runs from November 6th to December 13th. People of the Plains is a series of black and white photographs by John Evasco. These are some gorgeous photographs, so I highly recommend going to see them.

Check them out at CGPS 1155 Q Street, Lincoln, NE 68588-0214. The gallery is free and open to the public. Check the website for hours.

Save The Words!

2009-11-05T23:08:00.007-06:00

Oxford English Dictionary has a new campaign to save old, unused words from completely dropping out of our language! Save the Words allows users to sign up to "adopt" words to keep them from being lost. You pick a word from their many options, and commit to use it as often as you can in normal conversation. It sounds kind of silly, but a lot of these words are wonderfully specific and meaningful and absolutely deserve to be reinvigorated!

I've adopted "helctic," which means "acting to drag or draw out." Isn't that a terribly useful word? This is also a good site for poets who are looking for the perfect ancient adjective to add flavor to their lines.

How to Write Badly Well

2009-11-04T08:00:00.000-06:00

Want to know how to write a wonderful piece of fiction? Don't take advice from Joel Stickley! Stickley is a writer and the author of the blog How to Write Badly Well. It lists some really cringe-worthy ways one can ruin a piece of writing.

An excerpt, from the post "Present your research in the form of dialogue:"

‘My god,’ said Geoff, ‘so it’s true. We hold in our very hands the original draft of the hitherto unknown third treaty of the 1648 Peace of Westphalia signed by the Holy Roman Emperor Ferdinand III himself.’
‘Yes,’ confirmed Sally. ‘Who would have thought when we set off this morning for this remote Swiss village that we would end the day in possession of the very document which marked the birth of modern European statehood?'
‘Certainly not me!’ laughed Geoff.

via kottke.org

Gregory Euclide's Landscape Art

2009-11-02T15:05:00.003-06:00

There's a neat exhibit going on at the David B. Smith Gallery in Denver, CO right now. The artist is Gregory Euclide, and he does art that explores our relationship with the landscape. The press release says:

Euclide explores the difficulty of escaping the cultural lens from which we view nature. Images from traditional landscape paintings, wildlife documentaries and travel guides construct our cultural expectations and define how we view land. Euclide’s work explores the conflicts between these images of idealized, picturesque views and the desire to truly experience nature as it is.

Not near Denver? The website has a photo gallery where you can see the art!

via boingboing.net

Great Plains Halloween

2009-10-30T00:05:00.003-05:00

It's Halloween Eve! So we're going to do an extra link-filled post today, to make sure you're prepared for this wonderful holiday in an appropriately Great Plains fashion.

The Journal Star has local Halloween events both for families and for adult-types.

The only Nebraskan horror movie!

Finally: a few Great Plains ghost legends: Faceless Fred, ghosts of Neihardt Hall, and Omaha's Hummel Park.

Happy Haunting!

PSR Halloween Book Club: Guide to the Ghosts of Lincoln

2009-10-28T14:36:00.002-05:00

For this installment of PSR Book Club, we have a Halloween book! Alan Boye's A Guide to the Ghosts of Lincoln is a look at some of Lincoln, Nebraska's most thrilling ghost stories. It also happens to be the most-frequently stolen book at Lincoln City Libraries. I highly recommend checking it out (not stealing it!) so you can scare your friends with spine-tingling stories whilst impressing them with your knowledge of local history!

A Haunted History of Lincoln

2009-10-26T08:00:00.000-05:00

I am generally not a Holiday Person, but I love Halloween! I especially like ghost stories; they give you such a good sense of a community's history and culture.

Lincolnite Dale Bacon is another ghost story lover. He gives bus tours every year of Lincoln's haunted places. This year, he's come out with a ghost story DVD: A Haunted History of Lincoln: The Capitol City. Check out the Journal Star for an interview with Bacon about ghosts and his DVD. If you want a DVD of your own, email dtb22@windstream.net.

Be sure to check back on Wednesday for some spine-tingling ghost stories from the Great Plains!

Discussion of Aaron Douglas at the Sheldon

2009-10-23T10:41:00.001-05:00

Did you know that Aaron Douglas, the painter of the Harlem Renaissance, was from the Great Plains? He grew up in Topeka, Kansas, and went to school at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. You can learn all about him at an upcoming discussion at the Sheldon on Tuesday. From the event description:

Director J. Daniel Veneciano will discuss artist Aaron Douglas, who graduated from the University of Nebraska. This program, part of UNL's Diversity Working Group talk series, will be held in Ethel S. Abbott Auditorium. It is free and the public is invited. Visitors who bring brown bag lunches may eat in the Sheldon boardroom after the talk.

When: October 27th 12:00 PM- 1:00 PM
Where: Sheldon Art Museum, Lincoln, Nebraska

The New Science of Fall Colors

2009-10-21T08:00:00.001-05:00

It's looking very autumnal lately around here. All the leaves are turning color and falling. There are some especially cool trees on the UNL campus by Memorial Stadium that are bright scarlet! Pretty (and school-color appropriate)!

One thing I've noticed moving from Colorado to Nebraska is that Fall looks different here. I thought it was just the types of trees that made a difference, but Discovery has a photo gallery and article about the science of fall colors. It's a lot more complex than I thought! If you're interested in knowing why the Great Plains looks like it does in the fall, I'd check it out! (If you're not a science-type, I still recommend looking at the pictures; there are some very nice ones.)

Link

via boingboing.net

The Emptied Prairie

2009-10-19T13:33:00.005-05:00

If you've ever driven through the Midwest, you've probably noticed those old abandoned farmhouses and churches along the side of the highway. I always wonder why their former occupants took off and left their homes behind. Luckily, National Geographic is there with answers. They have an article and photo gallery on their website called "The Emptied Prairie" about ghost towns of North Dakota. (Some of the pictures are quite spooky and appropriate for Halloween time.)

Link

Good Novels Don't Have to Be Hard Work

2009-10-16T08:00:00.001-05:00

There was an interesting article by author Lev Grossman in the Wall Street Journal recently called "Good Novels Don't Have to Be Hard Work." Basically, Grossman says that compelling plots have in recent years been considered somewhat "low-brow," while high-class literature usually doesn't have suspenseful plotting. Grossman thinks plot is important, and that it's making a comeback.

An excerpt:

From a hieratic, hermetic art object the novel is blooming into something more casual and open: a literature of pleasure. The critics will have to catch up. This new breed of novel resists interpretation, but not the way the Modernists did. These books require a different set of tools, and a basic belief that plot and literary intelligence aren't mutually exclusive.

In fact the true postmodern novel is here, hiding in plain sight. We just haven't noticed it because we're looking in the wrong aisle. We were trained—by the Modernists, who else—to expect a literary revolution to be a revolution of the avant-garde: typographically altered, grammatically shattered, rhetorically obscure. Difficult, in a word. This is different. It's a revolution from below, up from the supermarket racks.

What do you think, readers? Is plot the next big thing? Do you prefer a suspenseful plot, or do you put more value on other aspects of the novel?

PSR Book Club-- Great Plains: America's Lingering Wild

2009-10-14T08:00:00.002-05:00

I discovered this book the last time I was at the wonderful Indigo Bridge Books in the Haymarket. (Sadly, I missed the book signing they did there a couple of weekends ago.) Great Plains: America's Lingering Wild by Michael Forsberg is a book of photography, essays, and maps chronicling the beauty of the Great Plains. I had a chance to look through it a little, and I can tell you that it's a really gorgeous book. And I'm not the only one who was impressed:

(via the Amazon page)

It takes a big book to portray such an immense, complex place, and this spacious volume, vividly introduced by poet Ted Kooser, fits the bill. Intrepid photographer Michael Forsberg presents breathtaking images of wide-open spaces and portraits of wildlife from bison to butterflies, bobcats to frogs. Historical geographer David Wishart contrasts the lives of the region's Native peoples with the deleterious impact of settlers, who plowed up the grasslands, sending countless species into decline and losing precious topsoil to wind erosion. Wildlife biologist, rancher, and writer Dan O'Brien-flinty, funny, and skeptical-dissects the mythology of the Great Plains, the `monumental hubris, greed, and lack of common sense' that led to its near destruction, and, on the upswing, today's bold restoration efforts. In all, a quintessential and crucial American story, powerfully told. -Booklist

You can learn more about the book and Michael Forsberg from this Journal Star article.

P.S. It looks like the book is on promotion right now on Amazon, if you're looking to buy your very own copy for the sale price.

The Deepest Cave in the United States

2009-10-12T08:00:00.001-05:00

There's a cool post up on boingboing.net about the deepest cave in the United States, located on the Great Plains in southeastern New Mexico. It's called Lechuguilla Cave and it wasn't even discovered until 1986! It is in the Carlsbad Caverns National Park, but you can't visit this particular cave. Only scientists and explorers can go in. However, you can take a tour without even getting out of your chair, because boingboing has posted this video of the cave from Planet Earth.

Link

This American Life on Laura Ingalls Wilder

2009-10-09T08:00:00.000-05:00

As part of the "The Book That Changed Your Life" episode, This American Life has a segment on Laura Ingalls Wilder books. The piece is by Meghan Daum, a New Yorker who moved to Nebraska partially because she fell in love with the idea of the Great Plains after reading Laura Ingalls Wilder's books.

Listen here!

Neatest Travel Website Ever!

2009-10-07T08:00:00.000-05:00

Regular readers of the PSR blog might know that we at PSR have a deep love of roadside attractions, tourist traps, and other strange places on the Great Plains. And now we've discovered the best website ever for scouting out potential roadtrip destinations.

The Atlas Obscura describes itself as a "compendium of the world's wonders, curiosities, and esoterica." They have a huge database of interesting and strange places all over the globe. If you're looking for places close to home, you can use their interactive map to explore specific regions. The places range from the Shoe Tree of Middlegate, Nevada, to the Mystery Tomb of Trinidad and Tobago, to Madurodam, a tiny city in Holland.

Here's some of our favorite curious places on the Great Plains:
The Kansas Underground Salt Museum
Carhenge
Bishop's Castle

Do you know of any curious places that the Atlas Obscura missed? Let us know! We love making new discoveries about strange and interesting things on the Great Plains!

PSR Book Club: The Echo Maker

2009-10-05T07:40:00.001-05:00

I was trawling through the New York Times book reviews, looking for something to read, when I came across their review of The Echo Maker by Richard Powers, which won the National Book Award and was a Pulitzer finalist. It's a novel that deals with neuroscience, family, and Sandhill Cranes. I couldn't believe I'd never heard of it before.

The novel follows Mark Schluter, who gets in a car accident outside of Kearney, NE. His sister Karin rushes to his side, but when Mark wakes up from his coma, he is convinced that Karin has been replaced by a look-alike sent to spy on him. Mark is diagnosed with Capgras Syndrome, and a neuroscientist is brought in to help him. Throughout, there is a strong sense of Great Plains as place. From the review:

What caused the accident, no one can say — the only witnesses are the sandhill cranes, half a million of them, who stop outside Kearney each year on their migratory journey. Ancient and silent, the birds “dance as they have since before this river started,” re-enacting their hard-wired ritual of departure and homecoming. That Powers will use these denizens of the natural world as feathered avatars of his human characters is a given; that he is able to tease out surprising resonances is part of his gift.

Check it out on Amazon
A very illuminating interview with the author about novels, cranes, and the Plains.

PSR Book Club: Pinocchio: Vampire Slayer (?!)

2009-10-02T08:00:00.000-05:00

For this installment of PSR Book Club, we have a rather intruiging graphic novel by a writer close to home:
Van Jensen was born in Lewellen and attended the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (where he edited the Daily Nebraskan).

Jensen has written a book with a very strange title: Pinocchio: Vampire Slayer. In this graphic novel, Geppetto has been killed by vampires, and Pinocchio goes out looking for vengeance, using his growing wooden nose as a stake. According to reviewers, the book is "moody and gothic" with "moments of grim humor."

Watch the video trailer here.
Check out an interview with Van Jensen in the Lincoln Journal-Star.

Slam Poet Rachel McKibbens in Nebraska Next Week!

2009-09-30T07:00:00.000-05:00

PSR loooves slam poetry more than almost anything else (see our last issue, in which we interviewed Matt Mason!). We've seen quite a few really impressive poets perform, but we're practically dying of excitement right now, because the amazing Rachel McKibbens is coming to do some shows in Lincoln and Omaha, October 8-10.

From her website:

Poet Rachel McKibbens is an ex-punk rock chola with five children. Known for her astonishingly visceral stage presence and devotion to craft, McKibbens has become one of the most respected poets in the spoken word community. She is the 2009 Women of the World poetry slam champion, is an eight-time National Poetry Slam team member, a three-time NPS finalist, and a 2007 New York Foundation for the Arts poetry fellow and Pushcart nominee.

Shows:

Thurs., Oct. 8
7 pm: No Coast Poetry Slam
Meadowlark Coffee & Espresso
1624 South Street
Lincoln, NE

Fri., Oct. 9
9 pm: UPC & CNL PRESENT:
Rachel McKibbens at the City Campus Union
The Crib, UNL City Campus

Sat., Oct. 10
7:30 pm: Omaha Healing Arts Slam
OM Center
1216 Howard
Omaha, NE

P.S. Are you a little skeptical? Check out this video and prepare to have your heart broken.

Wyuka Cemetery's 140th Anniversary Celebration

2009-09-28T08:00:00.001-05:00

We at PSR are big fans of Wyuka Cemetery. It's such a rich source of Great Plains history, as well as a current cultural center. Which is why we're pretty excited about Wyuka's 140th birthday party!

Where: 3600 O St., Lincoln, NE
When: Sunday, October 4th, 1:00-5:30 PM
Free admission

There's going to be all kinds of interesting events all afternoon: historian and writer Ed Zimmer will be leading a tour and giving out free copies of his new Wyuka guidebook; Flatwater Shakespeare will be performing; there will be a band, a film, a photography exhibit, and even more!

You can get more information here.

P.S. Did you know you can search online for individual grave locations at Wyuka? What a great tool for Lincoln-area history enthusiasts!