One way to look at reading: as the lifelong construction of a map by which to trace and plumb what it has ever meant to be in the world, and by which to gain perspective on that other, ongoing map—the one that marks our own passage through the world as we both find and make it.

If all we can ever know comes filtered through the lens of our own experience, and if we are readers, some part of our very selves will be the result of what we have read—this is obvious enough. Good writers not only have read widely and deeply, but they continue to do so—not in order to be better writers, but because for them the act of reading is as inseparable from living as writing is.

from Another and Another Before That: Some Thoughts on Reading

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Protest Graphics, Jesus Koba, Fowler Museum, UCLA, 7 December, 2 pm, free

In 2006, a teachers’ union in the southern Mexican state of Oaxaca launched a mass protest against poor wages, dilapidated schools, and the lack of creative and intellectual autonomy. 70,000 people gathered and marched to the capital building, presenting their demands to the state government. They were met with a brutal crackdown and purge of the union leadership that continues to this day. Artist Jesus Koba created works depicting the protests and the government response.

From the press release of the Study of Political Graphics:

“The Center for the Study of Political Graphics and Fowler Museum at UCLA invite you to the closing tour of La Tinta Grita/The Ink Shouts: The Art of Social Resistance in Oaxaca by Jesus Kobe, Oaxacan artist and activist in the 2006 social movement.

This is the last day of this powerful and unique exhibition of protest graphics produced during the 2006 insurrection in Oaxaca. All of the stencils and some of the woodcuts come from the CSPG archives. The presentation will be in Spanish and English, admission to the Fowler is free.”

Fowler Museum, UCLA, 7 December, 2 pm, free

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Mark Doty writes stunning poetry, at once tender and fierce. In announcing the 2008 award for his book, Fire by Fire, the National Book Committee wrote this about Doty’s work:

“Elegant, plain-spoken, and unflinching, Mark Doty’s poems in FIRE TO FIRE gently invite us to share their ferocious compassion. With their praise for the world and their fierce accusation, their defiance and applause, they combine grief and glory in a music of crazy excelsis. In this generous retrospective volume a gifted young poet has become a master.”

Doty will be reading at AULA on 12 December, 7 pm, open to the public, free.

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The Literary Uprising began as a modest gathering in the AULA library in the winter of 2005.  The inspiration of two faculty members, Andrea Richards and Donald Strauss, the first program had 20 participants, including the three writers, Robert Fox, Kathryn Pope, and Kim Mack. It was a small, intimate affair and would have remained that way had the series not been so good.

Because of its success and popularity, Literary Uprising moved out of the library and into the large conference room. Andrea and Donald formed a partnership with Two Hawks Quarterly, AULA’s literary journal, and together they offer an evening of excellent readings each quarter. Two students, one from the BA program and one from the MFA, are chosen to present their works as well as one faculty member. If an Antiochian has a book published, the author is invited to read and afterward hold a book signing.  

This season’s readers will be Megan McCord (BA), Ana Thorne (MFA), Ed Frankel (F), and Chrys Tobey (BA & MFA alumnus).

The fall 2008 Uprising will be held this Thursday, November 20, at 6 pm. Food and drink will be served.

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In the summer 2008 Literary Uprising, Eloise Klein Healy read two handfuls of excellent poetry — poignant and wry. Here is one of the poems from that evening:

Recipe with Dogs

Dogs, out of the kitchen!—repeated five times in ascending notes

hands sweep through the air with or without cooking implement.

Don’t drop anything because two dogs are waiting at the edge

of the tile for the cook to turn her back and shift her attention to

the REAL recipe, the one with at least a countertop full of leafy

things with fronds dropping where a skillful dog can reach and run

from the room with cilantro, kale, beet tops, anything green

and gorgeous precursor to that breast of chicken unswaddled

from its Saran wrap and pretty “possible” in the mind of a dog

whose owner is reaching into the cupboard, back turned,

not quite as mindful as she should be, silly believer

in what she just said for the three millionth time—like dogs care

about repetition, maybe being reincarnations of those kitchen-loving

poodles Gertrude Stein used to spoil with little treats

and little oppsy-dipsy pet, little smoochy-mouth French words.

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No better place in the US to celebrate the indigenous Mexican holiday, Día de los Muertos, than Los Angeles, which, after Mexico City, has the largest Mexican urban population and was once a proud Northern city on the Mexican map. Of course back then she was known as El Pueblo de Nuestra Señora la Reina de los Angeles del Río de Porciúncula. The Day of the Dead festivities are happening all over our metropolis. Here’s a glimpse:

Festival de la Gente: November 1 & 2, 1 – 9 pm, Barker block, Downtown LA, free.

Altars, music, art, food, sugar skulls. It is an event that brings people together to celebrate the living and their dead. 

Hollywood Forever Memorial Park: October 31, 6:30 – 10:30, Ceremonial Altar set-up; November 1, 4 – 11 pm, 9^th annual Día de los Muertos  celebration, $5 (children free).

Dress like the elegant deceased, contemplate the stars (dead as they may be), feast and celebrate.

Laurie Lipton: The Day of the Dead, One Woman Show. October 11 – November 1, Santa Monica, free.

Skeletons, coffins, and lace, enjoy and support this artist’s work.

Noche de Altares: November 1, 2 – 10 pm, Santa Ana, free.

The 6^th annual Noche de Altares/ Día de los Muertos celebration in Santa Ana is hosted by El Centro Cultural de Mexico and Calacas. In their own words: For one night, families, students, community organizations, activists, artists, and businesses are invited to build an altar in memory of a deceased loved one or to bring awareness to a social issue.  Participants in past events have dedicated their altars to their parents, siblings, and friends. They have also dedicated their altars to soldiers who have died in war, women who have made a significant impact in history, and people who have died of AIDS, cancer, and diabetes.

Self Help Graphics & Art: November 2, 3 – 11, East Los Angeles, free.

A Call to Witness: All is Not Forgotten. Self Help Graphics & Art is holding its joyful Día de los Muertos celebration, a day-into-the-evening-long event of art, a procession, a blessing and concert. Events are being held all week prior to the procession.

Olvera Street: Nightly Novenaria processions, October 25 – November 2, 7 pm; Día de los Muertos celebration November 1 & 2, 10 am – 9 pm, free.

Don’t fear dying; fear not having lived! Novenaria processions are colorful and the Day of the Dead celebration includes games, piñatas, mariachis, food, a ceremony for the dead and many altars to admire.

SPARC (The Social and Political Art Resource Center): November 1, 7 pm, Venice, free.

SPARC’s annual Day of the Dead evening centers on a communal altar. Go early and bring a photograph or sweet with which to remember loved ones to add to the altar and then take pleasure in the ceremony. Pan dulce and champurado served. Also at SPARC is the exhibition The Death of Bush: What Next?

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ALOUD is one of the cultural bright spots in Los Angeles with its excellent series of lectures, readings, performances and discussions. The events take place at the Los Angeles Central Library, Downtown Los Angeles, at Fifth and Flower.

Thursday, October 30, 7 pm 

Is Reality Overrated?  ”Two fiction writers discuss what’s real, what’s not, and whether or not it really matters.”

A conversation between Israeli short-story writer Etgar Keret and writer Ben Ehrenreich.

Check out the ALOUD calendar for ongoing events and take advantage of the excellent programming. Questions will be answered by email or telephone: programs@lapl.org
(213) 228-7025. 

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California Authors talks about all that is going on in California having to do with reading and books and writers and poets, too. Book festivals, readings, independent bookstores in your area, a good blog list. Do visit - it’s a great space.

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To say that this is an historical election is, at this stage, to be redundant if not clichéd. Yet that does not diminish the point: by November 5, 2008, either an African-American or a woman will be headed to the White House. In light of that and in our capacity as arbiters of “the good stuff” - sources of information that make a positive difference in our lives - we have scoured the internet for political blogs. There are an abundance of them, but few are really worth the effort. These are.

Speechwars: Do you want to know which words the candidates like? And which ones they don’t? 

TalkingPointsMemo: Helmed by Joshua Micah Marshall, TalkingPointsMemo is the first blog to win the prestigious Polk award. While leaning left, it is always balanced and well-managed: no hyperbole, no excess.

Politico: A mainstream source of all things political. They often seem to get the goods first.

The New York Review of Books is hands down one of the best sources for that meaty, intelligent take on politics and politicians. Check it out.

Huffingtonpost: Ariana Huffington has become a political gadfly. The HP features a variety of celeb posters, but it’s the straight news that makes it worth reading.

The Root: Blog of African-American journalists. Good writing, mainstream, some punches along the way that keep it interesting.

We Are Respectable Negroes: Funny, biting, relevant.

The New Yorker is the source to get the fine work of Seymour Hirsch, the journalist who broke the MyLai story and one of the few who report on what is really going on in Iraq; it is a great source for political news. It also has the political observations of Hendrik Hertzberg, who does, after all, have a blog. And good thing. 

The Caucus is the New York Times political daily and it runs some good stories. You’ll feel caught up on all the comings and goings of the campaigns, presidential and otherwise.

The Nation magazine talks about Obama, McCain and sundry other items.

Andrew Sullivan writes for the Atlantic magazine. Once a darling of conservatives, once a staunch Catholic, Sullivan has slowly tilted toward the left. That is not to say he is a liberal, but that he finally found the Republican Party platform on gay and lesbian issues too much to take. And he has a lot to say about it.

Taegan Goddard’s Political Wire likes to find what’s out there and serve it up hot.

Real Clear Politics: Lots of links to lots of articles and polls, including their own.

Eschaton: Funny, funny, sharp and funny. 

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Our own Robert Stapp is singing in “Voices of the Way” at Loyola Marymount University in September.  Come support one of the pillars of the Antioch community.

Saturday, September 20 ~ 8pm Sacred Heart Chapel at Loyola Marymount University.

Voices of the Way: Three Performance Works Inspired by Writings of Brecht, Lao Tse, Padmasabhava, & Gregory I 

“Voices of the Way” is an evening of multimedia performance works inspired by three of the earth’s great sacred traditions. Through texts that honor the spiritualities of Taoism, Buddhism, and Christianity, “Voices” also affirms the prospect of reconciliation among all faith traditions and cultures. 

Tags: music, singing

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