Happy Deathday, Mr. Hughes!

On this day, in 1967, American writer and social-activist, Langston Hughes died of prostate cancer at the age of 65.

Hughes is widely considered to be one of the most important black writers of the 20th century.

In 1926 he published “The Negro Artist and the Racial Mountain” in The Nation, an essay that would influence the Harlem Renaissance for years to come.

Poetry, plays, short stories, nonfiction and memoirs… Hughes wrote it all. One of our favorite poems by Mr. Hughes will always be “A Negro Speaks of Rivers”. Hughes was speaking specifically of the Kaw River, which figures heavily in recollections of his youth, spent in Lawrence, Kansas. 

Hughes strongly believed that “black art” should represent the experiences and culture of the black “folk.” His work was infused with blues and jazz culture and reflected the soul of the urban working class at that time. Some of his more famous writing associated with the Harlem Renaissance include the collections of poems, The Weary Blues (1926) and Fine Clothes to the Jew (1927); the novel Not Without Laughter (1930);  and a personal favorite of ours, a collection of short stories called The Ways of White Folks (1934).

His influence, even today, upon not only “black art” but on the whole of politically charged writers and artists, is undeniable.

Today, think about your culture… your roots. Because in the end, it’s not really about whether you’re black or white anymore… (or at least, it shouldn’t be) … it’s about what you, as a voice of your generation, have to say about social injustice across the world… it’s about what you have to say about your own identity and how it fits into the environment and time in which we live now. Write for your people today… whoever they may be.

Write on in Peace, Mr. Hughes!

Happy Deathday, Mr. Fante!

On this day in 1983, author, screenwriter, and idol of Charles Bukowski, John Fante, died of complications due to diabetes. He was 74 years old.

Oddly enough, there are quite a few people out there who have never heard of Mr. Fante.

By far, Fante’s most recognizable work is, his semi autobiographical novel Ask the Dusk, published in 1939. It is the third book in a series, referred to now as “The Bandini Quartet”, as it follows the story of it’s protagonist Arturo Bandini. If you’ve never read the book or seen the film adaptation… we suggest you pick it up this week. Especially if you have any interest at all in Great Depression-era stories or “old L.A.” settings. It is a treat, and those of you who are familiar with Charles Bukowski already know how much the novel influenced him.

“I was a young man, starving and drinking and trying to be a writer… It seemed as if everybody was playing word-tricks, that those who said almost nothing at all were considered excellent writers. Their writing was an admixture of subtlety, craft and form, and it was read and it was taught and it was ingested and it was passed on. It was a comfortable contrivance, a very slick and careful Word-Culture… one day I pulled a book down and opened it, and there it was…The lines rolled easily across the page, there was a flow. Each line had its own energy and was followed by another like it. The very substance of each line gave the page a form, a feeling of something carved into it. And here, at last, was a man who was not afraid of emotion. The humor and the pain were intermixed with a superb simplicity. The beginning of that book was a wild and enormous miracle to me. I had a library card. I checked the book out, took it to my room, climbed into my bed and read it, and I knew long before I had finished that here was a man who had evolved a distinct way of writing. The book was Ask the Dust and the author was John Fante” 

Bukowski certainly sums up how we feel too.

Although Fante’s stories were not originally wildly popular, many of his books saw a resurgence of interest upon their republication in the 1980s.

We highly recommend Dago Red , Fante’s only collection of short stories, published in 1940. The stories follow the maturation of one of Fante’s prominent characters, Jimmy Toscana, and wonderfully encapsulate what coming of age stories are all about.

Some of his screenwriting credits include Full of Life, Jeanne Eagels, My Man and I, The reluctant Saint, Something for a Lonely Man, My Six Loves, and Walk on the Wild Side.

For us, Fante’s work is such a fun read because it’s character driven and so very real. You begin reading his stories and thinking ‘I know someone just like Bandini’, you finish his stories with the realization that you are Bandini.

Today, take a minute to remember John Fante and perhaps, try your hand at creating your own alter-ego. What makes you a unique character and what about the time and place you’re living in make your alter-ego stand out as someone worth writing about? Find your inner-Bandini!

Write on in peace, Mr. Fante!

Happy Deathday, Mr. Gibran!

On April 10th, in 1931, Lebanese poet and novelist, Khalil Gibran died of cirrhosis of the liver. He was only 48 years old.

Gibran drew his words from an overwhelmingly vast well of influences. He often merged Eastern and Western philosophies in his poetry, and having grown up in Lebanon, studied art in Paris with Rodin and then adopted America as his new home, Gibran had a broad view of life, religiously, economically and romantically.

If you are unfamiliar with this spiritually stirring poet, we suggest you take a look at this biography on the young writer’s life, or if you are in a hurry check out this link.

Our favorite work by Mr. Gibran, also happens to be listed as one of the century’s best selling books in America after the Bible! The Prophet ,published in 1923, has touched millions of people, all over the world. This was one of the first books Gibran wrote in English and we highly encourage those who have not experienced it, to give it a chance.You’ll be so glad you did.

Some other favorites of ours include The Madman (1918), Sand and Foam (1926) and The New Frontier (1925). It may surprise some of you to hear that American president, John F. Kennedy was influenced by Khalil Gibran, when he famously stated in his Inaugural Speech, “Ask not what your country can do for you—ask what you can do for your country.” He was, in fact, quoting from The New Frontier, which had been written thirty-six years prior.

“Are you a politician asking what your country can do for you or a zealous one asking what you can do for your country?”

Today, we have a fun exercise for you and a nice way to remember Mr. Gibran…  be your own prophet. The prophet begins like this…

The Prophet, who has lived in a foreign city for twelve years, is about to board a ship that will take him back home. He is stopped by a group of people, who interrogate him about the mysteries of life…

Now, YOU, fill in the blanks. What are your mysteries? What are your solutions to the day’s problems? What are you certain of? What lies ahead?

Write on in peace, Mr. Gibran!

Adrienne Rich Has Passed On

It has been reported that poet, Adrienne Rich has died today at the age of 82.

We welcome Ms. Rich to the Dead Writers Club and our hearts go out to the loved ones and devoted readers she leaves behind.

To read more about the poet, check out this link!

Do you have a favorite Rich poem? We are partial to “Diving Into the Wreck” and “A Valediction Forbidding Mourning”.

Write on in peace, Ms. Rich!

Happy Deathday, Mrs. Shelley!

On this day in 1851, esteemed Frankenstein writer, Mary Shelley died of brain cancer. She was 53 years old.

Who would have guessed that Frankenstein, published anonymously in 1818 to unfavorable critical reception, would become a classic of literature, that is recognized the world over!?! For no one can doubt the significance that this novel has had on our popular culture, art and human psyche.

Shelley was, of course, the wife of the famous Romantic writer Percy Bysshe Shelley and so, was in common friendship with fellow writers John Keats and Lord Byron.

To say that her life was tragic, would certainly be something of an understatement. Only one of her three children survived childhood, her sister was known to be her husband’s mistress and even became pregnant by him. Not to mention, she survived her husband, who drowned at the age of 29! She herself, was plagued with ill health until she finally succumbed to what is thought to be a brain tumor at the relatively young age of 53.

It is unfortunate that more people are not aware of Shelley’s other writings, as they are quite good and certainly worth a read if you are a fan of her rich, gothic style. in fact, one of our favorite works by Shelley, apart from her masterpiece, is her science fiction novel, Last Man, published in 1826. If you’ve not read this apocalyptic treasure, we’ll not spoil it here… suffice it to say, that the characters are almost certainly semi-biographical and based off of people that were in Shelley’s social circle.  She also wrote a large amount of historical novels, short stories and poetry.

Today… think about Frankenstein’s monster…a creature who was created to be both, a warning about the fearsome power of modern science and a nod to the responsibility of a creator to his creations. If you were to rewrite this classic tale… given the times we are living in, what would your monster be comprised of? And how would your monster fare when flung into this world without guidance?

And of course, do not forget to pay your respects to the wonderfully talented, though too often overlooked, Mary Shelley.

Write on in peace, Mrs. Shelley!

Happy Deathday, Ms. Brontë!

On this day in 1848, English novelist, Emily Brontë, died of tuberculosis at the age of thirty.

Emily, of the famed “Brontë Sisters”, was the middle sister and the author of the novel, Wuthering Heights, published in 1847. Tragically, this is the only novel published by the young writer, although she did pen several poems , often under the alias of Ellis Bell.

Wuthering Heights, which is now widely regarded as a classic of English Literature, was actually written well over two years before it was finally published a year before Brontë’s untimely death. And it was only printed after the overwhelming success of her elder sister’s novel, Jane Eyre.

The novel has been parodied in popular culture, adapted, dramatized and even alluded to in popular music! Clearly, Ms. Emily Brontë left her literary mark! If you’ve never read this gothic novel of romance, drama, humor and vengeance… you really must add it to your holiday reading list!

Today, why not try your hand at a bit of drama? Star crossed lovers, back stabbing best friends… you get the idea.

Write on in peace, Ms. Brontë!

Happy Deathday Mr. Ignatow!

On this day in 1997, American poet, David Ignatow died at the age of 83.

During his literary career, Ignatow worked as an editor of American Poetry Review, Analytic, Beloit Poetry Journal, and Chelsea Magazine, and as poetry editor of The Nation. His many honors include a Bollingen Prize in Poetry, two Guggenheim fellowships, the John Steinbeck Award, and a National Institute of Arts and Letters award “for a lifetime of creative effort.” He received the Shelley Memorial Award (1966), the Frost Medal (1992), and the William Carlos Williams Award (1997) of the Poetry Society of America.

Rescue the Dead, published in 1968, is one of those books every writer should have in their arsenal. It is emotionally exhausting to read but never fails to inspire.The poems in this collection are both horrifying and hopeful. Ignatow brings us face to face with death; the permanence of it, the simplicity of it… even the beauty in it. It is a masterpiece, not to be missed!

A few other collections that may interest you are, Tread the Dark, Leaving the Door Open and Living Is What I Wanted: Last Poems. Ignatow’s writing is infused with urban grit and wry humor and we just adore him for that! Whether he is writing about urban America, family relations, suicide, death or social change, he is always insightful.

Tonight, write about a death. A friend, a family member, someone you’ve never met… your own. Write the truest lines you’ll ever write.

Write on in peace, Mr. Ignatow!

Happy Deathday, Mr. Melville!

On September 28th in 1891, American author, Herman Melville passed away at the age of 72.

Melville is, of course, best remembered for his novel Moby Dick, or The Whale. But what you may not be as familiar with is his first work, Typee: A Peep at Polynesian Life, or Four Months’ Residence in a Valley of the Marquesas (1846), in which he described his escape from the cannibals! Melville worked in merchant shipping until 1844, documenting his unique seafaring travels all the while.

Though none of his other works ever reached the popularity as Moby Dick, they are still worth a read through. Particularly if you are a fan of realism, adventure tales  and rich description. We can recommend Redburn, His Voyage (1849) and White-Jacket; or, The World in a Man-of-War (1850).

As for “The Whale”, it would be perfectly silly for us to express the significance of this book here. It is one of the ultimate classics of American Literature that has inspired popular fiction, music, fine art, poetry, theatre, advertising and film.

Today, we encourage you all to tell the biggest “whale tale” you can possibly imagine! And please remember this wonderfully expressive writer today and everyday!

Write on in peace, Mr. Melville!

Happy Deathday, Mr. Neruda!

On this day in 1973, beloved Chilean poet and 1971 winner of the Nobel Peace Prize for Literature, Pablo Neruda, died of prostate cancer at the age of 69.

Neruda’s impact on other poets cannot be denied and due to the sheer volume of his work, there is little chance of Neruda ever being forgotten. Translations of his work can be found in almost every language and his poetry has been widely featured in popular music, film and even modern literature.  Longing, passion, love… these are all central themes of Neruda’s universally beloved work.

If you are a Neruda fan and have never seen Il Postino, a film released in the nineties, we highly recommend that you go rent it or add it to your Netflix queue right now! The film’s soundtrack is also quite good and features various celebrities reading some of Neruda’s most moving love poetry. 

Our favorite collections of Neruda’s work include World’s End , Crepuscularioand On the Blue Shore of Silence: Poems of the Sea, all of which can be found in English. If you are interested in a good biography of Neruda, we suggest a look at his memoirs which was co-written with Hardie St. Martin. It is simply called Memoirs.

This evening, we encourage our single readers to go out there and find your heart’s companion! Take a chance on love and expose your inner passions! For our couples out there…well… dim the lights, pop open a nice cab and read some Neruda to each other… satisfaction guaranteed!

Write on in peace Mr. Neruda!

Happy Deathday Mr. Hesse!

On this day in 1962, German author, Herman Hesse, died of a Cerebral Hemorrhage. He died in Switzerland at the age of 85.

Undoubtedly, Hesse is most well remembered for his novel, “Siddhartha”, published in 1922. If you have not read it, we’ll not spoil the experience for you here, but we will say that Hesse’s crafting of Siddhartha’s journey is delightfully revealing of both the author, the subject and… the reader. Hmm… not sure if that last bit made sense… well… read the novel and you’ll get exactly what we’re trying to say!

Our favorite work by Hesse is his 1919 novel, entitled “Demian”, which he wrote after his son had suffered traumatic illness, his wife had experienced a nervous breakdown and his father had just died. Keep in mind, also, that this book was written right after the United States had just declared war on Germany! To say this book is “intense” is a gross understatement.

On another note, we were asked recently by one of our readers about “successful writers using pseudonyms”… well, it may interest some of you to know that “Demian” was published under the name “Emil Sinclair” and was wildly popular shortly after its publication.

Hesse received the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1946. Some of his other notable works include: “Narcissus and Goldmund” (1930), “Gertrude” (1910), “The Journey to the East” (1932), “The Glass Bead Game (1943), and “Steppenwolf” (1927). For more biographical information on this fascinating man, please check out this link at nobelprize.org.

Today, draw upon your own personal tragedies to find the “understanding” Hesse found in Siddhartha or the great realization of self that Emil found in “Demian”. Ask yourself if the totality of your experiences allow you to attain understanding in the same way. Seek the truth as you meander through the dark corridors of your memory.

Write on in peace, Mr. Hesse!

Happy Deathday Mr. Conrad and Ms. O’Connor!

On August 3rd in 1924, novelist,  Joseph Conrad died at the age of 66 from heart failure. On the same day in 1964, Southern writer, Flannery O’Connor died at the very young age of 39, from complications due to Lupus.

Joseph Conrad is, of course, most well known for his novel Heart of Darkness,  which was first published in three parts via Blackwood’s Magazine in 1899 before it’s formal publication in 1902.  The novella is written as a frame narrative and is regarded by most to be a highly significant contribution to English Literature, although Conrad was not born an Englishman.

In fact, it may surprise many of you to know that Conrad spent many years as a sailor, including four years in the French merchant navy and an additional eight years as a British sailor. He made several voyages to the Far East, notably Singapore, Borneo, and the Gulf of Siam, all of which served as material for his novels. One trip up the Congo led to the writing of… you guessed it… Heart of Darkness.

Throughout his adult life, Conrad suffered from bouts of malarial gout and struggled with depression and financial distress. By 1908, he had added some more works to his output, notably The Secret Agent. Although he had won critical recognition, he was depressed by the fact that he was still not a “selling” author. Unfortunately, he was constantly tormented by the need to make money yet retain his artistic integrity, until the day he died.

A critic once said of Flannery O’Connor that she was “arguably the greatest Southern writer after Faulkner”. As we, here at DWC, are mostly Welty readers, we will disagree…but O’Connor is undeniably a close second ;) One of our favorite collections from O’Connor is A Good Man in Hard to Find, which was published in 1955. Her fiction is richly allegorical and sardonic, and her perspective on human nature unflinching…  which can sometimes make the soul feel rather unsettled after reading it. She always manages to find humor and beauty within a dark, seemingly remorseless landscape.

O’Connor lived in the “bible belt” and often made contributions to the local Catholic literary outlets, including book reviews. This setting shows up often in her work, which she preferred to label as “Christian Realism” rather than the popular term “Southern Gothic”.

Today, we hope you will remember these very different but equally gifted writers. Like O’Connor, we encourage you to look for the beauty in the grotesque underbelly of wherever you may live. Like Conrad, draw back on where you’ve been and take your readers there as he did… into the heart of darkness.

Write on in peace Mr. Conrad and Ms. O’Connor!

Happy Deathday Ms. Austen!

On July 18th in 1817, one of England’s best loved female authors died of what is now believed to have been bovine tuberculosis. Her name was Jane Austen.

That very name has become synonymous with nineteenth century realism lit, but would you believe this wonderfully talented writer was hardly considered “one of the greats” until the 1940s - many years after her death?!

Her best known, if not her best work, Pride and Prejudice, was also her first. It was written between October 1796 and August 1797, although it was not published until 1813, two years after Sense and Sensibility, which was written 1797 and 1798. In fact, Ms. Austen had a rather hard time initially finding a publisher!! If that is not encouragement for our budding writers out there, we’re not sure what is!

Her novels have been parodied, studied, turned into films and stage productions and flat out imitated hundreds upon hundreds of times! We cannot stress what a huge figure in popular culture, Jane Austen has become. If you have not read her work, we guarantee you have at least seen it parodied on Family Guy… or perhaps you’ve seen the bollywood remake Bride and Prejudice? Either way, you must read some Austen if you’ve not had the pleasure… she really is such a treat! If you are unable to get to your local library, check out this great resource: http://www.austen.com/novels.htm

Today, we hope our readers will pay homage to this wonderful writer by thoroughly observing the relationships around you… remember, no matter how insignificant the
“little details” might seem, Jane Austen would have noticed them!

Write on in peace, Ms. Austen!

Happy Deathday Mr. Hemingway!

On July 2nd, in 1961, American writer Ernest Hemingway was found in his Idaho home, with a self inflicted gunshot wound through the head. He was 61 years old and is remembered today as a brilliant writer, a WWI veteran and an acclaimed journalist. 

During the twenties, Hemingway became a member of the group of expatriate Americans in Paris, which greatly influenced his first notable work, The Sun Also Rises, published in 1926.

He was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1954. Hemingway’s lucid prose and sparse dialogue undeniably exerted a powerful influence on American and British fiction in the 20th century. Some of our favorite Hemingway novels include For Whom the Bell Tolls, The Old Man and the Sea, and his collection of short stories published in 1932 Death in the Afternoon. However, we would have to say our ultimate favorite long format piece by Hemingway, is without question A Moveable Feast. If you’ve not read it, we are hesitant to say much about it and encourage every aspiring and working writer alike to READ THIS BOOK!

It may surprise some of you to know that our favorite Hemingway short story is only 6 words long and is said to be akknowledged by many to be his greatest work of all:

For sale: baby shoes, never worn.

Brilliant!

Today we encourage our readers to stay up all night brooding and reminiscing on adventures gone by, writing and (responsibly) drinking. Challenge yourselves, write a short story in just six words!

Write on in peace, Mr. Ernest Hemingway.

Happy Deathday Mr. Stoker!

On April 20th in 1912, renowned Irish author, Bram Stoker died from exhaustion at the age of 64. He had suffered a number of strokes prior to his death, which may have been a result of tertiary syphilis.

Naturally, Mr. Stoker is best remembered for his gothic masterpiece, Dracula. However, we really must recommend that if you haven’t already, you sprint out to your local library and poke around for his first novel, The Primrose Path, published in 1875; twenty two years before Dracula! While this particular novel is nowhere near supernatural, we feel it is remarkably well written for a premier novel and his descriptions of setting are just so beautifully precise. It’s always fun to read a now renowned author’s work when they were but a fledgling.

Among his other works, you will find he wrote quite a few novels- none of which ever became as popular as Dracula, a plethora of short stories ( some published posthumously) and quite a few nonfiction works such as A Glimpse of America in 1886 and Personal Reminiscences of Henry Irving , published in 1906.

Dracula is generally regarded as the culmination of the Gothic (style of the twelfth to fifteenth centuries) vampire story, preceded earlier in the nineteenth century by William Polidori’s The Vampyre, Thomas Prest’s Varney the Vampyre, J. S. Le Fanu’s Carmilla, and Guy de Maupassant’s Le Horla.  The narrative, comprising journal entries, letters, newspaper clippings, a ship’s log, and phonograph recordings, allowed Stoker to contrast his character’s actions with their own analysis of their acts.

Some critics today, attempt to criticize Stoker’s Dracula as being tediously grotesque or purposely “overtly shocking”, but we do not think any of these critics could deny the immense impact it has had on popular culture. Even today, Dracula remains a very ominous name in our media, literature, and collective subconscious.

Today- we want you to SHOCK your readers! Stoker was willing to SHOCK his prim and proper audience… so, why not you? Throw your characters into the most shocking set of circumstances your wicked minds can conjure up!

Write on in peace, Mr. Stoker!