Comment by GUEST on 2007-02-04 14:54:11
What an odd website. I don't agree with your premise, but I appreciate the dialogue. And while I wish you the best of luck, I think you would bolster your position if you excluded long-dead writers and focused instead on contemporary ones. For your argument, historical context is key; could Alcott or Hurston, for instance, have chosen to pursue an MFA? What were Whitman's alternatives? And Aphra Behn seems quite beside the point. Perhaps only Begley and Tan are relevant here.
You may wish to get the book The Elephants Teach: Creative Writing Since 1880 by D.G. Myers. I think you'll find it interesting. Also, there was a recent article in Poetry written by John Barr, "American Poetry in the New Century," that you may find useful. But be sure to see the rebuttal by D.W. Fenza "Who Keeps Killing Poetry?" which appeared in The Writers' Chronicle. Each of these is accessible online.
You should probably include in your list Ted Kooser (recent poet laureate), who worked as an insurance rep for many years.
Perhaps also Barbara Kingsolver, who was a science writer and journalist before becoming a novelist.
Best,
J.D. Schraffenberger |
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