Here’s a sneak peek of the cover design for Burning Furiously Beautiful: The True Story of Jack Kerouac’s On the Road, which I am co-authoring with critically acclaimed Kerouac scholar Paul Maher Jr.
Award-winning designer Igor Satanovsky created the cover. Igor also happens to be a poet in his own right and studied poetry under Allen Ginsberg at City University of New York-Brooklyn College.
Can’t wait to share more with you!
On this day in 1975 the Grizzly bear was classified as a “threatened” species. Even though President Theodore Roosevelt wrote Hunting the Grisly, he actually worked with John Muir, the founder of the Sierra Club, to protect America’s wildlife and landscape. I address this in my introduction to the reissue of this classic book, which is available in both paperback and ebook format.
Sadly, there are likely less than 1,000 Grizzlies in the United States today. Find out more about Grizzly bears and other endangered animals at the Wildlife Conservation Society, where you can even send letters to Congress about protecting animals.
(photo via Bob Holman)
Just wanted to let you know that On the Road with Bob Holman is airing again!
The documentary series will be airing on LinkTV, found on local cable channels, online, and on DirectTV channel 375 and Dish Network channel 9410.
Monday, May 14th at 09:30 am
Saturday, May 19th at 10:00 pm
Monday, May 21st at 10:30 am
Tuesday, May 22nd at 07:00 pm
Here’s the teaser:::
What happens when a downtown New York poet of the hip hop and slam persuasion discovers that the roots of spoken word go back thousands of years and span the globe? If he’s Bob Holman, he goes On the Road to track them down! He trades stories, fun, recipes, insights, jokes, songs, and poems. Along the way, he gets passionately immersed in the Endangered Language crisis — over half the world’s 6500 languages will disappear before the end of this century. Holman guides us to the bottom-line question of survival of these systems of consciousness with respect, joy, and dedication to diversity. He throws himself into the life – shares the meals, participates in the ceremonies, dances and parties. His enthusiasm infects the series’ fast-paced style – Hip, but not hipper than thou. Serious fun! Ok everybody, get ready — let’s take the road not taken, with Bob Holman.
It is produced by Rattapallax in association with the Bowery Arts and Science.
I wrote the curriculum for it. You can also read my interview with Bob Holman at BOMB and my article “You Can’t Put a Language in a Zoo” at Brooklyn Rail.
My Q&A with poet Bob Holman is up on BOMBlog!! We chat about wayward camels, the resurrection of the Hebrew language, the Greek word “poesis,” the UN, griots, and endangered languages.
I’m getting excited for the Festival of Faith & Writing!! I’m so looking forward to catching up with all my friends from the Burnside Writers Collective, some of whom I haven’t seen in years and others whom I’ve never met before. We’ll have a booth so please do stop by and say hello! I’m the visual arts editor for Burnside, and I’m always looking for new writers and cool artists whose work we can feature on the site. If you’re interested, let’s chat at the Festival.
If you’re going — or just want to live vicariously through this blog — you might be interested in the Church Hopping column I wrote up after our last trip to the Festival. Some of the panels and Q&As are held in the Pizza Hut Chapel, as Diane called it.
Burnside commentary:
Kim Gottschild: “I liked the chapel’s architecture. What I found particularly interesting was the pergola type structure that lined the inside of the sanctuary like an overhang. Together with the beautiful view of the budding trees, it made me feel like I was sitting in a garden setting, the outside having been brought in. I also loved the light feel of the wooden interior. Overall, the interior atmosphere felt natural, light and airy, and I felt like I could breathe. And Mary Karr’s interview only enhanced that, as listening to her always gives me permission to be human.”
Penny Carothers: “I liked the chapel, too. I liked the inclusive feel, the feeling of being surrounded by others, not just staring at the dais. I also appreciated how the dais was almost in the center of the room. I liked how light it was.”
Cary Campbell Umhau: “Well, I hate to be a naysayer but I found it cold. I wanted a cozy corner, not an exposed openness. I’m sure that says something antisocial and awful about me, but I wanted to flee! I have to say I was swayed a little by Diane saying that it’s sometimes referred to as the Pizza Hut Chapel (Diane, am I misquoting you?). Is it bizarre that I preferred the ‘Undercroft’ of cinderblock (and the bathrooms were nearby too; handy with all the coffee I was downing), and I loved hearing Lisa Samson down there.”
Diane Nienhuis: “Cary, you quoted correctly!”
You can read the rest of Church Hopping: Calvin College Chapel here.
I expanded a post that started out here on this blog, and it’s up on Burnside now! It’s about the first Greek Easter I spent in New York….
I think there’s probably a law against carrying an open flame in the subway. I’m not sure. But it’s a pretty safe bet. This turns Easter in New York City into a midnight marathon.
“Father, can I tell your congregation how a resurrection really feels?”
Sin and salvation.
Death and resurrection.
Hoodrats and comeback kids.
Parties and confession booths.
The Hold Steady’s Separation Sunday: indie rock’s Easter music.
In light of Good Friday, I’m reposting “Paintings of the Crucifixion,” originally published on Burnside last year.
I’m pleased to have a personal essay published inCreating Space. In the essay, I write about my angsty teen years in New Jersey … and how I still sometimes feel that way.
Creating Space is a Lenten devotional published by RedeemerWrites, part of the Redeemer Writers Group, an arts ministry at the Center for Faith & Work. As you may know, I’m one of the leaders of the Writers Group, and so I was involved in soliciting entries for Creating Spaceand editing them, under the direction of Maria Fee. The devotional features poetry, fiction, and nonfiction, as well as calligraphy by artist David Chang.
Creating Space is on sale for $5.
Everyone’s Irish on Saint Patrick’s Day! Actually, my mom and I often get mistaken for Irish. It must be our fair Swedish skin and eyes. I even once got a letter addressed to Nik O’Lopoulos. Yep.
Here’s a couple of St. Patrick’s Day-related links for you:::
Happy St. Patrick’s Day, everyone!!
Stephanie Nikolopoulos is a writer, editor, writing teacher, and speaker based in New York City.
She is the coauthor, with Paul Maher Jr., of "Burning Furiously Beautiful: The True Story of Jack Kerouac's 'On the Road.'"
You can email her at stephanie_701 {@} yahoo.com
Stephanie Nikolopoulos 