Okay, so it’s not the Man Blooker prize … it’s just the Blooker Prize, a new annual award for blog-based books, and LitKicks’ Action Poetry: Literary Tribes for the Internet Age is in the running.

In fact, through the happy accident of alphabetism, our book is at the very top of the list, and we like the way that feels. We believe we should win this award, and in a vain attempt to drum up a huge groundswell of popular support …

U.S. Poet Laureate Ted Kooser is writing a series of columns that highlights poetry and its importance in everyday life. From time to time we’ll share the reprinted columns here, and provide you a chance to add your comments. This simple piece by Nancy McCleery seemed like a nice offering to leave as I begin my own holiday vacation. Feel free to share your December notes here as well as your thoughts on this selection.)


American Life in Poetry: Column 039

BY TED …

Here at LitKicks we’re big fans of spoken word and recordings of poetry readings of all shapes and sizes. When poetry (and prose, from time to time) jumps from the page into the air on voices of poets themselves — whether they’re behind a microphone in a recording studio, on a stage in a club or on the street preaching poetic harmony — hearing definitely is believing. Here are just a few new audio selections that have captured our attention over the …

Here at LitKicks we’re big fans of spoken word and recordings of poetry readings of all shapes and sizes. When poetry (and prose, from time to time) jumps from the page into the air on voices, whether they’re behind a microphone in a recording studio, on a stage in a club or on the street preaching poetic harmony, Here are just a few new audio selections that have captured our attention over the past year:

– A few weeks ago, the literary world was …

New York Times public editor Byron Calame wrote about accusations of favoritism and personal bias in the New York Times Book Review this Sunday. I thought I read the piece thoroughly this weekend, but it wasn’t until I read several emphatic blogger reactions (including separate pieces from both writers at GalleyCat) that I realized I’d missed the article’s surprising conclusion: Calame is recommending that the Book Review adopt a new policy of not reviewing books by authors who write …

This morning we received word that artist, Beat photographer and friend of LitKicks Graham Seidman has passed away. Graham was an accomplished photographer who was always reinventing ways to use his talents in new formats and to raise awareness. You can view some of his work here.

As a friend to many of the Beat Generation authors and characters, Graham was always willing to share a story or a bit of knowledge whenever anyone had a question. He was also an …

Don’t say we didn’t try to help you in your holiday gift giving this year …

Back in May we reported on the Beat Garage Sale that featured numerous beat-related artifacts, memorabilia and items from and by William S. Burroughs. If you weren’t able to make it out to Kansas for the event, you’re in luck. Patricia Elliot, longtime friend of Burroughs, now has the remaining items online for your perusal and purchase. You can even pick up a …

There are iambs to be found, and even some pentameter, in Edward Champion’s verse updating of a Sophocles classic, inspired by a recent news story. Click on the “hot pink tank top” link within the verses to make sense of it all.

Regarding the verses: pretty good work. Regarding the story: damn …

Insert clever introduction here, including repeated references to the age of 13.

Pretty Little Devils by Nancy Holder

Pretty Little Devils is chick lit for the “I just got my learner’s permit” crowd. An interesting amalgamation of the movie Heathers (or the more recent Mean Girls) and The Babysitters Club series (perhaps with reminiscent touches of Christopher Pike novels — the ones where the kids have a party and people start getting stabbed — or perhaps I’m reaching), the novel tells the story of Hazel Stone, …

Today’s New York Times Book Review features an amusing endpaper by Pamela Paul about authors who compulsively check what bloggers are saying about them, and a few authors (such as Amy Tan) who refuse to do so. Paul’s article is well-written, though she doesn’t seem to be aware of the term for this activity: “ego-surfing”. It’s not just famous writers who do it; bloggers ego-surf each other more than anyone else.

I’m glad the Book Review occasionally salutes the blogosphere, but critic George …