Rod Kackley's Blog: St. Isidore Collection - Posts Tagged "nonfiction"
The Late American Novel
What do you think, you people who love to read? Are we in the last days of the Late American Novel? Jeff Martin and C. Max Magee have put together essays from writers, poets and editors on the future of the American novel and the future of books in The Late American Novel: The Future of Books.
One of the more interesting ideas is the rebirth of the novella form of writing. This is something I think we are already seeing due in large part to the growing popularity of ebooks and the popularity of reading them on smartphones and tablets, neither of which are conducive to long periods of reading.
Several of the essayists do predict the death of the American novel. Others say it will morph into a new form. Many agree the days of printed books are coming to an end, but not all see that as a bad thing.
What do you think? Are we in the last days of the American novel?
Rod
One of the more interesting ideas is the rebirth of the novella form of writing. This is something I think we are already seeing due in large part to the growing popularity of ebooks and the popularity of reading them on smartphones and tablets, neither of which are conducive to long periods of reading.
Several of the essayists do predict the death of the American novel. Others say it will morph into a new form. Many agree the days of printed books are coming to an end, but not all see that as a bad thing.
What do you think? Are we in the last days of the American novel?
Rod
Grand Rapids: Not The Backwater It Used To Be?
Finally someone gets it right. One of the people who read Last Chance Mile: The Reinvention of an American Community sent me an email the other day with a real compliment for Grand Rapids, Michigan.
He wrote, "After reading your book (Last Chance Mile) I can see that Grand Rapids is no longer the backwater it was when I used to go out there on business a decade ago."
It may not seem like much of a compliment at first blush, but anyone who was in Grand Rapids ten, fifteen or twenty years ago will tell you that this city has changed.
That is the message of Last Chance Mile. Even though many of the stories involve the Medical Mile, a $1 billion campus on the northeast side of the city, the stories are really about how the people of Grand Rapids have tried to change the way the world sees their community, the way the community sees itself and perhaps most importantly, the way the community sees the world.
He wrote, "After reading your book (Last Chance Mile) I can see that Grand Rapids is no longer the backwater it was when I used to go out there on business a decade ago."
It may not seem like much of a compliment at first blush, but anyone who was in Grand Rapids ten, fifteen or twenty years ago will tell you that this city has changed.
That is the message of Last Chance Mile. Even though many of the stories involve the Medical Mile, a $1 billion campus on the northeast side of the city, the stories are really about how the people of Grand Rapids have tried to change the way the world sees their community, the way the community sees itself and perhaps most importantly, the way the community sees the world.
Rod Kackley App
My new app is ready for free download on Google Play and iTunes.
I have posted three free chapters of my first book, Last Chance Mile: The Reinvention of an American Community, along with free chapters from selected ebooks in my Restore The Roar: Manufacturing Renaissance series.
I will also be posting free chapters from my first novel, Sometimes Things Break, along with selected flash fiction and nonfiction.
Let me know what you think..
Rod
I have posted three free chapters of my first book, Last Chance Mile: The Reinvention of an American Community, along with free chapters from selected ebooks in my Restore The Roar: Manufacturing Renaissance series.
I will also be posting free chapters from my first novel, Sometimes Things Break, along with selected flash fiction and nonfiction.
Let me know what you think..
Rod
