Bookmark Now: Writing in Unreaderly Times: A Collection of All Original Essays from Today's (and Tomorrow's) Young Authors on the State of the Art -- and the Art of the Hustle -- in the Age of Information Overload

Kevin Smokler

Apr 2009 · Sold by Basic Books

About this ebook

An anthology of original essays from our most intriguing young writers, Bookmark Now boldly addresses the significance of the production of literature in the twenty-first century. Or simply, "How do we talk about writing and reading in an age where they both seem almost quaint?"The book features authors in their twenties and thirties -- those raised when TV, video games, and then the Internet supplanted books as dominant cultural mediums -- and their intent is to examine: (1) how this generation came to writing as a calling, (2) what they see as literature's relevance when media consumption and competition have reached unprecedented levels, and (3) how writing and reading fit in with the rest of our rapid, multitasking world. The result will offer a voyeuristic peek into the private, creative lives of today's writers and shed light on what their work means at a time when the book business is changing, yet -- almost paradoxically -- a time when storytelling as a means of both self-realization and community building (be it via e-mail, weblogs, or "This American Life") seems more relevant than ever before. Edited by Kevin Smokler, a Bay Area entrepreneur who has devoted himself to fostering literary culture and cultivating fresh talent, Bookmark Now is a collection that both captures the state of the art and provides inspiration to aspiring writers at all levels.

Ratings and reviews

The Chaplaincy Institute for Arts and Interfaith Ministries-im the One, you said you dont beleive in, im the HOly Ghost, inside of bob, hes, not happy, I torture him, tearing his face, visit ministry of dreams, he likes you but cant talk, cause, you two would laugh, and love two, he, tells it like this, It feels like a body your perfect size coming in, the Holy Ghost baptizm, thats you on ministry of dreams, hey goddamit said peter gilmour, im the new ministering spirit on ministry of dreams, watch for your name, you devil worshipper, you dont, but, do, hi, said, Anton Szandor LaVey, thats him, pointed, hollie, shut up, she said, showing cut off, he lost his chance, knew, started the church of satan, and that was, said, hollie, satan, lucifer, she said, laughing, loves, being talked to, but, knows, thats beezlebub said hollie showing cut off, made you look at it said Jesus, thats, peter gilmour, looking, likes, knows, I like God, do, wiped lips, we want bob, he said, left, thats bob hickman showing, come on, have fun at church, they are the same, he said, and peter gilmour shakes yes, knows, put it under, said, hollie, cut off said Peter H. Gilmore, dont look at it he said, trembles, knows, bob prays, save, yeah shakes gilmour, but, showed, cut off, im lost, he said, thats, pointed hollie, dr. rev. jeremy taylor bowing and loving his kathy taylor m.a., shes, the devil, said, hollie, his, and dr. jeremy taylor d.min, I see I made you look at it said, hollie, you stole ministry of dreams, and reverend jeremy taylor, sees, loves being pursued by bob, but Jesus inside of bob ruins taylor like, me said rev. antonia vladimirova, I dont dream said antonia vladimirova, she lost, but, like her reverend, dr. jeremy taylor, u.u., preaches, thats m.a. jeremy taylor ph.d. pocketing, showing, cut that off, if people try to givem visions,

About the author

Kevin Smokler was the founder and publisher of Central Booking, which grew to serve nearly 50,000 bibliophiles worldwide and was praised by media outlets such as Wired, USA Today, and Forbes, which referred to it as the "Paris Review of the 21st Century." As a book critic and commentator, Kevin's writing has appeared in the San Francisco Chronicle, the Baltimore Sun, and on NPR. He lives in San Francisco.