Dear Republic,
It’s been Project Week at The Republic of Letters — really moving to hear about so many projects that are life-consuming and rewarding whether or not they ever get the recognition they deserve. For ongoing contests/prompts at The Republic of Letters, check out “The Wishlist.”
-ROL
THIS WEEK AT ROL
Nick Mamatas, “Down From The Underground”
In the first essay of our “Projects” series, Nick Mamatas tells the story of his debut novel, Move Under Ground. This piece is a sort of sequel to his popular “How Publishing Actually Works” essay; it’s just as rich in detail and charm.
-TW
Melissa Holbrook Pierson, “The Lost Book”
Another publishing odyssey, far more punishing and bleak. Melissa Holbrook Pierson writes here about fulfilling her contractual obligations — and their soul-destroying cost.
-TW
Helen Teegan, “On Swimming”
Swimmers are a special breed. It may look easy and graceful but it is not easy. I’m relieved to read that the breast stroke “is not an easy stroke.” Helen Teegan, a former competitive swimmer, offers a memoir in fragments of her life under water.
-ALS
Alexander Kaplan, “Literary Theory is the Death of Writing”
God, there are so many ways to be a bad writer. Alexander Kaplan, bravely and cringe-inducingly, takes us through many of them on the path to starting to get it right.
-SK
Andrey Mir, “An Interview with Andrey Mir”
Andrey Mir is one of the most interesting intellectuals around. His analysis of the technological imperative and digital reversals may well be the most depressing thing you can possibly imagine.
-SK
Virginia Karnstein, “The Theology of Emily Brontë”
Here’s one thing I learned from this piece: The Brontë sisters (and brother) for years had a worldbuilding story about the fictional lands of Glass Town, Angria, and Gondal. Some gave up for but for Emily and Anne it went on for twenty years.
-ALS
WEEKEND LINKS
Like the New Yorker itself, Alex Ross recently joined Substack. The other week, he stepped down as the magazine's resident Music Critic; Will Robin's tribute to him is well worth reading, especially for the links.
What’s the worst possible thing you can say to an aspiring artist? Probably ‘be patient.’ So Steph DePrez tells us to be patient — which is as important in opera singing as it is in standup comedy as it does in dating future seminarians.
And what’s maybe the most alarming thing you can hear from your spouse? ‘I feel irrelevant.’ Claire Franklin documents a very difficult marital conversation.
Thank you for including my article 💛