John Madera

John Barth on Writing, Fiction, “Passionate Virtuosity,” and More

Happy birthday, John Barth! Here are some quotes from the author: “Self-knowledge is always bad news.” “[F]iction…

Happy birthday, Ralph Waldo Emerson! Here are some quotes from his writing: “Neither dogmatize yourself, nor accept another’s…

Happy birthday, Bob Dylan! 85, today! Lucky to have seen this trickster and consummate artist perform live many times…

Happy Arrival Day, Sun Ra! Here are some quotes from the composer and musician: “I think of myself…

Happy birthday, Lucie Brock-Broido! Here are some quotes from the poet: “I, abstract, adoring, distant / And unsalvageable.”…

Happy birthday, W. G. Sebald! Here are some quotes from his writing: “It would be an ambition of…

Happy birthday, Joseph Beuys! Here are some quotes from the artist: “I think art is the only political…

Happy birthday, Stanley Elkin! Here are some quotes from his books and interviews: “Make a thing that never…

We’re excited to announce the finalists for the 2025 Big Other Book Award for Fiction. The winner will be announced…

Happy birthday, Thomas Pynchon! 89, today! Here is Against the Day‘s Jesse’s school essay on “What It Means to Be…