Author: Thin Air Staff

Requiem for a Kool-Aid Wino: Why is Richard Brautigan, the Original George Saunders, Still Ignored?

November 28, 2018

by Mark Alvarez

My old San Francisco neighborhood has two hearts: Portsmouth Square and Washington Square. While the former is something whose name is unrecognized even by many San Franciscans, part of the vagueness they thrust upon Chinatown–despite being the spot where the state of California was founded–the latter is one of the most well-loved public spaces in the City, a tree-lined green slope decompressing North Beach density, perfect for absorbing the between-fog sun.
… More Requiem for a Kool-Aid Wino: Why is Richard Brautigan, the Original George Saunders, Still Ignored?

Dana Diehl Talks About TV Girls and What She Loves in Reality TV

November 14, 2018

by Courtney Brooks

Author Dana Diehl has a complicated obsession with reality TV shows, particularly those one can find on TLC. Diehl’s fascination with the lives and struggles of the characters she watches on shows such as Dance Moms, Cake Boss, Sister Wives, The Bachelor, and House Hunters made way for the stories in her new chapbook, TV Girls. … More Dana Diehl Talks About TV Girls and What She Loves in Reality TV

A Clogged Drain, Box of Rocks, a Fish’s Heart: How Writers Structure their Collections

November 1, 2018

In a conference for writers, metaphors will rule. Do text and textiles share more than just a Latin root? Are collections like dead fish or disgusting birds? Are they like unruly orphans, clogged drains or music albums? … More A Clogged Drain, Box of Rocks, a Fish’s Heart: How Writers Structure their Collections

Science Confirms: The Aesthetic Sublime is Pretty Right On

October 12, 2018

Caspar David Friedrich’s “Wanderer Above the Sea of Fog” (1818) is one of the most famous paintings of the 19th century, and is often used to describe the era’s cultural concerns, as well as to highlight how damn well they dressed. The painting is often used to illustrate 18th and early 19th century notions of … More Science Confirms: The Aesthetic Sublime is Pretty Right On