Best of the Web

Funny, I don't see InDigest on this list. It's all politics with these things. Dustin and I went to the award ceremony, and everyone was all, "Oh, I really like what you guys are doing" and "Oh, I totally think what you're doing is more important than the New Yorker and Slate in this day and age, but, you know, those guys have their hands in everyone's pockets in this place...not me, of course. I TOTALLY voted for you guys."

Whatever. It was a nice excuse to go to NY (on someone else's dime, obviously), and there were free drinks all night. Plus, I got to meet Fran Hauser of People Group Digital (what a fox) and Stephen Saunders of TechWeb, one of my personal heroes (& he should be one of yours, too, damn it).

-David

Friends, oh, friends

Well, here we are, on the eve of the new look for InDigest, and I would like to share some cool things that people, who rate much higher than either David or I on the coolometer (above a 4), are up to.

Jess Grover has some poems in the new issue of Forklift, Ohio. I think you have to buy to see them, so buy it, Forklift is cool. (at least a 7.5).

As we have said previously, Alex Lemon has a new collection of poetry out called Hallelujah, Blackout. His been spotted all over the nation recently reading poems from said book. Maybe you will spot him. Maybe not. I don't know how to find out where he can been seen, but he can be seen. As can David on Alex's blog under the photos from the book release.

Chris Koza has a new disc coming out in June and is currently out on tour all over our fair nation (this is at least an 8, probably a 9). You can find tour dateson his myspace page. Go see him, tell him InDigest sent you.

Sam Osterhout. is out traveling the nation and reading to the kids. he is traveling with our friend Geoff Herbach for the release of his new novel The Miracle Letters of T. Rimberg. (yet another 8 or 9)

Also David has a new article up at Guernica, read Guernica, it's good.

There is much more to tell, but then that would spoil the fun of the news section on the stie, which will be updated shortly when the new issue goes up (aww, awesome, a 10).

A New Look!

In the near future -- maybe a week or two; maybe sooner -- InDigest will be getting its first major makeover. It's a little nervous. It's still young, so big changes are kind of scary. But it's adventurous, too, and told us, after a long, pleasant Sunday-night dinner (Dustin, myself, InDigest, and a few of our very close friends...very pleasant) that it was up for the change. We're all very excited around the InDigest offices. Dustin high-fived the mailman today; the guy just couldn't keep it inside anymore, had to outwardly express himself. So, a high-five for the bewildered, but kind mailman it was. He's a sport, the mailman, and we give him a Christmas card with a wad of cash every year, so he puts up with our antics.

Anyway, InDigest is in the shop as we speak getting detailed. Unfortunately we haven't figured out how to put switches on it yet to make it hit that three-wheel motion, but we're working on it. Until then, we hope you enjoy the changes we are making. And feel free to let us know (comment on the blog or email us) what you do think when all these changes go down.

FOU

There is a great new lit mag online. FOU Magazine has just published their first issue. I believe they are just publishing poetry, I haven't actually finished the first issue, but everything I've read has been very good. The first issue includes two poets previously published in InDigest Alex Lemon and Tao Lin, also featured are Michael Earl Craig, Matt Hart, Dorothy Lasky, and many other great poets. It's a good looking mag, you should take a look.

Random Thoughts

I've been thinking a lot lately about the role of art in this world and if it can really move anything towards change. Ed Abbey thought that in the long run art, and more specifically, a novel could have an impact on the world. But, Ed Abbey was much like Kurt Vonnegut in that he did not see us long for this place (or most of us anyway, and in that he differs from KV, who thought we were all doomed). He was a man of action and respected most those who were greater men--and women--of action. Change, change in the here and now, he thought, could not come from talking about it. You had to do it.

I read in some class or another about literary journalism a quote from a journalist writing in the Vietnam era. He asked something to the extent of if you weren't there, covering and writing about the war, then just what the hell was it you were doing? The unnecessary answer being, of course, nothing. Or what you were writing amounted to that.

This has been on my mind lately; there's just so much wrong with the world. Can poems and short stories and pictures really make anything better...in any real way. I haven't come to any conclusion yet. I tend to lean towards the opinion of Mr. Abbey, but do we have the time?

Anyway, I was pondering this over one night with a new friend--really I just met this girl--and she had these positive things to say about InDigest, which gave me hope. People still surprise me with their kindness, and so I guess I'll believe for a while longer.

"So our conversation at the bookstore the other day, and reading the writing on indigest got me thinking about how having public places to express art, writing, ideas, are central to having a healthy society...I was thinking about how dull and repressed our world would be if people were not allowed to create art and share it with others. I feel like art makes us slow down and pay attention to details. To notice. Sometimes it's the only way to truly express one's experiences. So I don't think you should feel like you are not contributing to the good of society-I think we need more people to connect on those levels."

-David

I'm reading it right now

Alex Lemon

We just want to take a moment here to thank Alex Lemon (Issue 1) for acknowledging us in his newest book of poetry, Hallelujah Blackout (Milkweed, Feb. 28). His poems, "It’s Hard to Tell Who Will Love You the Best" and "Spotless" first appeared in these pages, and it says so right in Hallelujah Blackout. Very cool.

Thanks for everything, Alex.

Check out Alex's review of Li-Young Lee's knew book of poems.

Issue 4

If you haven't been to the site in a while you should return, because Issue 4 is up. We've got new poetry from Ingrid Chung and Rebecca Porte, new art from Travis Lindquist, new Bedside Stacks and new Dorkolopogous. Look for the rest of issue 4 to be online very soon, it will include a brand new column to the magazine, new fiction and an interview with director Robert Stone. Thanks for continuing to read InDigest.

Whistling Shade Winter Issue

An interesting Editor's note from Whistling Shade Editor, Joel Van Valin (Click on "From the Whistler" in the top left of the screen once you get to the site). Although I can't say I agree with his take on Joyce and creativity, this is still an introduction to the Winter issue that preps one's brain to dig into the content that follows.

And look: Whistling Shade will be publishing books soon, too.

-David

What Light

For readers in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area there is a great event happening on Sunday. Magers & Quinn and mnartists.org are hosting the What Light reading, celebrating the third year of the What Light poetry series. Past winners Margaret Hasse, Jen March, Todd Pederson, and Greg Watson will be reading, Chris Osgood Director of Artists Services at Springboard for the Arts will "wax poetic on the topic of wine and offer samples from his portfolio of wines." This will be a good time: poetry and wine on a Sunday, how can it go wrong? It's taking place at Magers & Quinn in uptown at 5:00 Sunday. Go support local artists and exercise your right to drunk on a Sunday afternoon.

The Kindle

Do any of you own, or use, the Amazon Kindle? If you do we've got a couple of questions for you, if you would be so kind please leave a comment with your e-mail address or you can e-mail us at indigestmag@gmail.com. Thanks everyone...

New interview in Issue 3

Hello all, just a little reminder that we have a new interview up in the InDialogue section of the magazine. Charles Green interviewed filmmaker Valarie Kaur about her documentary Divided We Fall. The film takes a look at Sikh life in America after 9/11. To get the full story go to InDialogue.

If the interview interests you check out this clip, it's the first seven minutes of the film: