I’ll be sans Internet at home until the middle of next week, so I expect to be on a brief blogging break until then. Please enjoy the archived posts as well as the many links you’ll find on the right-hand side of the screen. Thanks for your patience–see you soon!
One of my co-workers, someone who does plenty of editing, told me about this Vanity Fair Web-exclusive piece.
If you watched Sarah Palin’s resignation speech, you know one thing: her high-priced speechwriters moved back to the Beltway long ago. Just how poorly constructed was the governor’s holiday-weekend address? We asked V.F.’s red-pencil-wielding executive literary editor, Wayne Lawson, together with representatives from the research and copy departments, to whip it into publishable shape. Here is the colorful result.
The result is certainly colorful. It also provides some useful editorial reminders/pointers.
Still, I don’t necessarily agree with all of the editors’ decisions. For instance, starting several consecutive sentences with the same word can be an effective stylistic choice. (On the other hand, there’s no need to emphasize your honesty by declaring that you’ve been speaking “candidly, truthfully.” Score one for the editors there.)
By the way, to keep things fair, I’d be happy to read and link to anything similar concerning a speech given by a Democratic politican. Please share!
Interesting–albeit mysterious–job announcement for a part-time magazine editor:
Non profit organization seeks part-time managing editor for 3 – 5 magazine editions yearly. Must have thorough knowledge of print production, strong writing and copy editing skills. Knowledge of Israel, plus Jewish history and culture a must. Knowledge of the Hebrew language a plus. Must be familiar with working with freelance writers and photographers, printers, graphic designers, volunteer leadership and development staff. Must be able to multi-task and meet deadlines.
More information–just a bit–here.
B. Susan Bauer is another wonderful writer I’ve had the good fortune to get to know via the Internet. We’ve been corresponding ever since we began finding that lots of our comments in online writing fora seemed to be in sync. And I’m so glad we discovered that.
Now, Susan has announced the publication of her memoir, Choosing Africa. Subtitled “A Midlife Journey from Mission to Meaning,” the book centers around the experiences of six years in Namibia, where Susan and her husband lived and taught. I haven’t yet read the book, but I have read, and much enjoyed, several of Susan’s Africa-inspired writings, which have appeared in The Apalachee Review, Transitions Abroad, and The Raleigh Quarterly.
Susan is a special soul, and I am so happy to be able to congratulate her on her book’s publication. If her story sounds interesting to you, please visit the Choosing Africa Web site to learn more.
News from the Museum of Jewish Heritage-A Living Memorial to the Holocaust:
“The September-October public programming schedule at the Museum of Jewish Heritage—A Living Memorial to the Holocaust will feature provocative discussions, intriguing authors, and talented performing artists. The Museum welcomes author Zoë Heller who will speak about her well-received book, The Believers, on September 9. On September 13, families of all ages are invited to American Girl: Meet Rebecca Rubin with author Jacqueline Dembar Greene. The premiere of Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl, A Radio Play by Meyer Levin, will be performed on September 14. Following the performance, author Cynthia Ozick, historian Neil Baldwin, and others will discuss the controversy surrounding the play and its fall into obscurity. Novelist Dara Horn will discuss her latest book, All Other Nights, on September 16 with Tablet Magazine’s Alana Newhouse.
In conjunction with the special exhibition Beyond Swastika and Jim Crow: Jewish Refugee Scholars at Black Colleges, a panel of leading academics will discuss Racial Laws: Nuremberg & Jim Crow on October 14; and on October 28, Professor Stephen H. Norwood will talk about his groundbreaking work The Third Reich in the Ivory Tower: Complicity and Conflict on American Campuses.
The Daniel Gwirtzman Dance Company will present the world premiere of their new work Tribe, as part of Nextbook’s Jewish Body Festival on October 21. On October 25, author Hans J. Sternberg will discuss his memoir We Were Merchants: The Sternberg Family and the Story of Goudchaux’s and Maison Blanche Department Stores with author Eli N. Evans.”
For more information on these programs, consult the Museum of Jewish Heritage.