Category Archives: literature

Translating Classical Iranian Poetry: Farid al-Din Attar

Posted on December 13, 2009 by Richard Jeffrey Newman

The only things we know for sure about the life of Farid al-Din Attar are that he was a pharmacist and a native of Nishapur, Iran, where a monument to him that was built over his tomb at the end … Continue reading →

Posted in Iran, literature | Comments Off on Translating Classical Iranian Poetry: Farid al-Din Attar

A New Covenant

Posted on December 6, 2009 by Richard Jeffrey Newman

Because we have discussed male infant circumcision on this blog before, a poem in progress: They say it’s a shame we didn’t do it when we should have, that probably you’ll need it later in life, when it’s more complicated, … Continue reading →

Posted in Gender and the Body, Jews and Judaism, literature | 10 Comments

Review: Soulless, book one of the Parasol Protectorate by Gail Carriger (Orbit, 2009)

Posted on November 30, 2009 by Mandolin

When I first laid hands on Gail Carriger’s Soulless (Orbit, 2009), I began to wonder if the book had been written specifically to irritate me. 1. To start out, the novel is urban fantasy. Already we’re on bad terms. 2. … Continue reading →

Posted in literature, Recommended Reading | 4 Comments

Writing and Pain; Community and Hope

Posted on November 6, 2009 by Richard Jeffrey Newman

I haven’t been writing and it hurts; it’s a tightness in my chest and a twist in my gut, and there is a part of me that wants to scream. Well, maybe not scream, but at least to grunt, let … Continue reading →

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"Zahhak: We'd Need To Hear The Mother's Story" published on Ekleksographia

Posted on October 24, 2009 by Richard Jeffrey Newman

Zahhak: We’d Need To Hear His Mother’s Story, an excerpt from my translation of parts of the Shahnameh, the Iranian national epic, was published recently on Ekleksographia. I hope you’ll go check it out.

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Ableism in Workshop Advice: "There are Worse Things Than Death…"

Posted on October 21, 2009 by Mandolin

There’s something that gets bandied about a lot in workshops when people are talking to newbies. “You don’t have to kill your characters to up the stakes,” they say. “There are worse things that can happen to people than death.” … Continue reading →

Posted in Disabled Rights & Issues, literature | 53 Comments

Reading Suheir Hammad’s ZaatarDiva and Kazim Ali’s The Far Mosque

Posted on September 23, 2009 by Richard Jeffrey Newman

This review was originally posted on a literary blog that no longer exists called The Great American Pinup. My understanding is that the blog was hacked and that attempts by the people who ran the blog to resolve things using … Continue reading →

Posted in Anti-Semitism, literature, Palestine & Israel | Comments Off on Reading Suheir Hammad’s ZaatarDiva and Kazim Ali’s The Far Mosque

Northeast Modern Language Association (NeMLA) Call For Papers

Posted on August 28, 2009 by Richard Jeffrey Newman

I am organizing a panel on the translation of non-Western literatures for the Northeast Modern Language Association’s annual conference, which will be held in Montreal, April 7-11. Here is the call for papers. Please send proposals to me at richard.newman … Continue reading →

Posted in literature | 3 Comments

If You Are, Or If You Know, A Poet Of Color

Posted on July 28, 2009 by Richard Jeffrey Newman

Whether it’s serendipity or synchronicity, or both, now that there is discussion here on Alas about racism in the publishing industry, I have received the following email from the publisher of my first book of poems, CavanKerry Press. Dear Friend … Continue reading →

Posted in literature | 8 Comments

Two Appearances in Maryland: A poetry reading from "The Silence Of Men" and "Translation as Plagiarism as Cultural Transmission: How Benjamin Franklin Helped Bring Classical Iranian Literature Into English"

Posted on May 9, 2009 by Richard Jeffrey Newman

I don’t know Maryland geography well at all, but if you are anywhere near either of the places where I will be appearing, it would be lovely to see you there. Reading from The Silence Of Men On Friday, May … Continue reading →

Posted in literature | 4 Comments