Ana Schwartz

Quilicura, Chile, one of the communities I wrote about in EMPIRE OF AI, has launched a brilliant initiative to inspire more responsible AI prompting. Today, don't use AI; ask the townspeople instead: quili.ai. So heartened to see this creative act of resistance.

Arielle Zibrak, Writing Against Reform: Aesthetic Realism in the Pr... In “Self-Reliance,” Ralph Waldo Emerson denounced those who dress uncharitable motives in the flattering garb of compassion: “I ought to go upright and vital, and speak the rude truth in all ways. ...

Very moved by this nuanced and thoughtful review of WRITING AGAINST REFORM by @natewolff.bsky.social

(free to read in English at: journals.openedition.org/transatlanti... )

"this critique (of sentimentalism) needed an extra dash of dialectics."

💙💙💙How can you not love this scholar?💙💙💙

Lol I made a very happy mistake! I thought I was using a sunburst #quilt pattern. Nope. It's a starburst pattern. So, even better per the final image of the quote! #dhmakes #dhtries #letterpress #textiles

MLA 2026-Bound Gente: The Latina/o Forum Cashbar has shifted off location to a bar a short walk from the Convention Center, January 9th, 7:15pm-8:30pm #MLA2026

Zohran Mamdani is going to use Arturo Schomburg's copy of the Quran for his swearing in ceremony.

www.nypl.org/press/schomb...

Happy New Year, folks!

As 2025 ends, I'm thankful for Matt Seybold and his extraordinary, synthetic, research-intensive, innovative, podcast scholarship, which is a gift to us all

New Year's Resolutions—1934 1. Write some poetry everyday. 2. Write some prose everyday. 3. Draw everyday. 4. Improvise at least ten pieces of music. 5. Invent several dances, including variations of the tap dance, and know them perfectly. 6. Sing persistently and improve voice by 1935. 7. Have at least seven stories accepted, and paid for by 1935. 8. Have at least fifteen poems accepted and published during the year. 9. Practice the piano continually. 10. Use correct English.

Gwendolyn Brooks (at 16)

One of the things for which I’m so grateful is that I didn’t read Moby Dick till I was in my 30s. I don’t think I would have been able to experience the sheer surprise and awe at what it’s doing and what it’s about had I read it when I was younger.

Extremely cool to see some of the best literary scholars in early American studies show off our field like this:

grateful that Sarah Mesle articulated this, in this precise way. Beef & fucking prunes. (from Reasons & Feelings, 2025)

The Pamphlet That Has Roused Americans to Action for 250 Years

Friends!!! You know how obsessed I have become with Common Sense.

Tom Paine published that pamphlet 250 years ago this January. I published an essay about it TODAY, in the New York Times. Common Sense remains relevant as ever.

I hope you enjoy it. Gift article ⬇️⬇️⬇️

Stories for the masses The Mass Market paperback format is ending with a whimper

The era of the mass market paperback is coming to an end, and that’s not good thing for anyone.

I jotted down some thoughts about the history of the format and why its end isn’t a great sign for the publishing industry: transfer-orbit.ghost.io/mass-market-...

The Custom Oregon Plate LOGOUT was previously assigned, but is now available for reservation. https://dmv2u.oregon.gov/eServices/?link=custom #Oregon #LicensePlate #VanityPlate #OregonPlates #CustomPlate #LOGOUT

Tying my shoelaces now!

The Claims of Close Reading - Boston Review Literary studies have been starved by austerity, but their core methodology remains radical.

My irregular visit to BSKY for December has arrived; I'm here to insist everyone close out their existing tabs and read @johannawinant.bsky.social's latest in the @bostonreview.bsky.social: www.bostonreview.net/articles/the...

Also, while, I'm here, @johannawinant.bsky.social, your BR essay on close reading was so good it made me cry!

omg! "My rambling brat (in print)"!!

Witness the unprecedented speed with which I opened up a new browser to find this book at my library!

For @mid-theory.bsky.social, @johndownesangus.bsky.social wrote about @tomcomitta.bsky.social’s awesome book at @columbiaup.bsky.social! It was so fun to edit this piece!

Spotify is a distant third among platforms that AV listeners use, but what Wrapped tells me year after year is, I believe, true across all of them: American Vandal grows & grows because listeners share it with their friends.

Thank you.

mckinley strawberries, 1900

mckinley strawberries, 1900

The amazing thing I'm reading *right now* and hope you'll read along with me:

the way I keep excitedly checking if this is out yet & have been since last winter (late November fyi)

If you liked "S03 E02 | Wives and Their Authors: Elizabeth and Herman Melville, Literary Labor, and Women's Work" back in the day, you should read @ishmaelcallme.bsky.social's essay in the latest issue of @j19journal.bsky.social!

A hand holding the book Here Is a Figure: Grounding Literary Form, with trees and a road in the background

Took my show on the road to York & Guelph last week, narrowly & unfortunately missing Guelph’s butter tart festival.

Every now and then I pop on here and get lucky enough to drop through a dream portal into the @ranchogordo.bsky.social kitchen

Dude, I imagined given the cover that it was just going to be a fun rom-com romp and it *was* but also it was so much more! (While I'm here, thanks for that Sharlet interview! I've known about his work for a while, but your conversation together was just wonderful.)

The art is pouring in to our DMs! Huge thanks to @ishmaelcallme.bsky.social for bringing Angela Smyth’s amazing whale to our attention!

We definitely consider ourselves a whale appreciation society.