Michael Janairo

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Author: Michael Janairo

  • Audiobook review: “Sherlock’s Legacy”

    “Sherlock’s Legacy” by Ed. Lange. With a full cast and narrator; music by Will Severin. Unabridged, 1.75 hours, 2 CDs. New York State Theatre Institute Family Classic AudioBooks. $16.95.

    The legendary detective is in his retirement and regrets never having married or having fathered a child. But then a young woman arrives, and mysteries soon abound — including a murder.

    Though the play begins slowly, the pace soon quickens — perhaps a little too quickly to be plausible. But the fun of the play is spending time with classic characters of Holmes and Watson in this richly imagined production.

    The full cast does a wonderful job of conveying the setting of England in 1920; however, the audio quality is uneven. Some performers’ voices are crisp, while others sound as if they are speaking in a hollow box.

    Nonetheless, the detailed study guide holds true to the institute’s pedagogical mission.

  • A poet speaks

    On his blog, Dan Wilcox gives a report of a poetry reading he gave on Feb. 17 with Mary Panza at the Behind the Egg reading series.

    With all the good-will energy of Dan Nester & Erik Sweet putting this series together why aren’t more poets there? Where are the poets who have already read in this series? Where are the poets who have been invited to read in the upcoming weeks (I know Joe was in Florida)? “Where Were the Professors?” is not just about the Professors anymore.

    The next event will feature R.M.Englehardt, Poet Essence, and Joseph Krausman on Saturday, March 17, at Point 5: 383.5 Madison Avenue, Albany, NY.

  • Quote of the day: Jane Smiley on writing porn

    The Complete Review links to an LA Times article written by Jane Smiley, whose new book “Ten Days in the Hills” — a novel about Hollywood — was recently released.

    From the LA Times:

    A FEW WEEKS before Christmas, I was talking to my mother about my new book. I said, “I’ll send you a copy, but I’ve got to tell you that there’s a lot of sex in it.”

    She was silent for a moment, then she said, “Did you do that for the money?”

    I was silent for a moment, and then I said, “Yes.”

    But I didn’t mean it. The truth is that I did it so I wouldn’t have to write about the Bush administration for 450 pages.

  • 2007 Albany Word Fest

    The Albany Poets Web site announces:

    In celebration of National Poetry Month, Albany Poets is proud to present the 2007 Albany Word Fest featuring the poetry, spoken word, music, and art of upstate New York. This year’s event will take place on Friday, April 20 and Saturday, April 21, 2007.

    The 2007 Albany Word Fest will start off on Friday night with a cocktail party at Tess’ Lark Tavern (453 Madison Ave.) at 5:00PM. This is a chance for all of the poets and performers to get together and talk with each other before the event begins. This is open to all. Must be 21 or older to drink.

    At 7:00PM, the poetry and spoken word begins at the Friday Night Open Mic at the UAG Gallery (247 Lark Street). We are hoping for this open mic to be our biggest and best yet. In previous years we have had over 50 poets perform at the open mic, this year we are hoping for twice that number. Poets who wish to participate in the open mic will be able to sign up online at http://www.albanywordfest.com starting on March 15. Performers will also be able to sign up at the event. Each poet will have three minutes to share their work. The open mic is open to all. Admission is based on donation.

    On Saturday afternoon, day two of the Albany Word Fest begins at Tess’ Lark Tavern for spoken word, music, and art with a special edition of Experimental Cabaret, starting at 3:00PM. This event, hosted by Nicole Peyrafette, will feature multi-media work from local poets and musicians. Performing at this event will be Mary Panza with Monica Roach and John Weiler, Mother Judge and Nicole Peyrafette, and Thom Francis with local musicians. This event is open to all. Admission is based on donation. Must be 21 or older to drink.

    At 8:00PM, we move to Valentines (17 New Scotland Ave.) for Psycho Cluster F*#k ’07, featuring music and spoken word from local acts to be announced. Admission for this event is $5.00. This event is 18+. Must be 21 or older to drink.

    The 2007 Albany Word Fest is sponsored by Albany Poets, Tess’ Lark Tavern, UAG Gallery, Valentines, and the very generous donations of supporters of the arts and artists of upstate New York.

  • Tek Jensen — a satire of a satire of a satire

    Whodda thunk it?

    Stephen Colbert — not the real one but the one Stephen Colbert plays on TV — is not only a commentator, but also (like other commentators) a novelist of the Tek Jensen adventure series.

    Now along comes some real artwork to go with the fake books written by a fake commentator. Go figure. Thanks to The Beat.

    tek_1_cassaday.jpg

    That’s the John Cassaday/Laura Martin cover to STEPHEN COLBERT’S TEK JANSEN #1 above.

  • Not so big in Detroit

    A cover story I wrote from the Times Union about two audiobooks by Murakami — clocking in at nearly 1,000 words — is sent out on the wires and any paper that picks up can do whatever they want with it.

    Here’s what the link to what the Free Press did with it, including giving star ratings. I feel so Ebert-ish now.

  • Black History Month: Sonia Sanchez

    ssanchez.jpg
    Sonia Sanchez is one of the most influential poets of the Black Arts Movement.

    Read more about her from the Voices from the Gap Web site.

    She will be speaking tonight at Skidmore College’s Gannett Auditorium, Palamountain Hall, Saratoga Springs at 7 p.m. The playwright, scholar and American Book Award-winning author (“Homegirls and Handgrenades”) gives the Black History Month keynote speech.

    Hear and see her read her poem “Peace” in this YouTube video (which was uploaded in August of 2006):

    From Poets.org:

    Sonia Sanchez is the author of more than a dozen books of poetry, including Homegirls and Handgrenades (White Pine Press, 2007), Shake Loose My Skin: New and Selected Poems (1999); Like the Singing Coming Off the Drums: Love Poems (1998); Does your house have lions? (1995), which was nominated for both the NAACP Image and National Book Critics Circle Award; Wounded in the House of a Friend (1995); Under a Soprano Sky (1987); Homegirls & Handgrenades (1984), which won an American Book Award from the Before Columbus Foundation; I’ve Been a Woman: New and Selected Poems (1978); A Blues Book for Blue Black Magical Women (1973); Love Poems (1973); Liberation Poem (1970); We a BaddDDD People (1970); and Homecoming (1969).

    Her published plays are Black Cats Back and Uneasy Landings (1995), I’m Black When I’m Singing, I’m Blue When I Ain’t (1982), Malcolm Man/Don’t Live Here No Mo’ (1979), Uh Huh: But How Do It Free Us? (1974), Dirty Hearts ’72 (1973), The Bronx Is Next (1970),and Sister Son/ji (1969). Her books for children include A Sound Investment and Other Stories (1979), The Adventures of Fat Head, Small Head, and Square Head (1973), and It’s a New Day: Poems for Young Brothas and Sistuhs (1971). She has also edited two anthologies: We Be Word Sorcerers: Twenty-five Stories by Black Americans (1973) and Three Hundred Sixty Degrees of Blackness Comin”at You (1971).

    Among the many honors she has received are the Community Service Award from the National Black Caucus of State Legislators, the Lucretia Mott Award, the Outstanding Arts Award from the Pennsylvania Coalition of 100 Black Women, the Peace and Freedom Award from Women International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF), the Pennsylvania Governor’s Award for Excellence in the Humanities, a National Endowment for the Arts Award, and a Pew Fellowship in the Arts.

    The previous authors and writings featured on this blog:
    “The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano”
    Gwendolyn Brooks
    August Wilson
    “Our Nig” by Harriet Wilson
    “Twelve Years A Slave” by Solomon Northup
    “The Souls of Black Folks” by W.E.B. Du Bois
    Langston Hughes
    “Cane” by Jean Toomer
    “The Great Negro Plot” by Mat Johnson
    “Passing” by Nella Larsen
    “Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass”
    “The Autobiography of Malcolm X”
    “I Have a Dream” speech”
    “Sula” by Toni Morrison
    “The Known World” by Edward P. Jones
    “The Color Purple” by Alice Walker
    “The Intuitionist” by Colson Whitehead
    “Up From Slavery” by Booker T. Washington
    “Invisible Man” by Ralph Ellison

  • All about the NYTimes Book Review

    The Elegant Variation has all the links you need about:

    Everything you ever wanted to know about the New York Times Book Review but were afraid to ask.

  • Professor Martin Amis

    From the Guardian:

    Manchester University will announce an academic coup: Amis has agreed to take up his first teaching role as its professor of creative writing, a decision that will bring the one-time enfant terrible of British literature, author of 11 novels, including Money and London Fields, firmly into the literary establishment.

    And a quote from the son of Kingsley Amis:

    “I may be acerbic in how I write but I’m not how I live. And I would find it very difficult to say cruel things to people in such a vulnerable position. I imagine I’ll be surprisingly sweet and gentle with them. One of the things I’ve learned about fiction – you really do lay yourself open in a way that no other so-called creative artist does. Most other art you’re just exhibiting a particular talent, even poetry up to a point, but by writing fiction you expose not only your talent but your whole being, your social, sexual and psychological being and you’re never more vulnerable than when you do that, and I’m well aware of that fact and will take it into account.”

    Read the story here.