Thinking about Joe Brainard

Posted by Kiki Anderson Dec 20, 2008

I've spent the past couple of days holding The Nancy Book in my hands and falling back in love with Joe Brainard. His book I Remember has always been a favorite of mine. Incidentally, it's a useful text for teaching creative writing to kids, too. I've used it a couple of times in writing classes and it always goes over well. Some of the excerpts get a bit racy, so you have to check which pages you choose.

The Nancy Book includes collaborations with people like Frank O'Hara - a poet whose work I really respond to - and Ron Padgett, who also wrote Joe: A Memoir of Joe Brainard. It's incredible to think about all that O'Hara did in his short life. He's one of those people who makes you really believe in genius. And Joe Brainard does, too.

Siglio Press is an intriguing new fine arts publisher on the horizon. It'll be interesting to see what they put out next.