Why We Chose It: “Some Kinds of Drifter” by Justin Thurman
Mid-American Review fiction staff selected “Some Kinds of Drifter” by Justin Thurman for publication in Volume XLII. Thurman’s piece was selected for its overall strength but particularly for its nontraditional use of form and genre. The piece takes the form of an ethnography, detailing the different spiritual and cultural norms common amongst different groups of...
On Renia White’s Casual Conversation
Casual Conversation by Renia White. Rochester, NY: BOA Editions, Ltd. 2022. 80 pages. $17.00. Paperback. Although I usually don’t have much patience for poetic metaphysics, the abstraction common in Casual Conversation didn’t keep me from effortlessly gliding from poem to poem. I can recall very few collections I’ve enjoyed that passed through the same zip code as...
An Interview with Gabrielle Bates
Gabrielle Bates is the author of the poetry collection Judas Goat (Tin House, 2023), a New York Times ‘The Shortlist’ pick and a Chicago Review of Books ‘must-read’ book of 2023. Originally from Birmingham, Alabama, Bates currently lives in Seattle, where she works for Open Books: A Poem Emporium, co-hosts the podcast The Poet Salon, and teaches occasionally through the University of Washington...
On Dustin Pearson’s A Season in Hell with Rimbaud
A Season in Hell with Rimbaud by Dustin Pearson. Rochester, NY. BOA Editions, Ltd. 2022. 96 pages. $17.00. Paperback. Dustin Pearson’s collection A Season in Hell with Rimbaud finds itself in conversation with Rimbaud and influenced by Dante as the speaker goes on a Dantean journey through Hell in search of his brother. Despite the influence of tradition...
An Interview with Nebraska State Poet Matt Mason
Matt Mason has run poetry workshops in Botswana, Romania, Nepal, and Belarus for the U.S. State Department and his poetry has appeared in The New York Times. Matt is the Nebraska State Poet and has received a Pushcart Prize as well as fellowships from the Academy of American Poets and the Nebraska Arts Council. His work...
What We’re Reading, with Assistant Editor Mays Kuhail
I’ve been enjoying reading more poetry over the summer, and I’ve recently picked up If They Come for Us, a raw and poignant collection by Fatimah Asghar. I was instantly drawn to the rich themes of South-Asian culture, identity, and the undeniable link between past and present in the effects of political turmoil and violence. Asghar...
Pets with MAR: Chokko
Chokko (better known as “Sir Chonkus of the Chonkmeisters” or “Chonky”) Waterfield finds himself enjoying a recent issue of Mid-American Review. When he isn’t reading, he is a ruthless tug-of-war player and always down for a walk through the cemetery. (Photo courtesy of Lila Waterfield)
What We’re Reading, with MAR Blog Co-manager Gen Greer
High-Risk Homosexual by Edgar Gomez. Penguin Random House, 2022. 304 pages. 17.95, paperback. Earlier this month I decided to revisit Edgar Gomez’s memoir High-Risk Homosexual (2022). This was partly in honor of the book’s recent Lambda win in the category of Gay Memoir / Biography and partly because I’m obsessed with chaotic queer books. Gomez’s debut memoir tells...
Pets with MAR: Poppy
Poppy (nicknamed Peebus) knows what’s good in life. She says you should all check out MAR. I don’t know about you, but I’m not one to disobey this kind of feline royalty! Want to include your pet in our “Pets with MAR” series? Simply send your photo, along with your pet’s name and any other...
What We’re Reading, with Assistant Editor Christopher McCormick
For my first summer read, I decided to pick up Leila Chatti’s new chapbook Figment (Bull City Press, 2022). At 35 pages it goes by quickly, yet its emotional depth and experimentation make every reread a rewarding experience. The chapbook’s black cover and barely visible, embossed title set up the work’s mystery and coyness early on. Composed...