Blog #5

Jon Krakuer was the author discussed into this week’s assigned reading. Krakuer discovered one of his main subjects of writing and a lifelong obsession of mountaineering due to his father. The pair first attempted to climb a mountain when Krakuer was only eight years old. However, his father had also wanted his son to follow his career path as a doctor, but while interviewing at the schools on the east coast, a fellow applicant informed him of Hampshire College which was just in its second year of operation. It was an experimental school that led to Krakuer doing his senior thesis creating a new route on an Alaskan mountain.

Climbing mountains led to his writing career because he was soon asked by a magazine to write about his climbs which had never been explored before him. Soon, writing took over his life and he quit his job. Krakuer is mainly known for three pieces of work including Under the Banner of Heaven regarding the Mormon lifestyle, Into the Wild about a man whose body was found in the Alaskan wilderness, and Into Thin Air which discusses his own experience with a group climbing Mount Everest.

From the interview section with Krakuer, I really liked the way he described how to would approach his interview subjects. He said that he would approach a possible subject by sending them a letter or even a copy of one of his books. He hopes that his gives the impression that he is no threat and just a mountain climber or have been convinced to talk to him after reading one of the books. I think this is a very classy way of going about introducing himself than just calling and having them be put on the spot.

This week we were also assigned involved reading the introduction of the book.  The part I really enjoyed about the introduction was when they described literary journalism more as a more of storytelling rather than strictly reporting events and typical events. Also how long each of these stories can take including some that involved more than a decade worth of research.

This week, I also read the interview with Susan Orlean, one of the few women authors from this book and who do this kind of writing. The part that most interested me about this author was the fact that two of literary journalism pieces have been made into movies. Blue Crush was the first film based on one of her articles about teenage surfer girls and Adaptation was the second movie that was based on her writing.  Blue Crush was a movie that I had previously seen but I had not known that it was based on a piece of literary journalism. A section of the original piece of work can be seen by clicking here! I really how the article started which was just simply talking about the hair of these Maui surf girls. After reading this, its crazy to think that so much details could be used explain the hair of a few girls. Literary journalism, I'm learning is all about detail, detail, details. An author cannot have to much detail in a piece on any subject. 

My Own Ideas:

My most recent idea for a literary journalism idea involved a concept called “Extreme Couponing”, which is also the title of a television show that  features people who use coupons in such a way that there bills are very minimal in dollar amount. The last episode that I watched involved a lady whose bill was around $150 with no coupons, and by the end she had a 75 cent credit to the store. There are websites to help find coupons available for people to want to try this at home. However, the process does take a long to plan what exact items to buy and also planning a menu with those food items. Basically I would attempt to “Extreme Coupon” here in Bemidji but also include the fact that I am a college and primarily cook for one, sometimes two.

New York Time Examples:

The front page story in the Thursday, September 29^th edition of the NYT was a great example of literary journalism. The article was titled “In a Quiet Village, Catching Up to a Hijacker,” the article begins telling the reader about the Captain of the plane and his thoughts the morning of the flight. The article continues on to tell the story of what happened and eventually how the hijacker was found. Another story of literary value which was in the same edition was in the Arts section and discussed a photographer and mountaineer who is now using his artwork to focus on global warming. 

Photo Credits:

Into the Wild Book: http://litcirclescla.edublogs.org/files/2010/02/both-into-the-wild1.jpg

Blue Crush Movie: http://www.sweetslyrics.com/images/img_gal/22752_blue-crush-347848l.jpg

Extreme Coupon: http://dealseekingmom.com/files/2011/04/Extreme-Couponing.jpg

Blog #4

Alex Kotlowitz-

This week for our literary journalism class, we started reading our third book containing examples of literary journalism. Each book that we read is totally different and I have no idea what to expect when I open the book. This week’s book is titled “The New New Journalism, Conversations with America’s Best Nonfiction Writers on Their Craft,” by Robert S. Boynton. After reading the back cover of the book, the book seems like it will approach different authors on their methods, writings, and careers.

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The first article we had to read was called Alex Kotlowitz. The article starts discussing a piece that Kotlowitz had written that turned into a book about two black children who were raised in poverty. Kotlowitz’s second book was two towns on either side of a river in Michigan, a drowning took place in the river and each town had their different stories of what happen.  Overall, Kotlowitz’s writing deals primarily with race.

After the introduction, the book transitions into a question and answer interview session with Kotlowitz. This set up is a prime example of literary journalism, also in the answers Kotlowitz’s discusses the way to he works to produce his articles which are examples of literary journalism.  I really enjoyed reading the answers about how he finds story ideas, since I have struggled with this concept in writing literary journalism pieces and several other writing classes.  Another question I found unique was what type of journalism he clarifies his writing to be because there are so many different types of writing, especially news writing. When Alex starts to interview subjects, he asks the subject to tell him a story instead of asking questions right off the bat, I think this is a very helpful option when starting a story especially when your subject is a child. 

Adrian Nicole LeBlanc-

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All the articles in this book are set up the same way, starting with two or three pages in prose introducing the author and their topics of reporting. The second article I chose to read was about Adrian Nicole LeBlanc, an author who is known for writing about a family who was affected by drugs, crime, life and love. After reading the interview section about LeBlanc, it is clear that she likes writing about children because they can make things “uncluttered.”  I also enjoyed learning her writing and editing. First, she organizes all her research into files, separated by events and placed in chronological orders. She writes emotionally rather than chronologically, and attempts to make the connection between all the events that took place. Also after writing her first draft, she makes an outline to make sure everything works as it’s supposed to in the order she wrote it.

Clearly, the way this article is written is a literary journalism example, but the things that are discussed in what way this author writes and works is literary journalism. Her technique of writing and method of reporting combined make a wonderful literary journalism piece. LeBlanc involves herself with people who are going through something worth writing about.

My Own Ideas-

http://www.waconiapatriot.com/articles/20
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Colin Faust is a graduate of Waconia High School, where I also graduated from. He was serving as a corporal in the United States Marines in Afghanistan when he stepped on an improvised explosive device and was nearly killed. His right leg and left arm were both damaged, and his left leg was ripped apart. He has now had multiple surgeries and is now living at home with his parent. He is still taking part in physical therapy. The story I would write would be about the story of his siblings, Cassie and Bryan, and his parents Sonja and Pat and how they found out about his brothers/sons injuries and how this one event has changed their lives.

New York Times Examples-

An example of literary journalism in the Wednesday, September 21, 2011 edition of the paper was on the front cover. The article was titled “Marines Hit the Ground Running In Seeking Recruits at Gay Center.” The article discusses how Marines are allowing gay, lesbian, and bi-sexual into the Marines. The articles start off with an example of a man who had his plan and even had his van parked so he could have a getaway vehicle if needed. The article also discusses how the Marines are known for being macho and manly. They hope that this will make them better than the other areas of the military due to their openness and acceptances of these people without having a don’t ask don’t tell rule. However this will be a slow transition as the article states that there was no huge line waiting outside the recruitment center. The article is an example of literary journalism because it explains in detail each person that arrived and signed up during the first day of that this change has been implemented.  However, there are also specific requirements for being a Marine, you must be a healthy weight for your height, can’t have asthma nor attention deficient disorder.

Another article in the same paper was called “Nickel Sales Just the Tonic For a Soda Foundtain’s Revival,” which tells the story of a fountain store recently opened where you can get an ice cream cone, soda or coffee for only a nickel. The piece is an example of literary journalism because its details the whole past of the building and even the students that come to the store each day for there after school treat. 

Everything Starts in England!

Professor Allan Chapman visits the Bemidji State University (BSU) campus each fall to promote the Eurospring Program, the oldest international study program at BSU. This visit includes a public lecture given by Chapman, but also several BSU professors request his presence in their classes as a visiting lecturer. 

Until September 19^th, 2011 I had only heard rumors of Professor Chapman from other students who had either gone to Europsring or attended his lectures. I had been told that he had been really hard to understand, but eventually you caught on and he could lecture on any subject with very little to no preparation with the exception of a cup of tea.   

I was a junior at BSU, taking a literary journalism class where my own professor Louise Mengelkoch had earlier in the day asked Chapman to stop by the class and discuss the concept of literary journalism. Chapman, dressed in as professional as you can get wearing a faded black suit, a crooked bowtie, and a British flag pin on lapel, walked  into the basement of the A.C. Clark Library and quickly decided he would prefer a room with a white board. We relocated and after a brief introduction, Chapman quickly goes over exactly what a semester at Oxford entails during the Europsring program. 

Before he began speaking about literary journalism he took out his hankie from his pocket, blew his nose and said "My mother used to say when your nose is running you need to run after it."  Chapman lead into the history of literary journalism with the fact that this tradition started in England, everything important does. He started by writing “John Milton, Paradise Lost” on the board and discussesd that this man was a great poet who was also a professional news writer and news commenter. Chapman continued to inform us of the history including Oliver Cromwell, Salmasius, Joseph Addison, Alexander Pope, Sylvan Urban, and Charles Dickens.

As Chapman contiuned to speak, I started to notice odd things about this man. He was wearing a wedding ring on his right hand. Also he had large scar starting near the bottom of his left ear leading to the bottom of his chin. It was easy to get distarcted because his apperace was so regal along with his balding with sliver blonde hair. While noticing this different things, it was so easy to tune his and his heavy accent out.

Chapman’s BSU guide motioned that it was time for him to leave in order to have time to prepare for his campus wide lecture. Chapman asked if we have any questions, the whole class sat in silence stunned at how much information was given off the top of his head in less than thirty minutes.  Champan grabed his tea, said “good bye” and headed out the door.

Here is a video that one my classmates, Joe Moubry filmed during his presentation to our class.

Blog #3

“They Came Out Like Ants! Searching for the Chinese Tunnels of Mexicali”

“They Came Out Like Ants! Searching for the Chinese Tunnels of Mexicali” by William T. Vollmann was the assigned article for this week’s class. The article is about a man who is discussing the possibly of the Chinese having secret tunnels under the city of Mexicali. He first encounters the sisters Hernandez who claimed they knew that the many Chinese used to hide in the tunnels. They also discussed how during a great fire underground that caused the Chinese to flee and appear as a bunch of ants. 

The rest of the story is Vollmann continuing to search the town for these tunnels and to figure how if they actually do exist. Several sources say they don’t exist, but Vollmann proves they do and even gets to see one with this own two eyes. In the search for these tunnels, he finds much information relative to the history of the Chinese people in the area.  

This story is a sample of literary journalism because it tells the struggles that Vollmann had to go through to get the story. Lots of news stories take a lot of effort, but the audience never knows what the author goes through in a normal news stories, but a literary journalism piece can include all the struggles. Of all the articles we read, this one was my least favorite, it was a very slow story with not a lot action. The topic was interesting but it was hard to keep reading.

“My Crowd Or, Phase 5: A Report from the Inventor of the Flash Mob”

For an article of my choice, I read “My Crowd Or, Phase 5: A Report from the Inventor of the Flash Mob” by Bill Wasik.   The article details the story of how the flash mob came to be. Wasik started the first flash mob by setting up a fake email and forwarding himself an invitation which he then forwarded on to several people. He did this so he would not appear as the creator of the flash mob.  Wasik arranged several mobs, but the article also discusses his overlooking of Ford Fusion Flash Concerts. The company arranged different flash concerts in order to generate news about their cars.

 Overall, this piece is literary journalism because it directly informs you what exactly was going on in Wasik’s mind, rather than using quotes like a typical news story. We have discussed in class the concept of footnotes, and I am starting to think when footnotes are used in literary journalism pieces they tie in facts that are not directly related to the story but are very interesting.

 

My Own Ideas

Today technology is everywhere; even typing this I’m using my laptop and sitting next to me is my cell phone. My idea for a literary journalism piece would be go a few days without any communication technology, no cell phone, no laptop, no iPod, and no using school computers. I think this would be super challenging because basically whenever I forget my cell phone, I feel like a part of me is missing. I’m not always on my cell phone, but I think it’s my connection to anyone who isn’t in the same room as me, such my friends who attend different schools, parents, and siblings.

 Another idea would be to not talk for a whole day, and I don’t just mean sit in front of the television all day, and write notes to people in the room. This idea would require the individual to get out of the city and spend the day where there are very few people. The day would involve just the person and their thoughts.

 New York Times Examples

An example of literary journalism in the Monday, September 12, 2011 issue is titled “Closing a Nursing Home and a Chapter of New York History” The first time of the article sets the tone for making it a sample. “Her 98-year old father lies under white sheets, frail and incoherent, attached to a feeding tube and a catheter. But Rose Lauria visits him nearly every day..” The story continues to discuss the effects the move will have on her father’s condition and several other patients. The article also discusses this move closes a chapter of New York because the nursing one was one of the last major Jewish Institutions.

Another example of literary journalism is from the Dining section of the Wednesday, September 14^th issues of the NYT. The title of the article is “Italy, So Close You Can Taste It.” The article details the author, David Tanis, who is attempting to cook an Italian meal. He starts at the supermarket and continues until the meal is complete including dessert. 

Misinformation Intern: My Summer as a Military Propagandist in Iraq

This week we started reading a new book containing examples of literary journalism. The book is called Submersion Journalism: Reporting in the Radical First Person from Harper’s Magazine. The article that we read was called Misinformation Intern: My Summer as a Military Propagandist in Iraq by Willem Marx. The article tells the story of Willem Marx after he graduated from Oxford before he started journalism school. Marx had an opportunity to have a media internship in Iraq. Marx main job was to make the military happy by choosing news stories that were written U.S. military members had written by combing wire stories and their own reports from the field.

Marx would give the selected stories to Muhammad and his team, so they would be translated into Arabic. Marx would also select the Iraqi newspapers that the stories would be run the stories, all with different prices. Marx successfully maintained this role during his time in Iraq, including dealing with a situation of an employee of the company not being one hundred percent honest.

I think that this piece qualifies as literary journalism because right off the back, the reader will realize that the article (and all from this book) is written in first person. Secondly, the author uses personal history to tell the story. For example, he mentions John’s Simpsons, Strange Places, Questionable People and describing its content because it inspired him to become a journalist.

The article also involves the concept of how scary the real world can be, especially in a war zone. Marx references this point when he questions why a copy of his dental records are needed, and then realizes that he might get so injured that he could only be identified by his teeth. Also within this point, something to consider is how much is it worth risking for your career. 

Another concept that deals with literary journalism is how Marx describes people when he introduces him. Instead of just including a person’s name and job, he includes specific details which typically wouldn’t be included in a news story. For example, when Gia, another worker is Iraq, is described as a fair skinned woman in her late twenties. Overall, this article has many components that combine to make an excellent sample of literary journalism.

A Foreign Affair: On the Great Ukrainian Bride Hunt

The second article from the same book that I read was called A Foreign Affair: On the Great Ukrainian Bride Hunt by Kristoffer A. Garin. The article details Garin’s trip to Ukraine with a tour group consisting of thirty men all ready to participate in a two week bride hunt. Garin didn’t tell anyone that his true profession was a journalist, but he used this experience to write a literary journalism story.

This article is considered literary journalism because it details tells every experience that Garin and other go through in their attempts to find the perfect woman. Garin also address everything that their trustful leader “Dan the Man” tells him in regards to what to expect from the woman and the culture of the country. Also I think the topic of bride hunting and mail order things is somewhat scandalous for a typical newspaper, but can lead to a wonderful literary journalism piece.

New York Time Examples

  In the Thursday, September 8^th edition of the New York Times there was a great example of literary journalism involving the upcoming tenth anniversary of September 11^th, 2001. This story was in the Styles section and titled, “A Bond Forged in Tragedy.” The story details how ten years ago, there was a fashion show where young designers were supposed to be starting their careers. They would be interrupted with the events that good place on that day, ten years ago. The article gives several different points of view of people who were to be involved with the fashion show.

My Ideas

My writing partner (while at Bemidji State University, we have competed several projects together, we make a great team) DJ and I were discussing what we write together for our own literary journalism. Several days ago, we were sitting in DJ’s dorm room looking at old comic books. In one from 1994, there was a section of letters written by readers to the comic, one of them contained a message from a man who was going for a pen pal and left his address. We decided to write him a letter, hoping that he still lives there and will write us back. Sticking with the superhero comics theme, we researched an event held in Minneapolis this year called the Fallcon Comic Book Party. We are planning on attending this daylong event and doing a literary journalism piece similar to the piece on the State Fair.