Readers who love good writing will have their heads turned by an attractive new face this spring. Northwest Review, the UO's highly regarded literary journal, has undergone a complete redesign, and is emerging with a brand new look, new editors and new writers, hand-picked for their talent and craft.
Geri Doran, the new general editor, plans to honor the journal's proud tradition with poems, stories and cover art that are both breathtaking and surprising. For a journal with a rich 50-year history, that's a daunting task.
Doran remembers a moment last year when an associate asked whether she could finally toss some boxes of ancient, outdated documents.
"But when she lifted the cover on the first one," said Doran, "we saw it was a 1967 acceptance for two poems by Ted Hughes -- for which he was paid the princely sum of $10."
This was just one literary artifact in the files. The journal published Hughes, a decorated poet once married to Sylvia Plath, along with authors like Eugene's favorite son, Ken Kesey. Doran also inherited huge ledgers, she said, where the details of each submission were meticulously inscribed by hand.
Now, the journal's changing with the changing times. "We're looking out a little more," said Doran. "Our view is global; we're interested in all kinds of aesthetics, regions, cultures." Along with editors Garrett Hongo (poetry) and Ehud Havazelet (fiction), Doran is soliciting today's best poets and writers. "There will be an emphasis on intelligence," she said. "None of us like easy work."
Doran, a visiting professor of poetry herself, will edit non-fiction and shape the journal's new look and feel. "I want the journal to be handsome and unforgettable," she said.
- Chrisanne Beckner
Will Obama be a one-term president? Will Republicans wander in the wilderness?
Get a direct link to this essential bellwether for today's economy.
See a slideshow of Jeff Koons sculptures at Versailles.