Mississippi Review – Fall 2008

Anyone interested in the present state of the literary journal, both print and online, should definitely consult the latest issue of the Mississippi Review. In the Introduction, the editors announce their celebration of the 100^th anniversary of the contemporary literary magazine, and say, “We devote this issue to an investigation of what the literary magazine has become and where it may be headed.” There follows a cornucopia of useful information.

Anyone interested in the present state of the literary journal, both print and online, should definitely consult the latest issue of the Mississippi Review. In the Introduction, the editors announce their celebration of the 100^th anniversary of the contemporary literary magazine, and say, “We devote this issue to an investigation of what the literary magazine has become and where it may be headed.” There follows a cornucopia of useful information.

Robert Fogarty, editor of the Antioch Review, reflects on, among other things, how the taste of an editor affects the style and quality of a magazine. He makes it clear that money is the perpetual hurdle to overcome, though hard work and purpose are what drive a publication. More lively is a roundtable discussion with seven editors and a moderator in which the emerging importance of online publishing is addressed. Everyone here seems to agree that online work gets more exposure but print publication is still seen as more elite. The group stresses the need for raising funds and the insistence that readers should lend financial support to their favorite publications.

A number of poems and stories are presented by so-called “emerging” writers nominated by various editors. They all make good reading, although some are difficult to understand, causing one to wonder if the future of the literary magazine is going to be in obscurity and obfuscation.

A fast paced, upbeat narrative entitled “With the Candidate” by John Leary traces the political intrigue and petty drama surrounding an unnamed candidate’s bid for an unspecified presidency. The author here demonstrates nimble banter and healthy wit. Also interesting is “Foggy, Doggy Dew” by Maureen McCoy, a menopausal woman’s ruminations about her dog, sex among the neighbors, her own sexual history, and concluding with a perfect summation: “Back home and inside the house, all the day long my big black glossy dog and my clothes and I hang around in Earth because sex happened through a million trillion years, on all fronts, and what the hell, we are live sex descendents, all the same, and we are silent with the burden of ages.”

Also in this issue are brief thoughts by writers about writing, a section entitled, “Lit Mag Miscellany,” which gives quotes from luminaries in the business past and present, and “Some Notes on the History of the Literary Magazine.” All in all, 250 pages of educational stuff with a bathing suit cutie posing on the front jacket. How can you miss with all of this?
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