Ferguson Public Library Sees Donations Spike, James Patterson Campaigns Against Reader Apathy, and More

Every day Poets & Writers Magazine scans the headlines—from publishing reports to academic announcements to literary dispatches—for all the news that creative writers need to know. Here are today’s stories:

Following a grand jury's decision not to indict police officer Darren Wilson in the fatal shooting of unarmed teen Michael Brown, schools in Ferguson, Missouri, were closed yesterday amid protests. The Ferguson Public Library remained open, however, and served as a haven for the city’s residents and schoolchildren. The library saw an overwhelming spike in donations after the jury’s announcement. (Talking Points Memo)

The Caregifted Manuscript Critique Sale fundraiser, in which writers could purchase manuscript critiques from top authors such as Billy Collins and Mary Jo Bang, took place yesterday. Caregifted, a nonprofit that awards vacations to long-term family caregivers of the disabled, was started by poet Heather McHugh. McHugh used the $500,000 she received as a 2009 MacArthur Genius Grant recipient to launch the organization. (KPLU News)

Write holiday cards for a good cause: On Human Rights Day (December 10), participate in PEN American Center’s Annual Holiday Card Writing event by sending greeting cards to imprisoned writers and their families around the world.

City Lights Books has reissued an expanded version of Frank O’Hara’s 1964 poetry collection, Lunch Poems. The reissue marks the fiftieth anniversary of the collection, and now includes facsimiles of postcards O'Hara and Lawrence Ferlinghetti (founder of City Lights Books) exchanged while editing the manuscript. Poet Tess Taylor reviews Lunch Poems for NPR, noting how the poems changed “the landscape of American poetry with their leaps, jettisoning verse forms to capture instead glimmering turns of thought.”

James Patterson is tired of America’s reading apathy. The world’s bestselling author, who was an outspoken opponent of Amazon’s negotiation tactics during the retailer’s long-standing dispute with Hachette Book Group, has launched a public awareness campaign to encourage reading. Part of the campaign includes a television ad depicting book-burnings, which is intended to, well, light a fire. Patterson says, “I want people to look at this thing and go, ‘Ouch, that’s hot. Ok, I’m awake! I get it. We do need bookstores. We do need libraries. We do need our kids to read more.’” (Salon)

Do writers get “reader’s block?” At the Believer, poet Elisa Gabbert asks ten contemporary writers working in different genres about their reading habits.

Meanwhile, at the New York Times, authors Francine Prose and Benjamin Moser discuss classic nineteenth-century Russian writers, and what makes their approach to the human condition so distinctive.

In anticipation of tomorrow’s holiday, head over to the Guardian and browse Michelle Dean’s Thanksgiving-inspired book recommendations. If you need another helping, peruse the Atlantic’s guide to surviving holiday small talk.

…And for dessert: Sylvia Plath’s cooking tips. (McSweeneys)