Literary kicks
Where Literature Lives Online
www.litkicks.com
by Caryn Thurman
I'm especially excited about the new audioquarterly, Verb. Verb is described as "an audio literary magazine by America's top writers." What happens when you take a quality literary journal and send it out on a CD? A great sampling of contemporary poetry, fiction and music, as Verb adeptly proves with its inaugural issue. Verb kicks off with poetry from Thomas Lux, a song by author Stuart Dybek and a selection of opening chapters from an unpublished novel by Robert Olen Butler. The issue closes with a story and a poem by James Dickey, plus a clip of the inimitable Walt Whitman. Sometimes veering toward quirkiness, the variety of authors and subject matter appeals to a broad audience. This would make a great gift to anyone on the go, commuters -- or for yourself. Verb is an ambitious and remarkable publication and is off to a powerful start -- I only hope they can keep it up for many issues to come. You can order a subscription to Verb (or purchase a single issue) through the Verb website, Audible.com or in major bookstores across the country.
