Writing – Page 22 – Jacke Wilson

October 16, 2015

Listen To The Epic of Gilgamesh (read in its original language)

What was it like to listen to the oldest epic poem we have? Press the play button, close your eyes, and travel back 4,000 years…. Open Culture has more. Continue reading

history of literature, Writing

ancient mesopotamia, epic of gilgamesh, History, Literature, oral storytelling, Poetry

October 15, 2015

Is Literature Dying?

Okay, the new podcast is off to a great start! Many thanks to all the listeners, wherever you are, and whoever you may be. It seems that a lot of you have the same question I do: Is literature dying? I know what you’re thinking: sounds like a straw man! I get it, I get it.… Continue reading

Authors, Fiction, history of literature, Podcast, Writing

Arts, Authors, culture, great books, internet, is literature dying, Literature, Podcast, society

February 27, 2015

The Cane (A History of Jacke in 100 Objects #32)

He was of average height and build, with blond hair and a disconcerting smile: his mouth expanded, his teeth flashed white, but his eyes expressed no joy or excitement. At best they looked nervous and slightly desperate, like those of an animal caught in a trap. At worst they looked dulled over, like the animal resigned… Continue reading

Authors, Fiction, The History of Jacke, Writing

college, composition, disaster, Fiction, first year, freshman, grammar, presentations, Short Stories, students, teaching, university

February 24, 2015

Gore Vidal’s Great Orson Welles Story

I’ve read a lot of Orson Welles stories, but somehow I missed many of the gems in this fantastic NYRB essay by Gore Vidal. Here’s one of my favorites, where Vidal and Welles are analyzing “like a pair of Talmudic scholars” a draft of Rudy Vallée’s memoirs, which Vidal has managed to get his hands on: As professional storytellers,… Continue reading

Authors, Fiction, Writing

biography, gore vidal, lunch, narrative, New York Review of Books, Orson Welles, rudy vallee, Storytelling

February 9, 2015

Embrace Your Inner Beatle! “I’m So Tired”

Back to coins for this week’s randomizing method. Seven quick flips to allow the gods of genius and creativity to have their say, and… Oh gods. Excellent choice. But are you feeling okay? Feeling droopy? Has the work of inspiring creativity gotten you down? Or are you just admiring one of John’s favorite songs? In any… Continue reading

Tao Te Beatles, Writing

Creativity, exhaustion, Genius, i’m so tired, john lennon, paul mccartney, ringo starr, the Beatles, the white album

February 6, 2015

The Trailer (A History of Jacke in 100 Objects #31)

It started with the rain. Tammy Wynette refused to perform on the uncovered stage, the foot traffic slowed to a trickle, and my boss Jerry couldn’t stop grumbling about the replacement band. “The Cheese Boys?” he muttered, as the sounds from Turtle Tap’s house band echoed through an empty grandstand. “This is the best those college idiots… Continue reading

Authors, Fiction, The History of Jacke, Writing

boss, carnival, cash, cheating, con, honesty, popcorn wagon, riverfest, scam, summer, taxes, teenager, tickets, Wisconsin, work

January 29, 2015

It’s The Jacke Wilson Show! Life’s Unanswerable Questions, Part 2 (Episode 2.2)

ONE…ONE ONE…ONE ONE… IT’S THE JACKE WILSON SHOW!!!!! Our quest for a more professional sheen to the podcast continues with Life’s Unanswerable Questions (Part 2) – Another play for Bryan Cranston and Kate Winslet, the untold story of Joseph the beleaguered father of Jesus, a look at why we love when we know it hurts… Continue reading

Authors, Fiction, Podcast, The History of Jacke, The Jacke Wilson Show, Writing

Humor, jesus, joseph, life’s unanswerable questions, Literature, philosophy, Podcast, psychology

January 27, 2015

The Fire Alarm (A History of Jacke in 100 Objects #30)

We were in the middle of a dorm war. Every morning between one and three a.m., a resident of some enemy dorm pulled our fire alarm. Presumably someone from our dorm was doing the same at some dorm across campus. In this war I was a mere civilian. A pacifist, a bystander, a protestor. And every night… Continue reading

Authors, Fiction, The History of Jacke, Writing

campus, dorm, expulsion, fire alarm, peru, probation, resident heads, security, Writers, Writing

January 19, 2015

Embrace Your Inner Beatle! (“I Am The Walrus”)

Whoa. The dice tumble, the dial spins…and the gods have chosen! Oh, ye gods. What a sense of humor you have. A work of genius? Yes. It’s a big one this time. A landmark in weird, mindblowing creativity. In context, maybe the strangest song ever written, and yes, I’m including Revolution 9 in that calculus.… Continue reading

Tao Te Beatles, Writing

beatles, Creativity, Genius, i am the walrus, inspiration, john lennon, madness, music, paul mccartney, philosophy

January 12, 2015

Embrace Your Inner Beatle! Nowhere Man by John Lennon

THE SELECTION Aha! This week we use the perfect randomizer: four spins of a Life board game dial. Szzzzzzzzz-tika-tika-tika…. and the gods of creativity have chosen! NOWHERE MAN (LENNON-MCCARTNEY, RUBBER SOUL) Oh, wow. Once again, the gods seem to have looked out for themselves. Here’s another divinely inspired song, or at least divinely delivered. More… Continue reading

Tao Te Beatles, Writing

beatles, Creativity, Genius, George Harrison, inspiration, john lennon, music, nowhere man, paul mccartney, philosophy