December Write on the Dot reading

Write on the Dot is a poetry and fiction reading series featuring UMass-Boston MFA candidates and writers from the Dorchester community.

From a Boston.com article on the inaugural session:

The reading series was started by Molly McGuire and Aaron Devine, both students at UMass Boston's creative writing MFA program. UMass already showcases its writers' work at the Breakwater reading series in Coolidge Corner (which also hosts BU and Emerson students), but Write on the Dot is meant to bridge the gap between UMass Boston and the Dorchester community. "UMass is unique in that it's a commuter school. It's in Dorchester, but it's on that peninsula …It feels a little disconnected from the community sometimes," said Devine, who added that the university already has many programs that partner with Boston Public Schools and the public library to create that connection.

This time around, it's Sam Cha, Aaron Devine, Johnny Diaz, Mariya "Morie" Deykute, and Christopher Kain. Sunday, December 11, 2011, 6-7:30 pm, at The Blarney Stone, 1505 Dorchester Avenue. RSVP at http://www.facebook.com/events/239184296149172.

OCTOBER BREAKWATER READING

The Breakwater Reading Series presents writers from the MFA programs of UMass-Boston, Emerson, and Boston University. This month's session features Drew Arnold and Danielle Jones-Pruett of UMass; Mike Brokos and Abriana Jette of BU; and Lauren Picard and Wesley Rothman of Emerson. Friday, October 21, 7pm, at Brookline Booksmith, 279 Harvard Street, Brookline (C-line to Coolidge Corner). Free and open to the public.

WEAK SAUCE OF WORDS

Jessa Crispin, writing for The Smart Set, agrees with Goldsmith that it's all dross, but unlike Goldsmith does not see much value in setting oneself up as a dross broker:

Not even the most idealistic among the cultural critics bother to argue that the system is merit-based. She takes aim at the MFA industry, the overproduction of underdeveloped books, and at the shallow hunger of amateur writers.

Of course, her complaint is not new: "Of making books there is no end," said Ecclesiastes a few millenia ago. Brian Bauld, a retired teacher of secondary school English, has compiled a capacious round-up of sensible essays concerning books and the idea of books, many of which make the same point -- too much noise, too little music. His list of lit crit is also worth checking out.