
E. B. White, the Art of the Essay No. 1 (1969) - samclemens
https://www.theparisreview.org/interviews/4155/the-art-of-the-essay-no-1-e-b-white
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ekpyrotic
When will The Paris Review run interviews with leading bloggers and other
online-first writers?

This is important because they are missing the vast swathe of content that is
produced in this day and age. I wouldn't be surprised if 80, 90, or even 95 of
written content was digital only these days.

All in all, I think it is time for The Paris Review to interview a writer who
is known primarily for their online-only content.

I find it interesting that many of the established literary magazines still
haven't extended the definition of literature to capture blogging and tweeting
as new forms of media.

They do a good job of including journalism, comedy writing, poetry, and short
fiction. But they never extend their interviews to new forms of online-only or
online-native writing.

Is there is any justification for stopping the definition of literature short
of blogging, tweeting, Tumblr'ing, etc?

There are two that come to mind. Firstly, that The Paris Review considers
these forms of media too new. I, of course, understand that it takes a while
for the establishment to feel comfortable with new things. But, honestly,
online media isn't that new anymore. It was new 20 years ago, but certainly
not today.

Secondly, perhaps someone might say that online media is mostly functional and
non-creative -- or that it's not a forum for creative media. Surely, that is
true for much online writing -- but so is it true for offline writing.

Finally, it feels funny to say that creative writing can exist on some
platforms, like Twitter. But, why? Because they are short-form? Doesn't that
still give writers the room to produce hyperconcentrated creative forms? Haiku
are short -- are they not creative, and worthy of the term 'literature'?

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siidooloo
Can you name any bloggers or tweeters you think they should interview?

Remember this is the Paris review. They arn't really looking for pop culture
stuff. They interview people people who already have some level of academic
acceptablitiy. They've done them with R. Crumb and Chris Ware. I'm sure they'd
interview a blogger if they found someone they were interested in.

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siidooloo
Adding to that ... I'm sure the'll do 'The Art of Memes' with someone in 20
years. But not yet. How many late career tweeters and bloggers do we have?

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crucini
It's interesting that when White delved into his journals from years past,
searching for facts, he only found opinions, thoughts, ideas - hot air. All
that hot air must have felt urgent and important at the time.

Might have lessons for all of us.

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Kattywumpus
For anyone curious (as I was), here is the cover of the New Yorker with the
seahorse White painted in 1932:

[http://www.condenaststore.com/-sp/The-New-Yorker-Cover-
April...](http://www.condenaststore.com/-sp/The-New-Yorker-Cover-
April-23-1932-Prints_i8563040_.htm)

