NEEDED: An autopsy of American literature. An examination of problems from top to bottom. Not just of the top-heavy hierarchical machine which delivers the art, through various avenues, to the public, but of the art itself.

FIRST must come a recognition that the art in its various forms has problems. Novels, short stories, plays, poems, criticism. That it is in effect dead— or at least on life support.

PREMISE: That American literature was seized by postmodern scoundrels and thieves, who turned the art into this narrow, largely irrelevant piece of delicate historical pottery kept on a shelf in a dusty museum in an obscure corner of the cultural city opened for three hours twice a week, on Tuesdays and Thursdays. A living art needs to be necessary and vital and it needs to be among the people, part of their everyday myths and memories.

THIS POST is not meant to be pessimistic. On the contrary, it’s optimistic, because with a host of problems comes the opportunity to correct them. To put the literary art back on course, and in so doing, restore its rightful status– its central place in today’s culture.

HOW to do this will be the fun part.

-KW