Southern Revival: deep magic for hurricane relief
by Tamara Sellman, ed.
Published by periphery, a magical realist zineOrder directly
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Reviewed by Julie Failla Earhart
After I quit worrying about the critters and pets Katrina left behind (here's a not-so-subtle plug for Best Friends Rescue Organization, http://www.bestfriends.org), I started worrying about the libraries.
There is no doubt in my mind that the Gulf Coast will come back, after all, the South suffered through the Civil War. So my burning question became: how will the libraries be re-stocked once they are re-built? I'm assuming that every author across this great land will contribute at least one copy of their book But what about those people who need the escapism of a good story now. Not next week, not next year, but now.
Book Relief pitched in. Then the gang at "periphery, a magical realist zine," got involved. They created, along with writers around the country (most with deep roots to the South) who donated their work and talent, Southern Revival: deep magic for hurricane relief.
The resulting little journal is writing--stories, essays, poems--at its best. Every piece is exceptional. This limited edition has, at its core, the theme of water. And water of all kinds--Katrina, the Mississippi River, bayous, and swamps. The moon also weighs heavy in almost each piece. Each one is of the highest quality and exceptionally written. There's a poem about the recently rediscovered woodpecker that lives in the swamps of Northern Arkansas that I particularly enjoyed as I was born and raised in Arkansas.
Steve Alcorn's block relief illustrations perfectly match each piece it's teamed with. They, too, are exceptional.
All the gang at "periphery" asks is that a donation of $10 be made for each journal. The Author's Notes at the end of each piece is worth the ten bucks alone. For every $1 donated, Book Relief provides two books to those who need that ol' Southern magic now and in the future. I believe in this organization and have it on through a highly reliable source that "periphery, a magical realist zine," is on the up-and-up, donating 100 percent of all profits to Book Relief.
I am proud to display it on my bookshelf.
Armchair Interviews says: To get a copy, visit http://www.angelfire.com/wa2/margin/SouthernRevival.html. The best part is that contributors can get something real for their money.