Brand New Paperbacks

Check out some of the new paperbacks to hit the shelves at Matter. From Aimee Bender's novel of love, sorrow and food to the new collection of themed short stories by the talented T.C. Boyle, we are bound to have the perfect fictional escape to accompany you on that summer vacation or picnic. And if escaping isn't your thing, we have plenty of non-fiction, how-tos, and essay collections to educate and inform you all summer long. Don't forget Father's Day is right around the corner! A gift certificate to Matter Bookstore is pretty much the perfect gift.

Year of the Poet Book Club

(From Publisher) Frank O’Hara was one of the great poets of the twentieth century and, along with such widely acclaimed writers as Denise Levertov, Allen Ginsberg, Robert Creeley, and Gary Snyder, a crucial contributor to what Donald Allen termed the New American Poetry, “which, by its vitality alone, became the dominant force in the American poetic tradition.”

This collection is a reissue of a volume first published by Grove Press in 1957, and it demonstrates beautifully the flawless rhythm underlying O’Hara’s conviction that to write poetry, indeed to live, “you just go on your nerve.”

Bookclub Discussion: Monday, June 27th, 7:30pm at the Matter Bookstore Loft.

The Year of the Poet Book Club is free and open to the public. You can join by simply showing up to our discussion. Hope to see you there!

2nd Annual PITCH-A-THON!

Don't miss out on this chance to be a part of the local media landscape. Bring a story pitch that you would like to have us explore in our quarterly publication Matterhorn. Other than that, all you need is a few bucks for beer (or to donate to the cause) and we'll take care of the rest.

We are always looking for more writers and reporters. This fundraiser is a great opportunity to introduce yourself to Matter's editorial team and share your ideas. Even if you're not a writer, we would still love to talk with you and get your thoughts on our newspaper. So please come! No excuses!

New and Noteworthy at Matter

A History of the Human Family

We just got the chapbooks in for April's Year of the Poet book club! We will be reading and discussing A History of the Human Family by Sasha Steensen. This lovely hand bound book of poems is part of a larger project that considers, among other things, the author's experience as a back-to-the-lander child. Sasha Steensen is a creative writing professor at CSU and the author of The Method, A Magic Book, The Future of an Illusion and correspondence. Her poetry, essays and reviews have appeared in numerous journals including the Denver Quarterly, Free Verse and Boston Review. She is also co-editor of Bonfire Press and one of the poetry editors for Colorado Review.

Year of the Poet Book Club

Book: A History of the Human Family by Sasha Steensen ($8 at Matter Bookstore)

Date: Monday, April 25th, 7:30pm

Location: Matter Bookstore Loft

Some We Love, Some We Hate, Some We Eat

A book review by Anna Fagre

Hal Herzog's Some We Love, Some We Hate, Some We Eat provides an entertaining and thought-provoking critique of the moral inconsistencies governing the human-animal relationship. Drawing on years of research and sociological observations, the author's compilation attempts to explain the paradoxical nature of our feelings towards animals. The investigation surpasses the typical "psychology of meat consumption" and examines, among other factors, the importance of a creature’s eye size in determining its moral standing. Another section questions the ethics of pet ownership and how the United States spends billions of dollars on pet insurance while in other countries dogs are considered a pest that should be exterminated. Other topics include the difference that gender makes in the human-animal relationship, whether or not the discoveries made by mouse research are justified, and how the Nazis held dogs in higher esteem than many ethnic groups.

One particularly perplexing chapter is devoted to Herzog's dissertation topic: the psychology behind cockfights. After spending time on the underground "circuit", he shares with readers the handlers' justification of the sport and how many of them gushed about the love they have for their birds. He then raises a novel and unusual question in the arena of human-animal dynamics that I am still unable to answer: would you rather live the life of a gamecock or a broiler chicken?

Join us for the 3rd annual Food Town Hall Meeting on Wednesday, March 2nd from 6:30-8:30pm. The State of the Local Food System discussion will feature a panel of community members active in local food: representatives from Native Hill Farm, CSU, the Growing Project and Real Food Colorado. The panel will discuss the local food community, farm to school, small scale farming, and community gardening projects. Please come ready to share and discuss local food issues.