John Cotter
@johncotter.bsky.social
Author LOSING MUSIC, UNDER THE SMALL LIGHTS, and pieces for NYT Magazine, Guernica (RIP), Raritan, New England Review, Commonweal, Prairie Schooner ...
Reposted by John Cotter
I really liked this book. I read it in a few days and have thought about it a lot since.
My book, IT ALL FELT IMPOSSIBLE, in which I wrote a short essay for each year of my life, is officially out today (paperback & ebook). I think it's the best writing I've ever done, the most I've ever sounded like myself on the page.
Full details, reviews, etc: rosemetalpress.com/books/it-all...
Full details, reviews, etc: rosemetalpress.com/books/it-all...
May 14, 2025 at 4:03 PM
I really liked this book. I read it in a few days and have thought about it a lot since.
Reposted by John Cotter
A week from tonight—Monday, 5/5, 7 pm
SPACE @spacegallery.bsky.social
538 Congress
Portland ME
@johncotter.bsky.social & Shanna Compton, The Color of Sound
We’ll be reading/talking about hearing & visualizing sound. John’s got a new story & I’ve got a fresh slideshow. Copies of our books too too.
SPACE @spacegallery.bsky.social
538 Congress
Portland ME
@johncotter.bsky.social & Shanna Compton, The Color of Sound
We’ll be reading/talking about hearing & visualizing sound. John’s got a new story & I’ve got a fresh slideshow. Copies of our books too too.
April 28, 2025 at 5:02 PM
A week from tonight—Monday, 5/5, 7 pm
SPACE @spacegallery.bsky.social
538 Congress
Portland ME
@johncotter.bsky.social & Shanna Compton, The Color of Sound
We’ll be reading/talking about hearing & visualizing sound. John’s got a new story & I’ve got a fresh slideshow. Copies of our books too too.
SPACE @spacegallery.bsky.social
538 Congress
Portland ME
@johncotter.bsky.social & Shanna Compton, The Color of Sound
We’ll be reading/talking about hearing & visualizing sound. John’s got a new story & I’ve got a fresh slideshow. Copies of our books too too.
Reposted by John Cotter
Corporations are people. AIs are people. The only thing that isn’t people is people.
Call me a closed-minded, technophobe crank, but these AI models are machines, not creatures, and machines may display simulations of consciousness the same way they now simulate intelligence and writing, but they will never not be machines. www.nytimes.com/2025/04/24/t...
If A.I. Systems Become Conscious, Should They Have Rights?
As artificial intelligence systems become smarter, one A.I. company is trying to figure out what to do if they become conscious.
www.nytimes.com
April 24, 2025 at 7:59 PM
Corporations are people. AIs are people. The only thing that isn’t people is people.
Reposted by John Cotter
My autistic kid is a better, kinder, braver person than that entitled asshole could dream of being and I hope she gets to tell him that in person some day.
April 16, 2025 at 9:12 PM
My autistic kid is a better, kinder, braver person than that entitled asshole could dream of being and I hope she gets to tell him that in person some day.
Bright news for New England, & for me: @shannacompton.bsky.social will be sharing & going over her fascinating & timely new collages, & her strange encounters with the sounds of the world, on May 5th at SPACE. I'll be there too, with a new story about sounds and shadow: space538.org/category/eve...
April 16, 2025 at 3:13 PM
Bright news for New England, & for me: @shannacompton.bsky.social will be sharing & going over her fascinating & timely new collages, & her strange encounters with the sounds of the world, on May 5th at SPACE. I'll be there too, with a new story about sounds and shadow: space538.org/category/eve...
April 1, 2025 at 1:56 PM
Reposted by John Cotter
Philip Larkin
COMING
On longer evenings,
Light, chill and yellow,
Bathes the serene
Foreheads of houses.
A thrush sings,
Laurel-surrounded
In the deep bare garden,
Its fresh-peeled voice
Astonishing the brickwork.
It will be spring soon,
It will be spring soon –
And I, whose childhood
1/
COMING
On longer evenings,
Light, chill and yellow,
Bathes the serene
Foreheads of houses.
A thrush sings,
Laurel-surrounded
In the deep bare garden,
Its fresh-peeled voice
Astonishing the brickwork.
It will be spring soon,
It will be spring soon –
And I, whose childhood
1/
April 1, 2025 at 1:03 PM
Philip Larkin
COMING
On longer evenings,
Light, chill and yellow,
Bathes the serene
Foreheads of houses.
A thrush sings,
Laurel-surrounded
In the deep bare garden,
Its fresh-peeled voice
Astonishing the brickwork.
It will be spring soon,
It will be spring soon –
And I, whose childhood
1/
COMING
On longer evenings,
Light, chill and yellow,
Bathes the serene
Foreheads of houses.
A thrush sings,
Laurel-surrounded
In the deep bare garden,
Its fresh-peeled voice
Astonishing the brickwork.
It will be spring soon,
It will be spring soon –
And I, whose childhood
1/
This is what war is. And it's one of the many reasons why I have no patience for the warlike, the war-makers, the war-profiteers. Never believe kings and presidents when they say they're planning a swift, calculated incursion. Humanity does not have the power to do war well.
"Fifteen Palestinian paramedics and rescue workers, including at least one United Nations employee, were killed by Israeli forces “one by one” and buried in a mass grave eight days ago in southern Gaza, the UN has said."
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/m...
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/m...
Israel killed 15 Palestinian paramedics and rescue workers one by one, says UN
Workers on a mission to help colleagues were buried in mass grave in southern Gaza, says humanitarian office
www.theguardian.com
March 31, 2025 at 5:31 PM
This is what war is. And it's one of the many reasons why I have no patience for the warlike, the war-makers, the war-profiteers. Never believe kings and presidents when they say they're planning a swift, calculated incursion. Humanity does not have the power to do war well.
Reposted by John Cotter
the anti-abortion movement is a very complex web of lies invented by right-wing Christians who felt bad about taking the wrong side in the Civil Rights movement and needed to invent a class of imaginary oppressed people they could side with in a way that would reify their frothing misogyny
February 8, 2024 at 3:41 PM
the anti-abortion movement is a very complex web of lies invented by right-wing Christians who felt bad about taking the wrong side in the Civil Rights movement and needed to invent a class of imaginary oppressed people they could side with in a way that would reify their frothing misogyny
Reposted by John Cotter
My book IT ALL FELT IMPOSSIBLE is now available for pre-order. I wrote a short essay for every year of my life so far.
Elisa Gabbert says: "This book is so funny and honest"
Hanif Abdurraqib calls it "A beautiful portrait of a slow and tender passage of time."
rosemetalpress.com/books/it-all...
Elisa Gabbert says: "This book is so funny and honest"
Hanif Abdurraqib calls it "A beautiful portrait of a slow and tender passage of time."
rosemetalpress.com/books/it-all...
February 5, 2025 at 2:27 PM
My book IT ALL FELT IMPOSSIBLE is now available for pre-order. I wrote a short essay for every year of my life so far.
Elisa Gabbert says: "This book is so funny and honest"
Hanif Abdurraqib calls it "A beautiful portrait of a slow and tender passage of time."
rosemetalpress.com/books/it-all...
Elisa Gabbert says: "This book is so funny and honest"
Hanif Abdurraqib calls it "A beautiful portrait of a slow and tender passage of time."
rosemetalpress.com/books/it-all...
This begins tomorrow night, friends. There are still spots available!
John is a deep thinker about how writing works, and a truly gifted and beloved teacher. If I could take this class I would! So you should take it!
March 24, 2025 at 2:14 PM
This begins tomorrow night, friends. There are still spots available!
Reposted by John Cotter
It’s paperback day for THE POSSIBILITY OF LIFE! On insta I’m giving away a signed copy, a bonus signed Best American Science and Nature Writing 2024, and a beautifully deranged doodle by my favorite ig book buddy www.instagram.com/p/DHD56rBgGK...
March 11, 2025 at 1:50 PM
It’s paperback day for THE POSSIBILITY OF LIFE! On insta I’m giving away a signed copy, a bonus signed Best American Science and Nature Writing 2024, and a beautifully deranged doodle by my favorite ig book buddy www.instagram.com/p/DHD56rBgGK...
Reposted by John Cotter
An upcoming zoom course with contributor @johncotter.bsky.social
March 7, 2025 at 6:45 PM
An upcoming zoom course with contributor @johncotter.bsky.social
Reposted by John Cotter
if you're looking for a writing class to connect to, this one is gonna be great
March 7, 2025 at 6:44 PM
if you're looking for a writing class to connect to, this one is gonna be great
March 7, 2025 at 6:40 PM
Kind of an interesting example from this 2001 profile of Peter Thiel
March 5, 2025 at 9:12 PM
Kind of an interesting example from this 2001 profile of Peter Thiel
Reposted by John Cotter
A narratively satisfying set of tunes to play at your next session:
Whiskey in the Basement / Whiskey in the Jar / Whiskey In A Pint Glass / The Charms Of Whisky / The Humours of Whiskey / Whiskey Makes You A Lunatic / Whiskey, You're the Devil / Farewell to Whiskey / Whiskey Before Breakfast
Whiskey in the Basement / Whiskey in the Jar / Whiskey In A Pint Glass / The Charms Of Whisky / The Humours of Whiskey / Whiskey Makes You A Lunatic / Whiskey, You're the Devil / Farewell to Whiskey / Whiskey Before Breakfast
March 2, 2025 at 2:07 PM
A narratively satisfying set of tunes to play at your next session:
Whiskey in the Basement / Whiskey in the Jar / Whiskey In A Pint Glass / The Charms Of Whisky / The Humours of Whiskey / Whiskey Makes You A Lunatic / Whiskey, You're the Devil / Farewell to Whiskey / Whiskey Before Breakfast
Whiskey in the Basement / Whiskey in the Jar / Whiskey In A Pint Glass / The Charms Of Whisky / The Humours of Whiskey / Whiskey Makes You A Lunatic / Whiskey, You're the Devil / Farewell to Whiskey / Whiskey Before Breakfast
Reposted by John Cotter
Happy to see SONG SO WILD AND BLUE walk with these 25 other books out today!
lithub.com/omar-el-akka...
lithub.com/omar-el-akka...
Omar El Akkad! Ada Calhoun! Joni Mitchell! 26 new books out today.
What a February it has been, a February that has felt more like a year (or three) than a month, a February in which it seems as though every day has yielded new political emergencies and embarrassm…
lithub.com
February 25, 2025 at 7:36 PM
Happy to see SONG SO WILD AND BLUE walk with these 25 other books out today!
lithub.com/omar-el-akka...
lithub.com/omar-el-akka...
Reposted by John Cotter
don’t wanna be a raccoon in a raccoon graveyard
February 17, 2025 at 2:39 PM
don’t wanna be a raccoon in a raccoon graveyard
You have more power and wealth than anyone has ever dreamed. You can do literally anything in the world that you want. How do you spend your holidays?
February 13, 2025 at 7:19 PM
You have more power and wealth than anyone has ever dreamed. You can do literally anything in the world that you want. How do you spend your holidays?
Reposted by John Cotter
I want to throw winter across the landscape
February 12, 2025 at 10:15 PM
I want to throw winter across the landscape
Same, I don't even secretly like them, not ironically, not passively, not self-deceivingly. I halfway feel like everyone's putting me on, really
i’m so completely uninterested in superhero movies that at this point it feels like a distinct defect in my character. no interest in the self-serious ones, no interest in the jokey lighthearted ones. i tune out as soon as i see a cape or a mask in a trailer. what am i missing
February 12, 2025 at 7:19 PM
Same, I don't even secretly like them, not ironically, not passively, not self-deceivingly. I halfway feel like everyone's putting me on, really
Amazing work from the NYT on the “wrinkle” of ethnic cleaning. No notes, guys, why change?
February 7, 2025 at 2:48 PM
Amazing work from the NYT on the “wrinkle” of ethnic cleaning. No notes, guys, why change?