David Baerwald on Taking Writing Lessons from Hans Zimmer

This first appeared in Lit Hub’s Craft of Writing newsletter—sign up here. A typical song begins with a brief introduction that establishes space, moves into a verse that advances the narrative, turns through a bridge or b-section that complicates matters, and arrives

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Literary Hub

A new Mary Oliver documentary captures the poet’s wild and precious life.

At the time of her death in 2019, the late Mary Oliver was one of the most successful American poets to ever publish. She wrote dozens of collections, and several highly quotable bangers that a reader would be as likely

Brittany Allen·Jul 10, 2026

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Literary Hub

Lit Hub Daily: July 10, 2026

Zach St. George explores the wild scams of Australia’s snake venom con men. | Lit Hub History How activists Kevin Tubbs and Jacob Ferguson brought environmental liberation of the fae variety to America. | Lit Hub Climate Change “During his years

Oliver Scialdone·Jul 10, 2026

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Public Books

Documenting Birthright Citizenship under Chinese Exclusion

Following the Wong Kim Ark decision in 1898, ethnic Chinese, other Asians, and almost all individuals born on U.S. soil secured the right to jus soli birthright citizenship. They could not, however, secure recognition of their citizenship without documentation, the key that linked birth to birthright. At a time when birth registration was not common, […] The post Documenting Birthright Citizenship under Chinese Exclusion appeared first on Public Books.

Morgan Barry·Jul 9, 2026

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The American Scholar

Verse From the Abyss

How a Jewish poet rebuilt his mother tongue in the wake of the Holocaust The post Verse From the Abyss appeared first on The American Scholar.

Piotr Florczyk·Jul 9, 2026

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The Conversation

Shahrnush Parsipur: Iran has lost one of its bravest and boldest literary voices

Some writers describe the world as it is. Shahrnush Parsipur spent her life imagining how it might be different.

Hind Elhinnawy, Senior Lecturer, School of Social Sciences, Nottingham Trent University·Jul 8, 2026

Hyperallergic

John Giorno Put Poetry on the Line

In iconic works like his "Dial-a-Poem," the artist offered a moment of sustained attention, a sense of relation, a novel perspective.

Tara Anne Dalbow·Jul 7, 2026