New Letters, n: roll call of international authors

By: Jessie Burche

Posted: 9/17/07

One of the most important literary magazines in the United States is published at UMKC. In its previous incarnation as The University Review, it published famous authors such as e.e. cummings, William Carlos Williams and J.D. Salinger.

The magazine's name changed to New Letters in 1971. Since then it has continued to publish well-known writers; Joyce Carol Oates, John Updike and former President Jimmy Carter have the graced the pages of New Letters.

The magazine was also a finalist this year for the National Magazine Award in the essay category. Their competition was the likes of The New Yorker and Smithsonian Magazine.

"We're pretty widely recognized," said Robert Stewart, editor of New Letters since 2002.

And not just for their magazine; "New Letters on the Air" is a nationally broadcast program on National Public Radio. Angela Elam, host of the program, regularly interviews literary heavy-weights and poet laureates.

Stewart said the magazine doesn't just publish famous authors.

"Our purpose … is to find and publish the best new writers and artists in the world," Stewart said. "If the work is good enough, we're happy to publish it."

Several UMKC faculty submissions have been published, including some of Michelle Boisseau's poetry and Michael Pritchett's fiction.

The magazine stands out because the artwork isn't always traditional. In vol. 71, issue 1 and vol. 73, issue 3, they used pictures taken by Larry Schwarm.

In the first issue, he took pictures of lines of wildfires burning tall grasses and a thin, dark tornado. In the second issue he had pictures of what Greensburg, Kan. looked like after the tornado.

In another issue Gloria Baker Feinstein had pictures she took in Uganda published.

The cover of this issue shows colorful broken plates, bricks, shingles and pieces of wood piled on top of and around each other.

New Letters was begun by Clarence Decker, the first president of UMKC, which was called the University of Kansas City at the time.

According to the magazine's Web site, the original purpose of the publication was "to reflect the cultural life of this section of the United States by providing a medium for the publication of the finest writing obtainable here."

The goal of the magazine today is slightly different.

"I believe we have a calling … to uplift the state of literature in the country," Stewart said.

Stewart explained what makes New Letters special.

"Each issue of the magazine is really a work of art in itself."

jburche@unews.com