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Letter From The Founder
Once again, everyone has delivered. Once again everyone has outdone and contributed a new piece to their every-growing, ever-improving bodies of work. It’s a beautiful thing to behold, writers finding their voices and their themes and their own personal paths and then walking down them towards their own personal vision of mastery.
I feel blessed to have attracted such talent, and if I have been able to in some way be able to encourage and facilitate it via this Omnibus and through the Social Club Discord I am grateful, although I am not sure how much of the credit I can claim.
All I know is that I am excited about the future here. We have writers pursuing longer works, writers getting ready to release books and we have a joint short story collection due later on in the year. It is all starting to come together.
And as we get closer to filling our 300 member quota I hope you will continue on for the ride or even throw your hat in the ring and join us as a creator.
Either way I am hugely grateful for everyone’s continuing support with this venture. I am now able to pursue my own writing and the growing of this collective full-time which is absolutely a dream come true.
So thank you everyone and Happy Easter!
Until next week,
Live well,
Tom.
Essays
Choosing Your Mask by Pr0ph3t
“Terms like “Larper,” “Poser,” and “Weekend Warrior” are used to beat down anyone who reveals a desire to build a new and better aspect in themselves. The aggressive gatekeeping doesn’t only reveal the uneasiness of those settled in their own mediocrity for anyone genuinely trying, however. It also shows a fundamental misunderstanding of how humans were made and how they function.”
The term ‘thought-provoking’ has been worn out through overuse but it genuinely applies in this case. Another outstanding essay from our man Pr0ph3t.
Route 2: Marylebone—West Norwood by Charlie Sherritz
There’s an excellent- and largely forgotten- book called Notes From Overground. It os just that, a collection of notes on travelling on an English commuter train by Tiresias, a pseudonymous 9-5er. Well already I feel as if Charlie here is creating the London Bus equivalent of this great work, and if anything our mans effort promises to be even better in the end. And I don’t say that lightly. I absolutely loved this second installment.
Bookmark #364 by Deepansh
A beautiful short meditation on aspiration, rebellion, happiness, status and more. Yet another on of our writers completely on his own path, pursuing his own personal, unique quest towards mastery. A genuine freethinker and an excellent prose stylist here.
Not in the news by Simon
As Simon notes there are many stories- moving, tragic, powerful, concerning- that don’t make the news. It’s good to be reminded of this and Simon’s reminiscences and discussion of a Saharan documentary do just that and in great style. Plus there is a pretty fantastic song at the end of it all. Excellent stuff.
Cultural Anorexia by Luke Burgis
Luke is one of the clearest and most insightful contemporary thinkers around. It’s that simple. The Girardian lens and wealth of personal experience mean that he can zoom out from the topic of the day and simultaneously see above and around it. This discussion of the 8 spheres of culture that are thinning our desire are no exception. Essential reading.
“Words, Words, Words - Issue #5: “Authenticity” by Brady
As I have said before and will say many times again as the months move on, I absolutely love Brady’s ongoing etymology series here. This time he tackles the slippery word ‘authenticity’ with his customary rigour and elegance and leads us away from platitudinous pitfalls and towards the harder job of becoming what we are.
A Brief Reflection by Frank
Frank has clearly hit upon a goldmine with his focus on Pulp and its history and practice. But there is a pitfall to this:
“While I love writing this newsletter, I don’t want to just be a quasi-historian for pulp fiction. The phrase “writing about writing” takes up a considerable amount of space in the back of my mind. One only needs to scroll through Twitter or look at “AuthorTube” to see what I mean. It’s a trap many creative people fall into. My passion is writing stories. It’s time to put my own fingers on the keyboard and produce my own work.”
This is a huge problem online. One I am only too aware of. And one that the STSC is collectively trying to move beyond. And so Frank has thrown his hat in the ‘Art’ arena. I can’t wait to see what he produces next.
A bulwark of personal relevance by Vita
“Occasionally, a person dares to make Goals ™ that are specific, measurable, achievable, reasonable, and time-bound. But even those high on self-help literature typically forget these high-minded goals in favor of actually pursuing the basic unconscious goals. Rare is the individual who actually pursues deliberately set goals with vehemence and vigor.”
I’ve said it before and I’lo keep saying it: when it comes to actual improvement, actual peak-performance and actual creativity advice from someone who truly ‘gets it’ then Vita is your man. Seriously. You don’t need any feel good guru. Vita knows and can help you get better at your craft.
Glue d'etat by Kieran Moran
“There’s a new activism trend abound. Gluing yourself to things and places in the name of your cause, whatever that may be, glue related or not. Protestors glued themselves to pavements and roads in the UK, and at an NBA game a woman ran on the court and glued her hand to the hardwood. I always considered sticking it to the man to be more of a metaphorical call to arms than instructions.”
My podcast is called Tragedies of Modernity. I aim for it to be (darkly, absurdly) funny. Maybe one day it will be the audio equivalent of Kieran’s weekly essays which are always hilarious, ridiculous, witty and bone dry. I can but hope. Kieran is consstently excellent with these.
The Sensation of Distance by Charles Schifano
Sometimes long descriptions are needed, sometimes context is needed when giving a recommendation. And though I could do all of that for Charles work what I am most often compelled to write is a single sentence:
‘Damn Charles can really write, what a talent he is.’
Turnabout by Paul Publisher
Be as sceptical as you please- Paul’s way with words, use of metaphor and imagery and prose skills are as plain as day. This discussion of the Libra Full Moon is ample evidence of all of this. Well worth the time to explore and delve in.
Travel Diaries #25 - Chiang Mai by Gavin
Sometimes I wonder when Gavin will release a piece that isn’t a joy to read. That’s doesn’t paint vivid images of his travels while also showing the reality of the world and not just its superficial instagram ready surface. I suspect the answer may well be never as his unbeaten run of outstanding travel writing continues. Gavin is building a tremendous body of work here.
I went to a movie by myself by Lyle
‘How did I end up here? What led me to this nanosecond in time?’
That’s the big question isn’t it? And as Lyle fans have now come to expect this is tackled in a heartfelt, personal, extraordinary-within-the-ordinary meditation. Once again Lyle has surpassed himself here.
Real Heads, Fake Talking by Ryan
‘For modern viewers facing the risk of perpetual dopamine machines encroaching on attention spans, highlighting movies that are short exercises in duration feels like an olive branch, an alluring suggestion to step off the ship of junk content and into the clutches of the sirens of cinema.’
With every double feature film review I am left walking away thinking ‘Man, Ryan really gets it.’ Simply put watch what he recommends, avoid what he ridicules and your moviegoing enjoyment will improve immeasurably. It’s that simple.
Fiction
2062 by Edward Rooster
Edwards work is completely unique in form as well as content. He writes stories in tiny day-by-day fragments, taking the truncated snippet formats that we are used to writing in online (think tweets and short posts) and building mosaic-like pieces out of these fragments.
Click the link and you will see exactly what I mean.
Poetry
Petros by Brady
To put it simply- where else do you have people publishing sonnets (and a very good one at that) online?
The STSC is actually walking the walk regarding consistently putting out honest-to-God art and this Good Friday inspired poem is a prime example.
Outstanding work.
Be a patron of the arts by clicking the button below and purchasing a beautiful paperback edition of my debut essay collection. Thank you.
Podcasts
Waiting For Tim (Tragedies of Modernity #3) by Thomas J Bevan & Craig Burgess
One mans ill-prepared ramble is another mans cult classic podcast in the making (that’s my story and I’m sticking to it)
So this week myself and my long-suffering co-host talked about Richard Dawkins sandwich eating technique, being offered cocaine and weed in Prague, Bond villain billionaires and their cockrockets, clog variations and much much more (and less)
Listen to it all right this instant.
A live audience by Craig Burgess
Did you ever see that episode of Seinfeld where George talks his two different selves and how everything would fall apart if Independent George ever meet Relationship George?
I hope you did otherwise the next sentence won’t make much sense,
See, what we have here is Podcast Craig colliding with Relationship Craig as his girlfriend sits in and learns what it is Craig does when he goes to his room every Wednesday to record an episode.
TJB Film Recommendation
Cop Land (1997)
D. James Mangold
W. James Mangold
S. Sylvester Stallone, Harvey Keitel, Ray Liotta
Yet another inexplicably underrated 90’s gem here.
A career best performance from Stallone along with some of the best acting work in the long and storied careers of screen legends Keitel and De Niro.
Great no-nonsense direction from Mangold in his sophomore effort as writer/director.
A smart and satisfying use of Western tropes in a contemporary neo-noir setting.
What more do I need to say? If you haven’t seen this watch it immediately and if you have seen it then you know what I am talking about and thus should watch it again.
Enjoy.
As always thank you for reading and listening to our offerings for this week.
Not to give the typical ‘smash like and subscribe’ ending, but you should absolutely do both of those things immediately. I am building the Soaring Twenties Social Club into the new vanguard for quality literature, essays and art and so every single share, like, comment and sign up helps enormously and is hugely appreciated.
Finally, it is Easter which means I am away with family and there will be no Tragedies of Modernity podcast. However I am going to find a few minutes to record a little solo missive about the direction that our ventures here are going to be taking. It will be sent out to you all tomorrow.
See you over at the Social Club
Cheers!